19 Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered(A) and also taken possession?’ (B) Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick up your blood!’” (C)

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So, my enemy, you’ve found me, have you?” (D)

He replied, “I have found you because you devoted(E) yourself to do what is evil in the Lord’s sight. 21 This is what the Lord says:[a] ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will eradicate your descendants:

I will wipe out all of Ahab’s males,[b]
both slave and free,[c] in Israel;(F)

22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam(G) son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha(H) son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and caused Israel to sin.’(I) 23 The Lord also speaks of Jezebel: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land[d] at Jezreel:(J)

24 Anyone who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat,
and anyone who dies in the field, the birds[e] will eat.’”(K)

25 Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him.(L) 26 He committed the most detestable acts by following idols(M) as the Amorites(N) had, whom the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth(O) and walked around subdued. 28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime,(P) because he has humbled himself before me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son’s lifetime.”(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. 21:21 LXX; MT omits This is what the Lord says
  2. 21:21 Lit eliminate Ahab’s one who urinates against the wall
  3. 21:21 Or males, even the weak and impaired; Hb obscure
  4. 21:23 Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg, Vg, 2Kg 9:36; other Hb mss, LXX read the rampart
  5. 21:24 Lit birds of the sky

19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’(A) Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood,(B) dogs(C) will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”(D)

“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold(E) yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 21 He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male(F) in Israel—slave or free.[a](G) 22 I will make your house(H) like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.’(I)

23 “And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs(J) will devour Jezebel by the wall of[b] Jezreel.’

24 “Dogs(K) will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds(L) will feed on those who die in the country.”

25 (There was never(M) anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites(N) the Lord drove out before Israel.)

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth(O) and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.(P)

28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled(Q) himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day,(R) but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”(S)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 21:21 Or Israel—every ruler or leader
  2. 1 Kings 21:23 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 9:26) the plot of ground at