The Lord’s Judgment on Ahab

17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite:(A) 18 “Get up and go to meet Ahab king of Israel,(B) who is in Samaria.(C) You’ll find him in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered(D) and also taken possession?’(E) Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where the dogs licked Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick your blood!’”(F)

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So, you have caught me, my enemy.”(G)

He replied, “I have caught you because you devoted(H) 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 sweep away your descendants:

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

22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam(J) son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha(K) son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.(L) 23 The Lord also speaks of Jezebel: The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land[c] at Jezreel:(M)

24 He who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat,
and he who dies in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.’”(N)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 21:21 LXX; MT omits This is what the Lord says
  2. 1 Kings 21:21 Lit eliminate Ahab’s one who urinates against the wall
  3. 1 Kings 21:23 Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg, Vg, 2Kg 9:36; other Hb mss, LXX read the rampart

17 The Lord’s word came to Elijah from Tishbe: 18 Get up and go down to meet Israel’s King Ahab in Samaria. He is in Naboth’s vineyard. He has gone down to take ownership of it. 19 Say the following to him: This is what the Lord says: So, you’ve murdered and are now taking ownership, are you? Then tell him: This is what the Lord says: In the same place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, they will lick up your own blood.

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you’ve found me, my old enemy!”

“I found you,” Elijah said, “because you’ve enslaved yourself by doing evil in the Lord’s eyes. 21 So I am now bringing evil on you! I will burn until you are consumed, and I will eliminate everyone who urinates on a wall that belongs to Ahab, whether slave or free. 22 I will make your household like that of Jeroboam, Nebat’s son, and like the household of Baasha, Ahijah’s son, because of the way you’ve angered me and because you’ve made Israel sin. 23 As for Jezebel, the Lord says this: Dogs will devour Jezebel in the area of Jezreel. 24 Dogs will eat anyone of Ahab’s family who dies in town, and birds will eat anyone who dies in the country.”

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