21 1 Naboth had a vineyard nearby King Ahab's palace in Jezreel.
2 Ahab said to Naboth, "I'd like to buy or trade for your vineyard. "
3 Naboth said, "I can't give up the inheritance of my fathers."
4 Ahab was so upset by Naboth's refusal to give up his vineyard that he laid down on his bed and refused to eat. 5 His wife, Jezebel, said to him, Why are you so sad that you won't even eat?
6 Ahab said to her, "Because Naboth won't let me buy or trade for his vineyard."
7 Jezebel said,
Aren't you the king of Israel?
Don't worry about it. Be happy.
I'll get Naboth's vineyard for you.
8 So she wrote some letters in Ahab's name and sent them to the elders of the city, saying,
9 Proclaim a fast and get some false witnesses (sons of Belial) to testify that Naboth has blasphemed God and the king. 10 Then everyone will stone him to death.
11 So all the men of the city proclaimed a fast and put Naboth on trial.
13 Two sons of Belial said that Naboth blasphemed God and the king.
Then everyone stoned him to death.
15 Jezebel said to Ahab, “Naboth's vineyard is now yours.”
16 So Ahab went to the vineyard to take possession of it.
19 The word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying,
Go meet Ahab. He's in Naboth's vineyard. Say this to him,
Did you kill Naboth and take his vineyard?
21 Where the dogs licked Naboth's blood, they will lick yours.
22 I will bring evil upon you and cut off everyone in your family who pisses against a wall.
I'll make your house like that of Jeroboam and Baasha.
23 The dogs will eat Jezebel.
24 Dogs will eat Ahab's family if they die in the city.
Birds will eat them if they die in the country.
27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted.
28 And the word of God came to Elijah, saying,
29 Do you see how Ahab is humbling himself before me?
Because he's doing that, I won't bring evil on him.
I'll bring evil on his son instead.
22 1 There was peace between Syria and Israel for three years.
2 In the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah came to meet King Ahab of Israel.
4 Ahab asked Jehoshaphat if he'd help him fight Ramothgilead.
Jehoshaphat answered, “Sure. But let's see what the word of the Lord has to say.”
6 So Ahab gathered 400 prophets and asked them. They said,
Go to war against Ramothgilead. God will deliver it into your hand.
7 Jehoshaphat said, "Is there another prophet around here that we can ask?"
8 Ahab said,
Yes, there's another guy we could ask. His name is Micaiah, but I hate him.
He always prophesies bad things about me.
13 A messenger was sent to fetch Micaiah who said to him,
Only prophesy good things like everyone else has.
14 Micaiah said, “I'll say whatever God tells me to say.”
15 When Micaiah arrived, King Ahab asked him, “Should I fight against Ramothgilead?”
Micaiah said, “Yes. God will deliver it into your hand.”
16 Ahab said, “How many times have I told you? Tell me the truth.”
17 Micaiah said,
I saw the Israelites scattered on the hills with no one to guide them.
God said, "Send them home."
18 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “See, I told you. He'd only say bad things about me.”
19 Micaiah said,
I saw God sitting on his throne and he said,
20 Who can persuade Ahab to attack Ramothgilead?
21 And a spirit said to God, “I will persuade him.”
God said, “How will you do that?”
22 The spirit said, "I'll make the prophets lie to Ahab."
God said, “Good. Go do that."
23 So God has made your prophets lie to you.
29 So Ahab and Jehoshaphat fought the Syrians at Ramothgilead.
35 A Syrian's arrow wounded King Ahab in the chest. He died from loss of blood that evening.
38 And the dogs licked Ahab's blood according to the word of the Lord.
40 After Ahab died, his son, Ahaziah, became king of Israel.
41 Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah, and he was like his father, Asa, doing what was right in God's eyes -- except for not removing the high places. 46 He expelled (or exterminated) the sodomites from the land.
50 Jehoshaphat died and his son Jehoram became king of Judah. 52 Ahaziah was like his father Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baal.
"I [God] will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall. Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it." 1 Kings 14:10-11 (Episode 138)
"He [Baasha] smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD. 1 Kings 15:29 (Episode 139)
I [God] will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam ... Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat. 1 Kings 16:3-4
"He [Zimri] slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends. Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD. 1 Kings 16:11-12 (Episode 139)
God puts a "lying spirit" in the mouth of his prophets.
(So those Bible verses saying that it is wrong to lie and that God doesn't lie must be lies.)
God killed Ahab for showing mercy to king Benhadad.
Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. 1 Kings 20:42
And the dogs licked his blood, as God told Ahab they would do.
Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. 1 Kings 21:19
DWB: God killed Ahab for not killing a captured king
Did God bring evil on Ahab?
Copyright © 1999-2024
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible
Send comments to Steve Wells
at swwells(at)gmail.com
