Chapter 21

1And it was after these happenings, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab, the king of Samaria.   אוַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה כֶּ֧רֶם הָיָ֛ה לְנָב֥וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיִזְרְעֶ֑אל אֵצֶל הֵיכַ֣ל אַחְאָ֔ב מֶ֖לֶךְ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן:
And it was after these happenings: [lit. after these things,] still another incident to bring his death close.   וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה: עוֹד אַחֶרֶת לְקָרֵב מִיתָתוֹ.
2And Ahab spoke to Naboth saying, "Give me your vineyard and I will have it for a vegetable garden since it is near my house, and I will give you instead of it a vineyard which is better than it-if it pleases you, I will give you money, its worth."   בוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אַחְאָ֣ב אֶל־נָב֣וֹת | לֵאמֹ֩ר | תְּנָה־לִּ֨י אֶֽת־כַּרְמְךָ֜ וִיהִי־לִ֣י לְגַן־יָרָ֗ק כִּ֣י ה֚וּא קָרוֹב֙ אֵ֣צֶל בֵּיתִ֔י וְאֶתְּנָ֚ה לְךָ֙ תַּחְתָּ֔יו כֶּ֖רֶם ט֣וֹב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אִם ט֣וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ אֶתְּנָה־לְךָ֥ כֶ֖סֶף מְחִ֥יר זֶֽה:
its worth: [lit. the worth of this, i.e.,] the worth of this vineyard.   מְחִיר זֶה: הַכֶּרֶם הַזֶּה.
3And Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid me to give the inheritance of my forefathers to you."   גוַיֹּ֥אמֶר נָב֖וֹת אֶל־אַחְאָ֑ב חָלִ֚ילָה לִּי֙ מֵֽיהֹוָ֔ה מִתִּתִּ֛י אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבֹתַ֖י לָֽךְ:
4And Ahab came to his house sad and upset because of the matter that Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him and said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my forefathers." He lay on his bed, turned away his face, and did not eat bread.   דוַיָּבֹא֩ אַחְאָ֨ב אֶל־בֵּית֜וֹ סַ֣ר וְזָעֵ֗ף עַל־הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלָ֗יו נָבוֹת֙ הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֔י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֥ן לְךָ֖ אֶת־נַחֲלַ֣ת אֲבוֹתָ֑י וַיִּשְׁכַּב֙ עַל־מִטָּת֔וֹ וַיַּסֵּ֥ב אֶת־פָּנָ֖יו וְלֹֽא־אָ֥כַל לָֽחֶם:
5And Jezebel his wife came to him, and spoke to him, "For what is this that your spirit has left you and you do not eat bread?"   הוַתָּבֹ֥א אֵלָ֖יו אִיזֶ֣בֶל אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֗יו מַה־זֶּה֙ רוּחֲךָ֣ סָרָ֔ה וְאֵינְךָ֖ אֹכֵ֥ל לָֽחֶם:
6He spoke to her, "For I have spoken to Naboth the Jezreelite and I have said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money or if you wish I will give you a vineyard instead of it. And he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.' "   ווַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֗יהָ כִּֽי־אֲ֠דַבֵּר אֶל־נָב֨וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֜י וָאֹ֣מַר ל֗וֹ תְּנָה־לִּ֚י אֶֽת־כַּרְמְךָ֙ בְּכֶ֔סֶף אוֹ אִם־חָפֵ֣ץ אַתָּ֔ה אֶתְּנָה־לְךָ֥ כֶ֖רֶם תַּחְתָּ֑יו וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֥ן לְךָ֖ אֶת־כַּרְמִֽי:
7And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now exercise kingly power over Israel? Arise, and eat bread and let your heart be merry, I will give you Naboth the Jezreelite's vineyard."   זוַתֹּ֚אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אִיזֶ֣בֶל אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ אַתָּ֕ה עַתָּ֛ה תַּעֲשֶֹ֥ה מְלוּכָ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ק֚וּם אֱכָל־לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְיִטַ֣ב לִבֶּ֔ךָ אֲנִי֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לְךָ֔ אֶת־כֶּ֖רֶם נָב֥וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִֽי:
8And she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed [them] with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the officials who were in his city, who sat with Naboth.   חוַתִּכְתֹּ֚ב סְפָרִים֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם אַחְאָ֔ב וַתַּחְתֹּ֖ם בְּחֹתָמ֑וֹ וַתִּשְׁלַ֣ח סְפָרִ֗ים (כתיב הסְפָרִ֗ים) אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֚ים וְאֶל־הַֽחֹרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּעִיר֔וֹ הַיּשְׁבִ֖ים אֶת־נָבֽוֹת:
to the elders: wicked and ignorant elders, elders of shame.   אֶל הַזְּקֵנִים: זִקְנֵי אַשְׁמַאי, סָבֵי דְבַהֲתָא.
9And she wrote letters saying, "Proclaim a fast and place Naboth in the forefront of the people.   טוַתִּכְתֹּ֥ב בַּסְּפָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר קִֽרְאוּ־צ֔וֹם וְהֹשִׁ֥יבוּ אֶת־נָב֖וֹת בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הָעָֽם:
Proclaim a fast: On a fast day it was their custom to search for the sins in their hands.   קִרְאוּ צוֹם: וּבְיוֹם צוֹם דַּרְכָּם לִבְדֹּק בַּעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדָם.
10And set up two wicked men opposite him and they will testify against him saying, 'You have cursed God and the king,' and they shall remove him and stone him, and he will die."   יוְ֠הוֹשִׁיבוּ שְׁנַ֨יִם אֲנָשִׁ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־בְלִיַּעַל֘ נֶגְדּוֹ֒ וִיעִדֻ֣הוּ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ וְהוֹצִיאֻ֥הוּ וְסִקְלֻ֖הוּ וְיָמֹֽת:
11And the men of his city did, the elders and the officials that dwelled in his city, as Jezebel sent to them, as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them.   יאוַיַּעֲשׂוּ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י עִיר֜וֹ הַזְּקֵנִ֣ים וְהַחֹרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֚ר הַיּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּעִיר֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר שָׁלְחָ֥ה אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם אִיזָ֑בֶל כַּאֲשֶׁ֚ר כָּתוּב֙ בַּסְּפָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁלְחָ֖ה אֲלֵיהֶֽם:
12They proclaimed a fast, and they set Naboth at the head of the people.   יבקָרְא֖וּ צ֑וֹם וְהֹשִׁ֥יבוּ אֶת־נָב֖וֹת בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הָעָֽם:
13And the two wicked men came and sat opposite him, and the wicked men testified against Naboth in front of the people saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." And they took him out of the city and stoned him with stones, and he died.   יגוַ֠יָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־בְלִיַּעַל֘ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ נֶגְדּוֹ֒ וַיְעִדֻהוּ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַבְּלִיַּ֜עַל אֶת־נָב֗וֹת נֶ֚גֶד הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֵּרַ֥ךְ נָב֛וֹת אֱלֹהִ֖ים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּצִאֻ֙הוּ֙ מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר וַיִּסְקְלֻ֥הוּ בָאֲבָנִ֖ים וַיָּמֹֽת:
Naboth cursed: Heb. ברך, [lit. blessed, a euphemism for קללה,] curse. The Targum renders: Naboth blasphemed against God and cursed the king.   בֵּרַךְ נָבוֹת: חִלּוּף שֶׁל קְלָלָה, וְתַרְגּוּם: גָּדִיף נָבוֹת קֳדָם ה' וּמַלְכָּא לָט.
14And they sent to Jezebel saying: "Naboth has been stoned and has died."   ידוַֽיִּשְׁלְח֖וּ אֶל־אִיזֶ֣בֶל לֵאמֹ֑ר סֻקַּ֥ל נָב֖וֹת וַיָּמֹֽת:
15And it was when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and that he died, that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Get up, and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not living but dead."   טווַֽיְהִי֙ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אִיזֶ֔בֶל כִּֽי־סֻקַּ֥ל נָב֖וֹת וַיָּמֹ֑ת וַתֹּ֨אמֶר אִיזֶ֜בֶל אֶל־אַחְאָ֗ב ק֣וּם רֵ֞שׁ אֶת־כֶּ֣רֶם | נָב֣וֹת הַיִזְרְעֵאלִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֚ר מֵאֵן֙ לָתֶת־לְךָ֣ בְכֶ֔סֶף כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין נָב֛וֹת חַ֖י כִּי־מֵֽת:
Get up and take possession: Some of our Sages say that the property of those executed by the king belong to the king. And some of them say that he [Ahab] was the son of his [Naboth’s] father’s brother. He killed him and his children [as well], and was therefore fit to inherit his [property].   קוּם רֵשׁ: יֵשׁ מֵחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: הֲרוּגֵי מַלְכוּת נִכְסֵיהֶם לַמֶּלֶךְ, וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן אוֹמְרִים: בֶּן אֲחִי אָבִיו הָיָה, וְאוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו הָרַג, וְרָאוּי לְיָרְשׁוֹ.
16And it was as Ahab heard that Naboth had died, that Ahab got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.   טזוַיְהִ֛י כִּשְׁמֹ֥עַ אַחְאָ֖ב כִּ֣י מֵ֣ת נָב֑וֹת וַיָּ֣קָם אַחְאָ֗ב לָרֶ֛דֶת אֶל־כֶּ֛רֶם נָב֥וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֖י לְרִשְׁתּֽוֹ:
17And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite saying,   יזוַיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֥הוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖י לֵאמֹֽר:
18"Arise and go down toward Ahab the king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold! he is in Naboth's vineyard where he has gone down to take possession of it.   יחק֣וּם רֵ֗ד לִקְרַ֛את אַחְאָ֥ב מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן הִנֵּה֙ בְּכֶ֣רֶם נָב֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר־יָ֥רַד שָׁ֖ם לְרִשְׁתּֽוֹ:
19And you shall speak to him saying, 'So said the Lord, "Have you murdered and also inherited?" And you shall speak to him saying, 'Thus said the Lord; "In the place that the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, shall the dogs lick your blood, even yours!"'   יטוְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲרָצַ֖חְתָּ וְגַם־יָרָ֑שְׁתָּ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה בִּמְק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר לָקְק֚וּ הַכְּלָבִים֙ אֶת־דַּ֣ם נָב֔וֹת יָלֹ֧קּוּ הַכְּלָבִ֛ים אֶת־דָּמְךָ֖ גַּם־אָֽתָּה:
20And Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, my enemy?" And he said, "I have found [you] because you have sold yourself to do what is bad in the eyes of the Lord.   כוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ הַֽמְצָאתַ֖נִי אֹיְבִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מָצָ֔אתִי יַעַן הִתְמַכֶּרְךָ֔ לַעֲשֹ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
you sold yourself: You sold yourself to anger your Creator. Heb. התמכרך, you sold yourself [reflexive form] like (Deut. 28:68) והתמכרתם, “and you will sell yourselves there to your enemies.”   הִתְמַכֶּרְךָ: מָכַרְתָּ אֶת עַצְמְךָ לְהַכְעִיס אֶת בּוֹרַאֲךָ. הִתְמַכֶּרְךָ כְּמוֹ: וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּם שָׁם לְאוֹיְבֶיךָ.
21I will bring disaster upon you and I will expunge after you and I will cut off from Ahab every male child and those that are restrained and those that are free in Israel.   כאהִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֚יא (כתיב מֵבִ֚י) אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ רָעָ֔ה וּבִעַרְתִּ֖י אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ וְהִכְרַתִּ֚י לְאַחְאָב֙ מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֔יר וְעָצ֥וּר וְעָז֖וּב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
22And I will make your house as the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat and the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the anger which you have angered [Me] and you have caused Israel to sin.   כבוְנָתַתִּ֣י אֶת־בֵּיתְךָ֗ כְּבֵית֙ יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֔ט וּכְבֵ֖ית בַּעְשָׁ֣א בֶן־אֲחִיָּ֑ה אֶל־הַכַּ֙עַס֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִכְעַ֔סְתָּ וַֽתַּחֲטִ֖א אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
23And also concerning Jezebel, the Lord spoke saying, 'The dogs will eat Jezebel in the valley of Jezreel.   כגוְגַ֨ם־לְאִיזֶ֔בֶל דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הַכְּלָבִ֛ים יֹאכְל֥וּ אֶת־אִיזֶ֖בֶל בְּחֵ֥ל יִזְרְעֶֽאל:
in the valley of Jezreel: Heb. חל, the Aramaic translation of valley.   בְּחֵל יִזְרְעֶאל: בְּבִקְעַת יִזְרְעֶאל, בְּחֵל, תַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל גַּיְא.
24The dead of Ahab in the city will be eaten by the dogs, and the dead in the fields the fowl of the sky will eat.' "   כדהַמֵּ֚ת לְאַחְאָב֙ בָּעִ֔יר יֹאכְל֖וּ הַכְּלָבִ֑ים וְהַמֵּת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ ע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמָֽיִם:
25But there was none like Ahab who had sold himself to do bad in the eyes of the Lord, that Jezebel his wife instigated him.   כהרַק לֹֽא־הָיָ֣ה כְאַחְאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִתְמַכֵּ֔ר לַעֲשֹ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵסַ֥תָּה אֹת֖וֹ אִיזֶ֥בֶל אִשְׁתּֽוֹ:
But there was none like Ahab: The Scripture testifies concerning him that there was none among the kings like him, for Jeroboam and all those after him worshipped the calves out of fear that if the people would go up to Jerusalem, the kingdom would return to the house of David, but this one [Ahab] added the Baal and the Asherah to anger God.   רַק לֹא הָיָה כְאַחְאָב: הַכָּתוּב מֵעִיד עָלָיו, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בַּמְּלָכִים כְּמוֹתוֹ, שֶׁיָּרָבְעָם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר אַחֲרָיו, עָבְדוּ אֶת הָעֲגָלִים מִיִּרְאָה, אִם יַעֲלֶה הָעָם יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, תָּשׁוּב הַמַּמְלָכָה לְבֵית דָּוִד, וְזֶה הוֹסִיף הַבַּעַל וְהָאֲשֵׁרָה לְהַכְעִיס.
sold himself: was sold to idolatry. I saw in Yerushalmi that Hiel was his counselor, and every day he [Hiel] would estimate his [Ahab’s] value and he [Ahab] would give it to the pagan deities.   הִתְמַכֵּר: נִמְכַּר לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. רָאִיתִי בִּירוּשַׁלְמִי חִיאֵל בֵּית הָאֱלִי שׁוֹשְׁבִינוֹ הָיָה, וּבְכָל יוֹם שָׁם דָּמָיו וְנָתַן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
26And he very abominably went after idols, like all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had expelled from before the children of Israel.   כווַיַּתְעֵ֣ב מְאֹ֔ד לָלֶ֖כֶת אַחֲרֵ֣י הַגִּלֻּלִ֑ים כְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשֹ֣וּ הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
27And it was when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his garments and put sackcloth on his flesh and he fasted, and he lay in the sackcloth and walked slowly.   כזוַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אַחְאָ֜ב אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֚ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיָּֽשֶׂם־שַֹ֥ק עַל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וַיָּצ֑וֹם וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב בַּשָּׂ֔ק וַיְהַלֵּ֖ךְ אַֽט:
and put sackcloth on his flesh, and he fasted: he walked barefoot.   וַיְהַלֵּךְ אַט: יָחֵף.
28And it was the word of the Lord to Elijah the Tishbite saying:   כחוַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֥הוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖י לֵאמֹֽר:
29"Have you seen that Ahab is submissive to me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; in the days of his son I will bring the disaster on his house."   כטהֲֽרָאִ֔יתָ כִּֽי־נִכְנַ֥ע אַחְאָ֖ב מִלְּפָנָ֑י יַ֜עַן כִּֽי־נִכְנַ֣ע מִפָּנַ֗י לֹֽא־אָבִ֚יא (כתיב אָבִי) הָֽרָעָה֙ בְּיָמָ֔יו בִּימֵ֣י בְנ֔וֹ אָבִ֥יא הָרָעָ֖ה עַל־בֵּיתֽוֹ:
I will not bring the disaster: i.e., the disaster of his house I will not bring in his days, but the decree that the dogs will lick his blood is impossible to come in the days of his son, but upon him.   לֹא אָבִיא הָרָעָה: רָעַת בֵּיתוֹ לֹא אָבִיא בְּיָמָיו, אֲבָל גְּזֵרַת יָלֹקּוּ הַכְּלָבִים אֶת דָּמוֹ, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָבֹא בִּימֵי בְּנוֹ, אֶלָּא עָלָיו.