Ahab

A while later, an incident occurred involving Navot the Yizre'eli. He owned a vineyard in Yizre'el, right next to the palace of Ach'av king of Shomron.

Ach'av spoke to Navot and said, "Give me your vineyard, so that I can have it as my vegetable garden, because it's close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard; or, if you prefer, I will give you its monetary value."

But Navot said to Ach'av, "ADONAI forbid that I should give you my ancestral heritage!"

Ach'av went home resentful and depressed at what Navot the Yizre'eli had said to him, since he had said, "I won't give you my ancestral heritage." He lay down on his bed, turned his face away and refused to eat.

So she wrote letters in Ach'av's name, sealed them with his seal and sent the letters to the leaders and notables of the city where Navot lived.

When Izevel heard that Navot had been stoned to death, she said to Ach'av, "Get up, and take possession of the vineyard that Navot the Yizre'eli refused to sell you, because Navot is no longer alive; he is dead."

When Ach'av heard that Navot was dead, he set out to go down to the vineyard of Navot the Yizre'eli, to take possession of it.

"Get up, go down to meet Ach'av king of Isra'el, who lives in Shomron. Right now he is in the vineyard of Navot; he has gone down there to take possession of it.

Ach'av said to Eliyahu, "My enemy! You've found me!" He answered, "Yes, I have found you; because you have given yourself over to do what is evil from ADONAI's perspective.

'Here,' [says ADONAI,] 'I am bringing disaster on you! I will sweep you away completely; I will cut off from Ach'av every male, whether a slave or free in Isra'el.

If someone from the line of Ach'av dies in the city, the dogs will eat him; if he dies in the countryside, the vultures will eat him.'"

Truly, there was never anyone like Ach'av. Stirred up by his wife Izevel, he gave himself over to do what is evil from ADONAI's perspective.

Ach'av, on hearing these words, tore his clothes, put sackcloth on himself and fasted. He slept in the sackcloth and went about dejectedly.

"Do you see how Ach'av has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring this evil during his lifetime; but during his son's lifetime I will bring the evil on his house."

ADONAI asked, 'Who will entice Ach'av to go up to his death at Ramot-Gil'ad?' One of them said, 'Do it this way,' and another, 'Do it that way.'

Other activities of Ach'av's reign, all his accomplishments, the ivory palace he built and all the cities he built are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el.

So Ach'av slept with his ancestors, and Achazyah his son became king in his place.

Y'hoshafat the son of Asa began his reign over Y'hudah in the fourth year of Ach'av king of Isra'el.

Achazyah the son of Ach'av suggested to Y'hoshafat that his men should go to sea with Y'hoshafat's men, but Y'hoshafat would not agree.

Achazyah the son of Ach'av began his reign over Isra'el in Shomron in the seventeenth year of Y'hoshafat king of Y'hudah, and he ruled two years over Isra'el.

After Ach'av's death Mo'av rebelled against Isra'el.

Y'horam the son of Ach'av began his reign over Isra'el in Shomron during the eighteenth year of Y'hoshafat king of Y'hudah, and he ruled for twelve years.

But after Ach'av died, the king of Mo'av rebelled against the king of Isra'el.

It was when Yoram the son of Ach'av king of Isra'el was in the fifth year of his reign that Y'horam the son of Y'hoshafat began his rule over Y'hudah.

He lived after the example of the kings of Isra'el, as did the house of Ach'av; because he had married Ach'av's daughter; he did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective.