Bible Strands
1 Kings 21:2
So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Ahab speaks to Naboth immediately after the narrative establishes that Naboth owns a vineyard directly adjacent to the king’s palace in Jezreel. Ahab proposes to acquire the land for a vegetable garden.
The words — The verb וַ/יְדַבֵּ֣ר (va/y.da.Ber) literally means "and he spoke," marking the initiation of Ahab’s proposal. The imperative תְּנָ/ה־ (te.na/h-) translates directly as "give," framing the request as a directive rather than a genuine negotiation.
The thread — This pattern of royal land seizure reappears in 1 Samuel 8:14, where kings will take the best fields and vineyards for their servants. The underlying mechanism of desire leading to entrapment is tracked in 1 Timothy 6:9 and James 1:14.
Why it lands — The text demands a reader to observe how political power can dress coercion as a fair exchange. It requires a clear assessment of how authority operates when it attempts to override established legal or spiritual boundaries.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 8:14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants.
- 1 Timothy 6:9 Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
- James 1:14 But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
- Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
- Genesis 16:6 “Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.
- Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
- Deuteronomy 5:21 You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house or field, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
- Deuteronomy 11:10 For the land that you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated on foot, like a vegetable garden.
- 1 Samuel 8:6 But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 29:6 So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and it seems right in my sight that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you are not good in the sight of the leaders.