KJV ORIGINAL
And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Naboth replied to Ahab, 'May the LORD prevent me from ever giving you the land that my ancestors passed down to me.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Naboth is refusing to sell his family's inherited land to King Ahab, saying God would forbid him from giving away what his ancestors left him.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israel, family land was considered a sacred inheritance from God that was to remain within the family line according to Mosaic law. King Ahab wanted to buy Naboth's vineyard to expand his palace grounds in Jezreel, but Naboth understood that selling ancestral land would violate God's commands about preserving family inheritance.
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