And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
And he said to her, 'I spoke to Naboth from Jezreel and said to him, 'Sell me your vineyard for money, or if you prefer, I'll give you another vineyard in exchange.' But he answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'
King Ahab is telling his wife Jezebel that Naboth refused to sell or trade his vineyard, even though Ahab made what seemed like reasonable offers.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the reign of King Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel around 850 BC. Naboth's refusal was based on God's law that forbade Israelites from permanently selling their ancestral land inheritance (Leviticus 25:23-28). Ahab's desire for the vineyard, which was adjacent to his palace in Jezreel, led to one of the most infamous episodes of royal abuse of power in Israel's history.
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