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1 Kings 16

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Judgment on the House of Baasha 1–7

1
Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, ​
2
Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; ​
3
Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ​
4
Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
5
Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
6
So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
7
And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him. ​

Elah Reigns in Israel 8–14

8
In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years. ​
9
And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah. ​
10
And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
11
And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends. ​
12
Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, ​
13
For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
14
Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Zimri’s Seven-Day Reign 15–20

15
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. ​
16
And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. ​
17
And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
18
And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died, ​
19
For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin. ​
20
Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Omri Secures the Throne 21–28

21
Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. ​
22
But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. ​
23
In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
24
And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria. ​
25
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him. ​
26
For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
27
Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
28
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

Ahab Reigns; Extreme Idolatry 29–34

29
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. ​
30
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. ​
31
And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. ​
32
And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. ​
33
And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. ​
34
In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Kings 16

Verse 1

Jehu the son of Hanani — His father Hanani was the seer who rebuked Asa for relying on Syria (2 Chr 16:7). Jehu brings this word 'against Baasha', and later meets Jehoshaphat (2 Chr 19:2) and writes of his acts (2 Chr 20:34). He is a different man from the later king of Israel, the son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi (2 Kgs 9:2).

Verse 2

exalted thee out of the dust — The LORD's charge opens with what he gave: 'prince' (nagid) is the title he had given Jeroboam (14:7), with the same raising 'from among the people'. The KJV renders it 'captain' for Saul (1 Sam 9:16) and David (1 Sam 13:14). Yet he walked in Jeroboam's way (15:34).

Verse 3

take away the posterity — Ba'ar, to sweep away, the verb of 14:10, 'as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone', where it is said of Jeroboam's house. Baasha, who carried that sentence out (15:29), now hears it pronounced on himself: 'make thy house like the house of Jeroboam'. Ahab receives it in 21:21–24.

Verse 7

by the hand of the prophet Jehu — The word comes 'by the hand' of the prophet, and Baasha's guilt is 'the work of his hands', the idols of Ps 115:4. The last clause, 'because he killed him', looks to the killing of Jeroboam's house (15:27–29), which the LORD had foretold (14:14), though Baasha did it as one who walked in Jeroboam's way (v.2).

Verse 8

Elah the son of Baasha — He reigns two years in Tirzah, where Jeroboam's wife came home (14:17) and Baasha made his seat (15:21); Omri also reigns six years there (v.23). Baasha's twenty-four years (15:33) end in the twenty-sixth year of Asa.

Verse 9

drinking himself drunk — The pair of words is found in Kings only here and in 20:16, where Benhadad is 'drinking himself drunk in the pavilions' before his defeat. Elah is in the house of Arza, the steward of his house in Tirzah. Zimri is 'captain of half his chariots', one of Elah's own servants.

Verse 11

one that pisseth against a wall — The Hebrew idiom for every male, used in the sentence on Jeroboam's house (14:10), in its carrying out on Baasha's here, and in the sentence on Ahab's (21:21; 2 Kgs 9:8). 'Kinsfolks' is go'el, the kinsman who redeems or avenges. Zimri's work matches Ahijah's word to Jeroboam, which Baasha had fulfilled in the same terms (15:29).

Verse 12

according to the word of the LORD — 'Destroy' is shamad, the verb used of Baasha's own act in 15:29. In each case the account closes with the fulfilment of a prophet's word: Ahijah's for Jeroboam's house, Jehu's here (vv.1–4). Zimri holds the throne for seven days (v.15).

Verse 15

Zimri reign seven days — A reign of seven days, in Asa's twenty-seventh year, while the army is again encamped at Gibbethon, where Nadab was killed (15:27). The name remained as a byword; Jezebel taunts Jehu with it, 'Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?' (2 Kgs 9:31).

Verse 16

Omri, the captain of the host — The soldiers in the camp hear of the murder and make their general king 'that day'. Micah later says 'the statutes of Omri are kept' (Mic 6:16), and Ahab is called 'the son of Omri' in vv.29–30.

Verse 18

burnt the king's house over him — 'Palace' is armon, from a word for height, the fortified part of the royal house. Zimri sets fire to it 'when … the city was taken', which is Tirzah (v.17), and dies in it. Verse 19 gives the judgment on his seven days.

Verse 19

in walking in the way of Jeroboam — The verdict given to Nadab (15:26) and Baasha (15:34) is given to Zimri for a reign of seven days. The root chata, 'sin', fills the verse four times: 'his sins', 'which he sinned', 'his sin', and 'to make Israel to sin'.

Verse 21

divided into two parts — Verse 16 said 'all Israel' made Omri king in the camp; now half the people follow Tibni the son of Ginath, and half follow Omri. Christ's words on a kingdom divided against itself (Matt 12:25) state the principle.

Verse 22

Omri reigned — The text gives no cause for Tibni's death. Omri's twelve years (v.23) are counted from Asa's thirty-first year, while Zimri's seven days fell in Asa's twenty-seventh (v.15).

Verse 24

the hill Samaria of Shemer — Omri buys the hill for two talents of silver and names the city from its owner Shemer (Shomron). It is the capital of the northern kingdom thereafter; Omri (v.28) and Ahab (22:37) are buried there, and its fall after a three-year siege ends the kingdom (2 Kgs 17:5–6).

Verse 25

did worse than all that were before him — The measure of Jeroboam (14:9, 'above all that were before thee') is now exceeded by Omri, and again by Ahab (v.30). Mic 6:16 names both together: 'the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab'.

Verse 29

the thirty and eighth year of Asa — Ahab's twenty-two years begin while Asa still has three years to reign (15:10), and Jehoshaphat begins in Ahab's fourth year (22:41). Elijah the Tishbite appears in the next chapter (17:1).

Verse 30

above all that were before him — The measure used of Jeroboam (14:9) and of Omri (v.25) is given to Ahab, so the line runs Jeroboam, Omri, Ahab. The next three verses state how: Jezebel and Baal (v.31), the altar (v.32), the grove (v.33). 21:25 returns to it.

Verse 31

as if it had been a light thing — Qalal, to be light or trifling: walking in 'the sins of Jeroboam' was counted a small matter. Ahab takes Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and serves Baal (lord), the very result foretold in Deut 7:3–4: they 'will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods'.

Verse 32

an altar for Baal in the house of Baal — The temple stands in Samaria, the city Omri founded (v.24). It is where Jehu later gathers all the worshippers of Baal and pulls the house down (2 Kgs 10:21, 27).

Verse 33

Ahab made a grove — Asherah is the wooden image the LORD ordered cut down (Ex 34:13). 'Provoke … to anger' is ka'as, the word of 15:30 for Jeroboam's sin, and Ahab 'did more to provoke' than all the kings before him. Four hundred prophets of the groves eat at Jezebel's table (18:19).

Verse 34

Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho — The curse of Josh 6:26 is carried out by its terms: Joshua said that whoever built Jericho 'shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it'; here are Abiram the firstborn and Segub the youngest, 'according to the word of the LORD'.