1 Kings 16

1 The word of ADONAI came to Yehu the son of Hanani against Ba'sha:

2 "I raised you up out of the dust and made you prince over my people Isra'el. But you have lived in the same way as Yarov'am and caused my people Isra'el to sin, so that their sinning has made me angry.

3 Therefore I will sweep away Ba'sha and his house completely; I will make your house like the house of Yarov'am the son of N'vat.

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

5 Other activities of Ba'sha, his accomplishments and his power are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el.

6 Ba'sha slept with his ancestors, and Elah his son became king in his place.

7 Through the prophet Yehu the son of Hanani the word of ADONAI was proclaimed against Ba'sha and his house both because he did so much evil from ADONAI's perspective, angering him with his actions and becoming like the house of Yarov'am, and because he killed [Nadav].

8 It was in the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Y'hudah that Elah the son of Ba'sha began his reign over all Isra'el in Tirtzah, and he ruled for two years.

9 His servant Zimri, commander of half of his chariots, plotted against him. Finally, one time when Elah was in Tirtzah, drinking himself senseless in the house of Artza, administrator of the palace in Tirtzah,

10 Zimri entered, struck him down and killed him. This was in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Y'hudah; Zimri then took Elah's place as king.

11 At the beginning of his reign, as soon as he took over the throne, he killed off the entire house of Ba'sha; he left not a single male, neither of his relatives nor of his friends.

12 Thus Zimri eliminated all the house of Ba'sha, in keeping with the word of ADONAI spoken against Ba'sha through Yehu the prophet. This word had been spoken

13 because of all of Ba'sha's sins and the sins of Elah his son, which they committed and with which they made Isra'el sin, thereby angering ADONAI the God of Isra'el with their worthless idols.

14 Other activities of Elah and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el.

15 It was in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Y'hudah that Zimri ruled for seven days in Tirtzah. At that time, the army was besieging Gib'ton, which belonged to the P'lishtim.

16 The troops in their camp heard it said that Zimri had plotted and killed the king, whereupon that same day, there in the camp, all Isra'el made 'Omri, the commander of the army, king over Isra'el.

17 'Omri and all Isra'el with him withdrew from Gib'ton and besieged Tirtzah.

18 When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and burned down the royal palace over him, so that he died.

19 This came about because of the sins he committed in doing what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, in living as Yarov'am had lived, and in sinning by making Isra'el sin.

20 Other activities of Zimri and his conspiracy are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el.

21 At this point the people of Isra'el divided into two factions. Half of the people went after Tivni the son of Ginat to make him king, while the other half followed 'Omri.

22 But the faction supporting 'Omri won out over that of Tivni the son of Ginat; so Tivni died, and 'Omri became king.

23 It was in the thirty-first year of Asa king of Y'hudah that 'Omri began his reign over Isra'el, and he ruled for twelve years, six of them in Tirtzah.

24 He bought Mount Shomron from Shemer for 132 pounds of silver. On the mountain he built a city, which he named Shomron after Shemer, who had owned the mountain.

25 'Omri did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, outdoing all his predecessors in wickedness;

26 for he lived entirely in the manner of Yarov'am the son of N'vat, committing the sins with which he made Isra'el sin, thereby angering ADONAI the God of Isra'el with their worthless idols.

27 Other activities of 'Omri and the power he demonstrated are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el.

28 Then 'Omri slept with his ancestors and was buried in Shomron, and Ach'av his son became king in his place.

29 It was in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Y'hudah that Ach'av the son of 'Omri began his rule over Isra'el; Ach'av the son of 'Omri ruled twenty-two years over Isra'el in Shomron.

30 Ach'av the son of 'Omri did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, outdoing all his predecessors [in wickedness].

31 But then, as if it had been a trifling thing for him to commit the sins of Yarov'am the son of N'vat, he took as his wife Izevel the daughter of Etba'al king of the Tzidonim, and went and served Ba'al and worshipped him.

32 He erected an altar for Ba'al in the house of Ba'al, which he had built in Shomron.

33 Ach'av also set up the asherah; indeed, Ach'av did more to anger ADONAI the God of Isra'el, than all the kings of Isra'el preceding him.

34 It was during his time that Hi'el of Beit-El rebuilt Yericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of his firstborn son Aviram and erected its gates at the cost of his youngest son S'guv. This was in keeping with the word of ADONAI spoken through Y'hoshua the son of Nun.

1 Kings 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The reigns of Baasha and Elah in Israel. (1-14) Reigns of Zimri and Omri in Israel. (15-28) Ahab's wickedness, Hiel rebuilds Jericho. (29-34)

Verses 1-14 This chapter relates wholly to the kingdom of Israel, and the revolutions of that kingdom. God calls Israel his people still, though wretchedly corrupted. Jehu foretells the same destruction to come upon Baasha's family, which that king had been employed to bring upon the family of Jeroboam. Those who resemble others in their sins, may expect to resemble them in the plagues they suffer, especially those who seem zealous against such sins in others as they allow in themselves. Baasha himself dies in peace, and is buried with honour. Herein plainly appears that there are punishments after death, which are most to be dreaded. Let Elah be a warning to drunkards, who know not but death may surprise them. Death easily comes upon men when they are drunk. Besides the diseases which men bring themselves into by drinking, when in that state, men are easily overcome by an enemy, and liable to bad accidents. Death comes terribly upon men in such a state, finding them in the act of sin, and unfitted for any act of devotion; that day comes upon them unawares. The word of God was fulfilled, and the sins of Baasha and Elah were reckoned for, with which they provoked God. Their idols are called their vanities, for idols cannot profit nor help; miserable are those whose gods are vanities.

Verses 15-28 When men forsake God, they will be left to plague one another. Proud aspiring men ruin one another. Omri struggled with Tibni some years. Though we do not always understand the rules by which God governs nations and individuals in his providence, we may learn useful lessons from the history before us. When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins; they are loudly called to repent and reform. Omri made himself infamous by his wickedness. Many wicked men have been men of might and renown; have built cities, and their names are found in history; but they have no name in the book of life.

Verses 29-34 Ahab did evil above all that reigned before him, and did it with a particular enmity both against Jehovah and Israel. He was not satisfied with breaking the second commandment by image-worship, he broke the first by worshipping other gods: making light of lesser sins makes way for greater. Marriages with daring offenders also imbolden in wickedness, and hurry men on to the greatest excesses. One of Ahab's subjects, following the example of his presumption, ventured to build Jericho. Like Achan, he meddled with the accursed thing; turned that to his own use, which was devoted to God's honour: he began to build, in defiance of the curse well devoted to God's honour: he began to build, in defiance of the curse well known in Israel; but none ever hardened his heart against God, and prospered. Let the reading of this chapter cause us to mark the dreadful end of all the workers of iniquity. And what does the history of all ungodly men furnish, what ever rank or situation they move in, but sad examples of the same?

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 16

This chapter contains a prophecy of the ruin of the family of Baasha, and an account of his death, 1Ki 16:1-7, and of his son's reigning in his stead two years, who was slain by Zimri one of his captains, 1Ki 16:8-14, and who reigned but seven days, 1Ki 16:15-20, and the people being divided between Tibni and Omri, the party for the latter prevailed, and he was made king, and reigned twelve years, 1Ki 16:21-28, and was succeeded by his son Ahab, a very wicked prince, 1Ki 16:29-33, and the chapter is concluded with the rebuilding of Jericho, 1Ki 16:34.