1 Kings 16:11-21

11 It came about when he became king, as soon as he sat on his throne, that ¹he killed all the household of Baasha; he did not leave a single male *, neither of his relatives nor of his friends.

12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the household of Baasha, ²according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke against Baasha through ³Jehu the prophet,

13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel sin, ⁴provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols.

14 ⁵Now 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?

15 In the twenty-seventh * year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days at Tirzah. Now the people were camped against ⁶Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.

16 The people who were camped heard it said, "Zimri has conspired and has also struck down the king." Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.

17 Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and besieged * Tirzah.

18 When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire, and ⁷died,

19 because of his sins which he sinned, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, ⁸walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, making Israel sin.

20 ⁹Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his conspiracy which he carried out, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles * of the Kings of Israel?

21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed * Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; the other half followed Omri.

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1 Kings 16:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 9

1. 1 Kings 15:29; 1 Kings 16:3
2. 1 Kings 16:3
3. 2 Chronicles 19:2; 2 Chronicles 20:34
4. Deuteronomy 32:21; 1 Kings 15:30
5. 1 Kings 16:5
6. 1 Kings 15:27
7. 1 Samuel 31:4, 5; 2 Samuel 17:23
8. 1 Kings 12:28; 1 Kings 14:16; 1 Kings 15:26
9. 1 Kin 16:5, 14, 27

Footnotes 6

[a]. Lit "smote"
[b]. Lit "him who urinates against the wall"
[c]. Lit "redeemers"
[d]. Lit "vanities"
[e]. Lit "saying"
[f]. Lit "conspired"