Melachim Alef 16

1 6 Then the Devar Hashem came to Yehu Ben Chanani against Ba’asha, saying,

2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the aphar (dust), and made thee nagid over My people Yisroel; and thou hast walked in the derech Yarov‘am, and hast caused My people Yisroel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their chattot;

3 Hineni, I will sweep away after Ba’asha, and after his Bais; and I will make thy Bais like the Bais Yarov‘am Ben Nevat.

4 Him that dieth of Ba’asha in the Ir shall the kelavim eat; and him that dieth of his in the sadeh (country) shall the oph HaShomayim eat.

5 Now the rest of the acts of Ba’asha, and what he did, and his gevurah, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yisroel?

6 So Ba’asha slept with his avot, and was buried in Tirtzah: and Elah Bno reigned as Melech in his place.

7 And also by the yad HaNavi Yehu Ben Chanani came the Devar Hashem against Ba’asha, and against his Bais, even for all ra’ah that he did in the eyes of Hashem, in provoking Him to anger by the ma’aseh (work) of his hands, in becoming like the Bais Yarov‘am; and because he struck it.

8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa Melech Yehudah began Elah Ben Ba’asha to reign as Melech over Yisroel in Tirtzah, reigning two years.

9 And his eved (official) Zimri, captain of half his chariots, plotted a kesher against him, while Elah was in Tirtzah, drinking himself shikkor in the bais Artza, who was in charge of the Bais (palace) in Tirtzah.

10 And Zimri went in and struck him down, killed him, in the 27th year of Asa Melech Yehudah, and reigned as Melech in his place.

11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign as king, as soon as he sat on his kisse, that he slaughtered kol Bais Ba’asha; he spared him not one mashtin b’kir (one urinating against a wall, i.e., one male), not go’alim (redeemers) of his nor re’a of his.

12 Thus Zimri destroyed kol Bais Ba’asha, according to Devar Hashem, which He spoke against Ba’asha by Yehu HaNavi [2Chr 19:2; 20:34].

13 For all the chattot of Ba’asha, and the chattot of Elah Bno, by which they sinned, and by which they made Yisroel to sin, in provoking Hashem Elohei Yisroel to anger with their havalim (vanities, nothingnesses, i.e., idols).

14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yisroel?

15 In the twenty and seventh year of Asa Melech Yehudah did Zimri reign as Melech shivah yamim in Tirtzah. And the army was encamped against Gibeton, which belonged to the Pelishtim.

16 And the army that was encamped heard say, Zimri hath plotted a kesher, and hath also slain HaMelech; wherefore kol Yisroel made Omri, the Sar Tzava, Melech over Yisroel that day in the machaneh.

17 And Omri withdrew from Gibeton, and kol Yisroel with him, and they laid siege to Tirtzah.

18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the Ir was taken, that he went into the armon (palace, castle) of the Bais HaMelech, and he burned the Bais HaMelech over him with eish, and died.

19 For his chattot which he sinned in doing rah (evil) in the eyes of Hashem, in walking in the derech Yarov‘am, and in his chattat which he did, to make Yisroel to sin.

20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his kesher that he plotted, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yisroel?

21 Then were HaAm Yisroel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tivni Ben Ginat, to make him Melech; and half followed Omri.

22 But the people that followed Omri were stronger against the people that followed Tivni Ben Ginat; so Tivni died, and Omri reigned as Melech.

23 In the thirty and first year of Asa Melech Yehudah began Omri to reign as Melech over Yisroel, reigning twelve years; shesh shanim reigned he in Tirtzah.

24 And he bought the Har Shomron from Shemer for two talents of kesef, and built on the hill, and called the shem of the Ir which he built, after the shem of Shemer, adonei hahar (owner of the hill), Shomron.

25 But Omri wrought rah in the eyes of Hashem, and did sin more than all that were before him.

26 For he walked in all the derech Yarov‘am Ben Nevat, and in his chattat wherewith he made Yisroel to sin, to provoke Hashem Elohei Yisroel to anger with their havalim (vanities, nothingnesses, i.e., idols)

27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his gevurah that he did, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yisroel?

28 So Omri slept with his avot, and was buried in Shomron; and Ach’av Bno reigned as Melech in his place.

29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa Melech Yehudah began Ach’av Ben Omri (Ahab Son of Omri) to reign as Melech over Yisroel; and Ach’av Ben Omri reigned over Yisroel in Shomron twenty and two shanah.

30 And Ach’av Ben Omri did rah in the eyes of Hashem above all that were before him.

31 And it came to pass, as if it had not been enough for him to walk in the chattot Yarov‘am Ben Nevat, he even took as isha Izevel Bat Etba’al Melech Tzidonim, and went and served Ba’al, and worshipped him.

32 And he set up a mizbe’ach for Ba’al in the Bais Ba’al, which he had built in Shomron.

33 And Ach’av made HaAsherah; and Ach’av did more to provoke Hashem Elohei Yisroel to anger than all the Malkhei Yisroel that were before him.

34 In his days did Chiel of Beit-El build up Yericho; he laid the foundation thereof [at the cost of the life of] Aviram his bechor; set up the gates thereof [at the cost of the life of] his youngest, Seguv, according to Devar Hashem, which He spoke by Yehoshua Ben Nun [see Josh. 6:26].

Melachim Alef 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.