1 Kings 16

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha:

2 "Because I raised you up from the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, but you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have caused My people Israel to sin, provoking Me with their sins,

3 take note: I will sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat:^[a]

4 Anyone who belongs to Baasha and dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and anyone who is his and dies in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.^[b]

5 The rest of the events of Baasha's [reign], along with all his accomplishments and might, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

6 Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place.

7 Through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani the word of the Lord also came against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in the Lord's sight, provoking Him with the work of his hands and being like the house of Jeroboam, and because Baasha had struck down the house of Jeroboam.^[c]

Israel's King Elah

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Judah's King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel in Tirzah; [he reigned] two years.

9 His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household at Tirzah.

10 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah's King Asa, Zimri went in, struck Elah down, and killed him. Then Zimri became king in his place.

11 When he became king, as soon as he was seated on his throne, Zimri struck down the entire house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male,^[d] whether of his kinsmen or his friends.

12 So Zimri exterminated the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken against Baasha through Jehu the prophet,^[e]

13 because of all the sins of Baasha and the sins of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.

14 The rest of the events of Elah's [reign], along with all his accomplishments, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

Israel's King Zimri

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah's King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.

16 When the encamped troops heard that Zimri had not only conspired but had also struck down the king, then all Israel made Omri, the army commander, king over Israel that very day in the camp.

17 Omri along with all Israel marched up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.

18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned down the royal palace over himself. He died

19 because of his sin he committed by doing what was evil in the Lord's sight and by following the example of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit.

20 The rest of the events of Zimri's [reign], along with the conspiracy that he instigated, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

21 At that time the people of Israel were split in half: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.

22 However, the people who followed Omri proved stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

Israel's King Omri

23 In the thirty-first year of Judah's King Asa, Omri became king over Israel; [he reigned] 12 years. He reigned six years in Tirzah,

24 then he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver,^[f] and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria^[g] based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 Omri did what was evil in the Lord's sight; he did more evil than all who were before him.

26 He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat and the sins he caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.

27 The rest of the events of Omri's [reign], along with his accomplishments and the might he exercised, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

28 Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.

Israel's King Ahab

29 Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah's King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria 22 years.

30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord's sight more than all who were before him.

31 Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were a trivial matter, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve Baal and worship him.

32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria.

33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

34 During his reign, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.^[h]

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?

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Kg 14:10
• [b]. 1 Kg 14:11; 21:24
• [c]. 1 Kg 15:27-29
• [d]. Lit him one who urinates against the wall
• [e]. 1 Kg 16:1-4
• [f]. Lit for two talents
• [g]. Belonging to Shemer's Clan
• [h]. Jos 6:26

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.