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1 Kings

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1 Kings 16

1And the word of Jehovah came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,

1Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,

Commentary · verse 1

Baasha was king of Israel.

2Forasmuch 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; 3behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

2Forasmuch 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;

3Behold, 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.

Commentary · verses 2-3

Jehu the prophet confronted Baasha the king of Israel to say Baasha's heirs would be wiped out like a previous king of Israel: Jeroboam.

4Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the field shall the birds of the heavens eat.

4Him 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.

Commentary · verse 4

The same judgment was pronounced against the house of Jeroboam in 1 Kings 14:11.

5Now 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?

6And Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

5Now 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?

6So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

Commentary · verses 5-6

Elah reigned over Israel.

7And moreover by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of Jehovah against Baasha, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he smote him.

7And 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.

Commentary · verses 8-14

Verses 8-14: the two year reign of Elah.

8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and reigned two years.

9And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah: 10and 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.

8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.

9And 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.

10And 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.

Commentary · verse 10

Zimri, one of Elah's own leaders, murdered him.

11And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he smote all the house of Baasha: he left him not a single man-child, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

12Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and wherewith they made Israel to sin, to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.

11And 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.

12Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,

13For 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.

Commentary · verse 13

Jehu's prophecy was fulfilled when Zimri killed Elah. Asa was the king of Judah when this happened.

14Now 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?

14Now 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?

Commentary · verses 15-20

Verses 15-20: the seven day reign of Zimri, king of Israel.

15In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.

16And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also smitten the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.

15In 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.

16And 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.

Commentary · verse 16

Zimri had only reigned for seven days when Israel heard about Zimri's conspiracy so they made Omri King over Israel instead.

17And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.

18And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died, 19for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.

17And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.

18And 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,

19For 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.

Commentary · verse 19

When Zimri heard about Omri, he went to the palace, burnt it, and died. The kings of Israel were getting worse while the only king since David with a good heart, Asa, continued to reign over Judah.

20Now 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?

20Now 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?

Commentary · verses 21-28

Verses 21-28: the twelve year reign of Omri, king of Israel.

21Then 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.

22But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

21Then 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.

22But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

Commentary · verse 22

Israel had civil war: half followed Tibni and half followed Omri. However, Omri prevailed and reigned alone. Tibni died.

23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

Commentary · verse 23

Asa still reigned over Judah at this time.

24And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria.

25And Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and dealt wickedly above all that were before him.

24And 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.

25But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.

Commentary · verse 25

Omri did more evil than all before him. Could Israel have had a worse king than Omri?

26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.

27Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

26For 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.

27Now 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?

28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

Commentary · verses 29-34

Verses 29-34: Ahab began his twenty-two year reign over Israel.

29And 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.

29And 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.

Commentary · verse 29

Ahab followed Omri in the line of progressively worse kings over Israel.

30And Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah above all that were before him.

31And 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 Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

30And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

31And 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.

Commentary · verse 31

Ahab achieved a new low for kings of Israel. Ahab married Jezebel and openly worshipped Baal. Remember Ahab and Jezebel, they both wreaked havoc in Israel.

32And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

33And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

32And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

33And 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.

Commentary · verse 33

Did Israel still think it was a good idea to have a king like the other nations (1 Samuel 8)?

34In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof with the loss of Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

34In his days did Hiel the Beth–elite 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.

Commentary · verse 34

The prophecy referenced in verse 34 was documented in Joshua 6:26. Joshua said cursed would be the man who attempted to rebuild Jericho. Ahab was the worst possible king for Israel. Would God do something or send someone to deal with Ahab for the benefit of Israel?

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