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1 Kings Chapter Sixteen

 

1 Kings 16 Outline of Contents

God against Baasha’s Reign in Israel (v.1~7)

Elah Reigns in Israel (v.8~14)

Zimri Reigns in Israel (v.15~20)

Omri Reigns in Israel (v.21~28)

Ahab Reigns in Israel (v.29~34)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 16

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

 

1 Kings 16:1   Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha saying:

   YLT  1And a word of Jehovah is unto Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha saying

Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani .... The seer that reproved Asa 2 Chronicles 16:7 so that this man was the son of a prophet then living and was a young man; for we hear of him several years after reproving Jehoshaphat 2 Chronicles 19:2 and as a writer of history 2 Chronicles 20:34 the prophecy that came to him from the Lord was

against Baasha; king of Israel:

saying; as follows.

 

1 Kings 16:2   2 “Inasmuch as I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made My people Israel sin to provoke Me to anger with their sins

   YLT  2`Because that I have raised thee up out of the dust and appoint thee leader over My people Israel and thou walkest in the way of Jeroboam and causest My people Israel to sin -- to provoke Me to anger with their sins;

Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust .... From a very low estate and mean family:

and made thee prince over my people Israel; as they were of right and ought to have been; and though Baasha got the kingdom by treachery and murder yet the translation of the kingdom to him was according to the appointment of God and by his overruling providence; and even his act of killing Nadab was a fulfilment of a prophecy of his; and had he done it in obedience to the will of God and in vengeance for his sin would not have been blameworthy since then he would have been an executioner of the justice of God:

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; committing and encouraging the same idolatrous practices so very provoking to God.

 

1 Kings 16:3   3 surely I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

   YLT  3lo I am putting away the posterity of Baasha even the posterity of his house and have given up thy house as the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat;

Behold I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house .... By death there shall be none of his family remaining in any branch of it:

and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat; execute the same judgment on it and in the same manner their sins being alike.

 

1 Kings 16:4   4 The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Baasha and dies in the city and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the fields.”

   YLT  4him who dieth of Baasha in a city do the dogs eat and him who dieth of his in a field do fowl of the heavens eat.'

Him 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. They should not have burial which is just the same that was threatened to and executed on Jeroboam's family 1 Kings 14:11.

 

1 Kings 16:5   5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha what he did and his might are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

   YLT  5And the rest of the matters of Baasha and that which he did and his might are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Now 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? As those of Jeroboam and Nadab were 1 Kings 14:19.

 

1 Kings 16:6   6 So Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. Then Elah his son reigned in his place.

   YLT  6And Baasha lieth with his fathers and is buried in Tirzah and Elah his son reigneth in his stead.

So Baasha slept with his fathers .... Or died not a violent but natural death:

and was buried in Tirzah; where was the royal palace of the kings of Israel:

and Elah his son reigned in his stead; yet but a short time.

 

1 Kings 16:7   7 And also the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house because of 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 them.

   YLT  7And also by the hand of Jehu son of Hanani the prophet a word of Jehovah hath been concerning Baasha and concerning his house and concerning all the evil that he did in the eyes of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger with the work of his hands to be like the house of Jeroboam and concerning that for which he smote him.

And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the Lord against Baasha and against his house .... Which is here repeated as Abarbinel thinks because in the former prophecy the threatening was on account not of his own sin but because he made Israel to sin; but here it is because of his own evil works as it follows:

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: worshipping the golden calves as they did:

and because he killed him; either Jeroboam; for according to Dr. LightfootF2Works vol. 1. p. 79. he was alive this year; rather Nadab the son of Jeroboam who it is certain was slain by Baasha; though it may refer as Abarbinel thinks to the whole house of Jeroboam; though it was agreeable to the will of God yet was not done by Baasha with any regard to it but to gratify his malice and ambition and therefore punishable for it.

 

1 Kings 16:8   8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah Elah the son of Baasha became king over Israel and reigned two years in Tirzah.

   YLT  8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah reigned hath Elah son of Baasha over Israel in Tirzah two years;

In the twenty sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah two years. Not complete for he died in the twenty seventh of Asa 1 Kings 16:10 he reigned just the time that Nadab the son of Jeroboam did 1 Kings 15:25.

 

1 Kings 16:9   9 Now his servant Zimri commander 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.

   YLT  9and conspire against him doth his servant Zimri (head of the half of the chariots) and he [is] in Tirzah drinking -- a drunkard in the house of Arza who [is] over the house in Tirzah.

And his servant Zimri captain of half his chariots .... His military chariots; there were two captains of them and this was one of them; so the Targum

"one of the two masters or captains of the chariots:'

conspired against him as he was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah; who had the charge of his wine and other liquors to which he was addicted beyond measure; and this was a fit opportunity for Zimri to fall upon him and slay him when he was drunk and off his guard and his army at the same time was besieging Gibbethon 1 Kings 16:15 so that there was a very great likeness in what befell the family of Baasha to that of the family of Jeroboam; for as the son of the one and of the other reigned but two years so they were both slain by their servants and both at a time when Gibbethon was besieged; the Targum takes this Arza to be the temple of an idol so called near the royal palace.

 

1 Kings 16:10   10 And Zimri went in and struck him and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place.

   YLT  10And Zimri cometh in and smiteth him and putteth him to death in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah and reigneth in his stead;

And Zimri went in and smote him and killed him .... When in his drunken fit: and this was

in the twenty seventh year of Asa; when Elah had not reigned two full years:

and reigned in his stead; that is Zimri; his reign was short indeed but seven days 1 Kings 16:15.

 

1 Kings 16:11   11 Then it came to pass when he began to reign as soon as he was seated on his throne that he killed all the household of Baasha; he did not leave him one male neither of his relatives nor of his friends.

   YLT  11and it cometh to pass in his reigning at his sitting on his throne he hath smitten the whole house of Baasha; he hath not left to him any sitting on the wall and of his redeemers and of his friends.

And it came to pass when he began to reign as soon as he sat on his throne .... Perhaps the very first day

that he slew all the house of Baasha; his whole family all the children that he had that there might be none to make pretensions to the throne:

he left him not one that pisseth against a wall neither of his kinsfolks nor of his friends; not any that might avenge the blood of his family that might have a right or inclination to do it.

 

1 Kings 16:12   12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the household of Baasha according to the word of the Lord which He spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet

   YLT  12And Zimri destroyeth the whole house of Baasha according to the word of Jehovah that He spake concerning Baasha by the hand of Jehu the prophet:

Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha according to the word of the Lord which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet. That not only his posterity but all any way related to him should be cut off; yea it seems to have been carried further even to all that were in any connection with him in point of friendship see 1 Kings 16:3.

 

1 Kings 16:13   13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son by which they had sinned and by which they had made Israel sin in provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols.

   YLT  13concerning all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son that they sinned and that they caused Israel to sin to provoke Jehovah God of Israel with their vanities.

For all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son .... By which it appears that the son trod in the steps of his father and was therefore cut off:

by which they sinned and by which they made Israel to sin in provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities; their idols which had nothing in them and cannot be of any service to their worshippers; and to serve such and neglect the worship of the true God and draw others into the same iniquity must be very provoking to the most High.

 

1 Kings 16:14   14 Now 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?

   YLT  14And the rest of the matters of Elah and all that he did are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Now 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? See 1 Kings 16:5.

 

1 Kings 16:15   15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah Zimri had reigned in Tirzah seven days. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon which belonged to the Philistines.

   YLT  15In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah reigned hath Zimri seven days in Tirzah; and the people are encamping against Gibbethon which [is] to the Philistines;

In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah &c. Until the army under Omri came and took the palace and destroyed him:

and the people were encamped against Gibbethon which belongeth to the Philistines; it was besieged in Nadab's time but upon his death by Baasha the siege was raised; or however if then taken it was recovered by the Philistines and now besieged again by the Israelites see 1 Kings 15:27.

 

1 Kings 16:16   16 Now the people who were encamped heard it said “Zimri has conspired and also has killed the king.” So all Israel made Omri the commander of the army king over Israel that day in the camp.

   YLT  16and the people who are encamping hear saying `Zimri hath conspired and also hath smitten the king;' and all Israel cause Omri head of the host to reign over Israel on that day in the camp.

And the people that were encamped heard say Zimri hath conspired and hath also slain the king .... Tidings came to the army of what he had done which was displeasing to them:

wherefore all Israel made Omri the captain of the host king over Israel that day in the camp; that is all Israel that were in the army proclaimed Omri their general king; just as the Roman army declared Vespasian their general emperor of Rome and as several of the emperors were chosen.

 

1 Kings 16:17   17 Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and they besieged Tirzah.

   YLT  17And Omri goeth up and all Israel with him from Gibbethon and they lay siege to Tirzah.

And Omri went up from Gibbethon and all Israel with him .... He and the army under him broke up the siege of that place and marched to Tirzah; which according to BuntingF3Travels &c. p. 162. were thirty six miles distant from each other: and they besieged Tirzah; the royal city in which Zimri was.

 

1 Kings 16:18   18 And it happened when Zimri saw that the city was taken that he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house down upon himself with fire and died

   YLT  18And it cometh to pass at Zimri's seeing that the city hath been captured that he cometh in unto a high place of the house of the king and burneth over him the house of the king with fire and dieth

And it came to pass that when Zimri saw that the city was taken .... That Omri and the army with him had got into it being a place not much fortified and Zimri not having force enough to defend it against such an army:

that he went into the palace of the king's house; into the innermost and most splendid as well as the strongest part of it:

and burnt the king's house over him with fire and he died; that he might not fall into the hands of his rival who he might fear would use him ill and that he might not enjoy the royal palace; though Kimchi thinks that Omri set fire to the palace and burnt it over the head of Zimri in which he perished; and this sense the text will bear.

 

1 Kings 16:19   19 because of the sins which he had committed in doing evil in the sight of the Lord in walking in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he had committed to make Israel sin.

   YLT  19for his sins that he sinned to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah to walk in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin that he did to cause Israel to sin;

For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord .... In the former part of his life as well as now:

in walking in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he did to make Israel sin; worshipping the golden calves which he might do while a captain of the chariots and also since he usurped the crown sacrificing to them by way of thanksgiving for being in possession of the kingdom; and though his reign was so short he might give plain and strong intimations that he should continue the worship of idols.

 

1 Kings 16:20   20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and the treason he committed are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

   YLT  20and the rest of the matters of Zimri and his conspiracy that he made are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his treason that he wrought are they not written in the book of the kings of Israel? What he did both before and after his usurpation during the seven days he was king and the manner of his conspiracy and success in it.

 

1 Kings 16:21   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 and half followed Omri.

   YLT  21Then are the sons of Israel parted into halves; half of the people hath been after Tibni son of Ginath to cause him to reign and the half after Omri;

Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts .... About the succession in the kingdom:

half the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath to make him king: these were the friends of Zimri or however such who did not like that the army should impose a king upon them; who this Tibni was is not said:

and half followed Omri; the general of the army perhaps the whole of that.

 

1 Kings 16:22   22 But the people who followed Omri prevailed over the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri reigned.

   YLT  22and stronger are the people that are after Omri than the people that are after Tibni son of Ginath and Tibni dieth and Omri reigneth.

But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath .... Very probably they had a battle in which the latter were worsted:

so Tibni died; in the battle:

and Omri reigned; took possession of the throne his rival being slain.

 

1 Kings 16:23   23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah Omri became king over Israel and reigned twelve years. Six years he reigned in Tirzah.

   YLT  23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah reigned hath Omri over Israel twelve years; in Tirzah he hath reigned six years

In the thirty first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel twelve years .... Which are to be reckoned not from the thirty first of Asa; for Ahab the son of Omri began to reign in his thirty eighth year and so his reign would be but seven or eight years; but they are reckoned from the twenty seventh of Asa the beginning of it when Elah was slain by Zimri and he died which to the end of the thirty eight of Asa make twelve years; for the division according to the Jewish chronologyF4Seder Olam Rabba c. 17. p. 45. lasted four years; Jarchi says fiveF5So Tzemach David par. 1. fol. 11. 2. ; and from the beginning of that his reign is reckoned though he did not reign over all Israel or completely until the thirty first of Asa when Tibni died:

six years reigned he in Tirzah; the royal city of the kings of Israel from Jeroboam to this time and the other six he reigned in Samaria built by him as in the next verse.

 

1 Kings 16:24   24 And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; then he built on the hill and called the name of the city which he built Samaria after the name of Shemer owner of the hill.

   YLT  24and he buyeth the mount Samaria from Shemer with two talents of silver and buildeth [on] the mount and calleth the name of the city that he hath built by the name of Shemer lord of the hill -- Samaria.

And he bought the hill of Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver .... A talent of silver according to BrerewoodF6De Ponder. & Pret. c. 4. was of our money three hundred and seventy five pounds so that this hill was purchased at seven hundred and fifty pounds:

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; its name from him was Shomeron which is the Hebrew name for Samaria; which according to BuntingF7Ut supra (Travels &c.) p. 163. was six miles from Tirzah and ever after the royal seat of the kings of Israel.

 

1 Kings 16:25   25 Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did worse than all who were before him.

   YLT  25And Omri doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah and doth evil above all who [are] before him

But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord .... Openly and publicly as if it were in defiance of him:

and did worse than all that were before him; taking no warning by the judgments inflicted on them which aggravated his sins; and besides he not only worshipped the calves as the rest and drew Israel by his example into the same as they did but he published edicts and decrees obliging them to worship them and forbidding them to go to Jerusalem called "the statutes of Omri" Micah 6:16.

 

1 Kings 16:26   26 For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols.

   YLT  26and walketh in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin that he caused Israel to sin to provoke Jehovah God of Israel with their vanities.

For he walked in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin .... Worshipping the calves;

to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities; these and whatsoever idols else were worshipped by him see 1 Kings 16:13.

 

1 Kings 16:27   27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did and the might that he showed are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

   YLT  27And the rest of the matters of Omri that he did and his might that he got are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did and his might which he showed are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? Where those of the preceding kings were written see 1 Kings 14:19.

 

1 Kings 16:28   28 So Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. Then Ahab his son reigned in his place.

   YLT  28And Omri lieth with his fathers and is buried in Samaria and Ahab his son reigneth in his stead.

So Omri slept with his fathers .... Died a natural death:

and was buried in Samaria; the city he had built and now the royal seat and metropolis of the kingdom:

and Ahab his son reigned in his stead; of whom much is said in the following history.

 

1 Kings 16:29   29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

   YLT  29And Ahab son of Omri hath reigned over Israel in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah and Ahab son of Omri reigneth over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years

And in the thirty fifth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel .... At the latter end of it the same year his father died see 1 Kings 16:23.

and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years; the same number of years Jeroboam did 1 Kings 14:20.

 

1 Kings 16:30   30 Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him.

   YLT  30and Ahab son of Omri doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah above all who [are] before him.

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him. Adding other idols to the calves and those more abominable than they; since the other kings pretended to worship God in them but he worshipped other gods besides him as the following verses show.

 

1 Kings 16:31   31 And it came to pass as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.

   YLT  31And it cometh to pass -- hath it been light his walking in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat? -- then he taketh a wife Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians and goeth and serveth Baal and boweth himself to it

And it came to pass as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat .... To worship the golden calves he set up:

that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians; who is called Ithobalus and Itobalus king of the Tyrians by Heathen historiansF8Menander apud Joseph. Antiqu. l. 8. c. 13. sect. 1 2. & contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 21. Diodor. Sicul. apud Junium in loc. ; and by Theophilus of AntiochF9Ad Autolye. l. 3. p. 132. Juthobalus priest of Astarte; for Tyre and Zidon were under one king. This woman was not only of another nation and an idolater but a very filthy woman and is made the emblem of the whore of Rome Revelation 2:20.

and went and served Baal and worshipped him that is went to Zidon and Tyre and worshipped his wife's gods which were either Jupiter Thalassius the god of the Zidoaians or Hercules whom the Tyrians worshipped.

 

1 Kings 16:32   32 Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal which he had built in Samaria.

   YLT  32and raiseth up an altar for Baal in the house of the Baal that he built in Samaria;

And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he had built in Samaria. That he might not go so far as Tyre or Zidon; and for his wife's convenience also he built a temple in Samaria for Baal and erected an altar there to offer sacrifices upon it unto him; so open and daring was he in his idolatrous practices.

 

1 Kings 16:33   33 And Ahab made a wooden image.[a] Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

   YLT  33and Ahab maketh the shrine and Ahab addeth to do so as to provoke Jehovah God of Israel above all the kings of Israel who have been before him.

And Ahab made a grove .... About the temple of Baal or elsewhere in which he placed an idol and where all manner of filthiness was secretly committed; or rather "Asherah" rendered "grove" is Astarte the goddess of the Zidonians an image of which Ahab made:

and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him: his idolatries being more open and barefaced and without any excuse presence or colour as well as more numerous.

 

1 Kings 16:34   34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun.[b]

   YLT  34In his days hath Hiel the Beth-Elite built Jericho; in Abiram his first-born he laid its foundation and in Segub his youngest he set up its doors according to the word of Jehovah that He spake by the hand of Joshua son of Nun.

And in his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho .... Which was forbidden by Joshua under an anathema; but this man either ignorant of that adjuration of Joshua or in contempt and defiance of it and knowing it might please the king and queen set about the rebuilding of it; and it being done by the leave and under the authority of Ahab is mentioned together with his wicked actions:

he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn: that is his firstborn died as soon as he laid the foundation of the city but this did not deter him from going on with it:

and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub; all the rest of his children died as he was rebuilding the city until only his youngest son was left and he was taken off by death just as he had finished it signified by setting up the gates of it: all which was

according to the word of the Lord which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun: between four hundred and five hundred years ago. It was after this a place of great note and so continued many hundreds of years; See Gill on Joshua 6:26 but is now as Mr. Maundrell saysF11Journey from Aleppo &c. p. 81. a poor nasty village of the Arabs.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Kings 16:33 Hebrew Asherah a Canaanite goddess
  2. 1 Kings 16:34 Compare Joshua 6:26