The First Book of the Kings, commonly called the Third Book of the Kings
1 Kings 16
Chapter XVI · Vol. II, pp. 749–750
1, 7 Jehu's prophecy against the house of Baasha. 5 Elah succeedeth him. 8 Zimri conspiring against Elah succeedeth him. 11 Zimri executeth Jehu's prophecy. 15 Omri, made king by the soldiers, forceth Zimri desperately to burn himself. 21 The people being divided, Omri prevaileth against Tibni. 23 Omri buildeth Samaria. 25 His wicked reign. 27 Ahab succeedeth him. 29 Ahab's most wicked reign. 34 Joshua's curse fulfilled upon Hiel the builder of Jericho.
1 Then the word of the LORD came to aJehu the son of Hanani1 against Baasha, saying,
B.C. 931.
a 2 Ch.19.2; 20.34; 16.7. ver.7.
1 Of this prophet little is known, but that little illustrates his character for plainness of speech, intrepidity of spirit, and sternness of rebuke, even an honest and full delivery of the divine message, declaring the 'whole counsel of God,' and enabling him, in the integrity of his heart, to say, 'I am clear from the blood of all men.'—C.
2 Forasmuch as I bexalted 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;
b 1 Sa.2.8; 15.17-19. Ps.113.8; 50.21,22. 2 Sa.12.7-11. ch.11.11; 14.7-9; 21.20-24.
3 Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like cthe house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
c ch.14.10,11; 15.29,30; 21.21,22; ver.11,12.
4 Himd 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.
5 Nowe 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?
e ch.14.19; 15.23,31; 11.41.
6 So fBaasha slept with his fathers,2 and was buried in Tirzah: gand Elah his son reigned in his stead.
f ch.14.20; 15.8,24.
2 B.C. 930.
g ch.14.17; 15.33; ver.8,9,13.
7 And also by the hhand3 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 iwork of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he kkilled4 him.5
h Ministry, ch.8.53; ver.2-4.
3 Either by his hand lifted up in prophetic denunciation, or, more probably, by a written message under the prophet's hand.—C.
i Ps.115.4. Is.2.8; 44.9-20. De.32.21. ch.14.9,22,23; 9.6,7; 11.10.
k ch.15.27-29. Ho.1.4. Ps.140.11.
4 It was suggested (see editorial note on ch.15. 6), that instead of solving the difficulty by the common refuge of the 'error of a transcriber,' it were easier and better to consider Abijam as being also called Rehoboam. Now, is not this suggestion confirmed here? For Baasha did not kill Jeroboam, but Nadab, who seems also to have been called Jeroboam, for Jeroboam, by the structure of the verse, is undoubtedly the person said to be killed. —C.
5 This ought to be translated as follows: 'And because he smote it;' i.e. the house of Jeroboam, as Ahijah had prophesied. It seems that Baasha exterminated the race of Jeroboam, not in obedience to divine command, but to gratify his own passion. The fact of Baasha having smitten the house of Jeroboam is expressly mentioned in ch.15.29.—P.
8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
9 And his servant Zimri (captain of half his chariots) lconspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, mdrinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, steward of his house in Tirzah.
l ch.15.27. 2 Ki.12.20; 15.10,25,30.
10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and nreigned in his stead.
11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that ohe slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that ppisseth against a wall,6 neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, qaccording to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by7 Jehu the prophet,
q ver.1-4,7.
7 Heb. by the hand of.
13 Forr 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 svanities.
r Is.3.11; 10.6,7. Ps.18.26,27; 9.15,16. ch.15.29,30. Je.2.19. ver.2,7. Pr.1.31; 13.21; 5.22.
s De.32.21. 2 Ki.17.15. Is.41.28,29. Jon.2.8. Je.10.3-16. 1 Co.8.4; 10.19,20.
14 Nowt 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?
t ch.14.19; 15.31; 16.5,20,27; 22.39; 11.41.
15 In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign useven days in Tirzah:8 and the people were xencamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
u Job 20.5. Ps.37.35,36. 2 Ki.9.31.
8 Zimri was no doubt executing the prophetic denouncements of the Lord, and thereby fulfilling his will, ver. 12; yet this did not excuse his wickedness, for he merely sought self, and not the honour of God. His triumphing is short; and seven days of successful conspiracy against his king, are succeeded by defeat and suicide.—C.
x ch.15.27. Jos.19.44.
16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made yOmri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
A.M. 3075. B.C. 929.
y Mi.6.16.
17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they zbesieged Tirzah.
z 2 Sa.20.15. Ju.9.45,50. Lu.19.43.
18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and aburnt the king's house over him with fire; and died,
a Ju.9.54. 1 Sa.31.4,5. 2 Sa.17.23. Mat.27.5.
19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evilb 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.9
b ch.15.30; ver.7,13. Ps.9.16. Is.3.11. Je.2.19. Ro.2.8,9. Pr.1.31; 5.22; 13.21.
9 Uninspired historians almost invariably trace disasters, personal or national, to any origin but sin. And even when impropriety of conduct, such as cruelty, covetousness, or luxury, is admitted, it is seldom, if ever, condemned as sin against God. The Scriptures alone trace disasters to sin, and characterize sin as direct rebellion against God.—C.
20 Nowc 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?
c ver.5,14,27; ch.14.19; 15.31; 22.39; 11.41. 2 Ki.1.18; 10.34; 13.8,12; 14.15,28; 15.11,15,21,26,31.
21 Then were the people of Israel ddivided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.1
d Ju.5.8. Pr.28.2. The civil war lasted about five years.
1 The army, encamped before Gibbethon, chose Omri, their commander, king; but it seems either that some of them were afterwards disgusted by him, or that the principal persons, who were absent, disapproved of this measure, and set up Tibni against him. As the war lasted four years, numbers no doubt were cut off on both sides, before the contest ended with the death of Tibni, who was probably slain in battle. —I.
22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel2 twelvee years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
2 His election is recorded, ver. 16; his reign over all Israel, on the overthrow of Tibni, commences ver. 23, and ends ver. 29.—C.
e From the death of Elah, ver.8.
24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver[≈ 68 kg · 150 lb · silver worth ≈ US$120,000],3 and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, fSamaria.4
3 Six hundred eighty-four pounds seven shillings and sixpence.
f Heb. Shomeron, ch.18.2; 20.1; 22.37. 2 Ki.17.1,6. Mi.1.5. Am.4.1.
4 This city was situated on a large insulated hill, 40 miles north of Jerusalem, and seems to have been selected for its capabilities of fortification, as appears from the various sieges it sustained from the days of Benhadad, 1 Ki. xx., to Shalmaneser, 2 Ki. xvii. and xviii. Subsequently it underwent various disasters and revivals; and is at present a poor Turkish village, but with several ruins that indicate its ancient greatness. Its situation, however, is one of the most beautiful in Palestine, and the region one of the most fertile.—C.
26 For he hwalked 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.
h ver.2,7,13,19; ch.12.26-33; 13.33,34; 14.9,16.
27 Now ithe 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?
i ver.5,14,20; ch.14.19; 15.31.
28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
29 And in the kthirty 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.
A.M. 3086. B.C. 918.
k ver.10,15,23.
30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD labove all that were before him.
l ch.14.9; 21.25; ver.25,33. 2 Ki.3.2.
31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing5 for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife mJezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served nBaal, and worshipped him.
33 And Ahab pmade a grove; and Ahab did qmore to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
34 In his days did Hiel the rBeth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son 6Segub, saccording to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.7
r Ge.28.19; 35.1. ch.12.29,33.
6 This grievous family judgment is noted at the distance of 500 years from the utterance of the prediction. Let believers remember in adversity, that 'the Lord is not slack concerning his promise;' but let sinners recollect, that 'though sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,' the judgment is but deferred, and not laid aside.—C.
s Jos.6.26. Nu.15.30. Job 9.4. 1 Co.10.22. Zec.1.6. Da.9.11. Ps.50.21,22. Je.44.28.
7 The building of Jericho here referred to is manifestly the rebuilding of its walls, so as to make it a city. It appears to have had some inhabitants from the time of its capture by Joshua; but still the ban lay upon it. Its walls remained in ruins for five centuries; and now when they were rebuilt the prophetic curse fell upon the builder. —P.
Notes
[Ver. 33. Ahab made a grove. When a grove is said to be planted or cut down, there is no difficulty in the interpretation; but when the word occurs as in 2 Ki. 21. 7; 23. 6, it must be understood of an image, such as was ordinarily worshipped by the heathen in a grove. C.——The special aggravated sin of Ahab was this, he set aside Jehovah altogether from being the national God of Israel. His predecessor Jeroboam had only set up an idol to represent Jehovah; whereas Ahab made Baal the national deity, and built a temple of Baal in the capital. Baal was the supreme male deity of the Canaanites. The name signifies 'lord,' but in the sense of master or possessor, rather than ruler. It has always the article in Hebrew when a proper name, so that there is no difficulty in understanding in what sense it is used in any given passage. Here it is unquestionably the proper name of the Phœnician god. The worship of this god, when established in Israel by Ahab, was appointed with great pomp and ceremony. His priests were very numerous, were dressed in pontifical robes, burned incense, offered sacrifices, which were sometimes human victims. The officiating priests danced with frantic gestures and shouts round the smoking sacrifices, and cut themselves with knives to excite the attention and compassion of the god. P.]
Reflections.—For the wickedness of a land many and bad are the princes thereof: and they multiply their murders and massacres one of another. But short-lived and troublesome is the power and honour procured by murder. How eagerly do men follow the very sins, or worse, which ruined their predecessors before their eyes! But if thus they harden themselves in their ingratitude, their blood must be on their own heads. God indeed sometimes permits wicked men to die in their beds, and leave their wicked children to pay off their awful reckoning. Drunkards fearfully expose themselves to death in a thousand forms. And it is terrible to be hurried drunk to the tribunal of a holy God! Rebellious projectors often perish in the flames which they have kindled; and revenge and envy attend them in death. And it is terrible when God punishes men's harmony in wickedness with civil wars and discords. Dreadful is his case who is married to a wicked and abandoned woman: nothing is so base or horrid but she can persuade him to it. When kings are monsters of wickedness, the subjects will strive to outdo them in contempt of God. But such as despise his curse shall feel the weight of it.
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.