CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
1 Kings 16
Chapter 16 of 22
Chapter Overview
What happens in 1 Kings 16
The northern kingdom of Israel descends into chaos. Several kings rise and fall through violence and assassination. The chapter ends with the introduction of Ahab, the most wicked king yet, and his infamous wife Jezebel.
Scripture
1 Kings 16
Baasha and Elah
Study note
God sent the prophet Jehu to condemn Baasha for following Jeroboam's sins. Baasha's son Elah reigned only two years before being murdered by his servant Zimri, who was a chariot commander. Zimri then destroyed Baasha's entire family, fulfilling the prophecy.
1 The Lord sent this message to Baasha through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani: Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
2 "I pulled you out of obscurity and made you leader of my people Israel. But you have walked in Jeroboam's footsteps and led my people Israel into sin, provoking my anger." Forasmuch 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;
3 "So I am going to sweep away Baasha and his family, just as I swept away Jeroboam's family." Behold, 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.
4 "Any of Baasha's family who die in the city will be devoured by dogs. Any who die in the fields will be eaten by scavenging birds." 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.
5 All else about Baasha's rule is in the records of Israel's kings. It tells what he did and how strong he was. 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?
6 Baasha died and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah succeeded him. So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
7 The Lord had spoken against Baasha and his family through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani. This was because of all the evil things Baasha did that made the Lord angry. His evil was like the family of Jeroboam. It was also because Baasha had destroyed Jeroboam's family. 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, 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.
8 In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel at Tirzah. He reigned for two years. 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 His official Zimri, who commanded half the chariot forces, conspired against him. One day while Elah was at the home of Arza, who managed the palace at Tirzah, getting drunk, And 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.
10 Zimri walked in and struck him dead. This was in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Judah. Zimri then declared himself king. And 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.
11 As soon as Zimri took the throne, he killed off Baasha's entire family. He spared no male relative or friend. And 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.
12 Zimri wiped out Baasha's whole family, just as the Lord had said through the prophet Jehu. Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
13 This was due to all the sins of Baasha and his son Elah. They sinned and led Israel to sin. Their worthless idols made the Lord, Israel's God, angry. For 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.
14 The rest of Elah's reign is recorded in the official chronicles of Israel's kings. 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?
Zimri's Seven-Day Reign
Study note
Zimri held the throne for only seven days. When the Israelite army heard of his coup, they made their commander Omri king instead. Omri marched on Tirzah, and when Zimri saw the city was lost, he burned the palace down around himself and died.
15 Zimri's reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. It happened during the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Judah. The Israelite army was camped near the Philistine city of Gibbethon, besieging it. In 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.
16 The soldiers in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and killed him. Right away, that very day, they made their army commander Omri the king of Israel. And 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.
17 Omri led the whole Israelite army away from Gibbethon and surrounded Tirzah. And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
18 When Zimri saw that the city was falling, he went into the inner rooms of the royal palace and set the building on fire around himself. He died in the flames. 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 burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died,
19 This was the consequence of the sins he committed. He had done what the Lord considered evil by following the same sinful path as Jeroboam and leading Israel into sin. For 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.
20 All else about Zimri's reign and his plot is in the records of Israel's kings. Now 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?
Omri Builds Samaria
Study note
After a brief civil war, Omri became sole king and reigned twelve years. He bought a hill and built the city of Samaria, which became the permanent capital of the northern kingdom. Omri did more evil than all the kings before him.
21 At that point, the people of Israel split into two camps. Half supported Tibni son of Ginath as king, while the other half supported Omri. Then 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.
22 Omri's followers beat Tibni's supporters. Tibni died, and Omri became king. But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
23 Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-first year of King Asa of Judah. He reigned for twelve years, six of them from Tirzah. In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
24 He purchased the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver. He built a city on the hill and named it Samaria after Shemer, the former owner. And 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.
25 Omri did what the Lord considered evil -- worse than any king before him. But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
26 He followed every sinful way of Jeroboam son of Nebat. He led Israel to sin with worthless idols. This made the Lord, Israel's God, angry. For 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.
27 The rest of Omri's rule and everything he did is written in the official records of Israel's kings. Now 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?
28 Omri died and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king after him. So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
Ahab and Jezebel
Study note
Ahab son of Omri became king and reigned twenty-two years. He married Jezebel, daughter of the king of Sidon, and began to serve the false god Baal. He built a temple for Baal in Samaria and set up an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord to anger than all the kings of Israel before him. During his reign, a man named Hiel rebuilt Jericho, fulfilling Joshua's ancient curse at the cost of his own sons' lives.
29 Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah. He ruled from Samaria for twenty-two years. And 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.
30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the Lord's sight than any king before him. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
31 As if copying Jeroboam's sins was not enough, he also married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. He then began worshiping and serving Baal. And 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.
32 He built a temple for Baal in Samaria and set up an altar inside it. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
33 He also put up an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to anger the Lord, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel before him combined. And 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.
34 During Ahab's reign, Hiel from Bethel rebuilt the city of Jericho. It cost him the life of his oldest son Abiram when he laid the foundation and his youngest son Segub when he set up the gates. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through Joshua son of Nun. In 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.
Key Themes
Themes in 1 Kings 16
The downward spiral of a nation without GodPolitical violence as a symptom of spiritual decayThe introduction of baal worship as israel's worst sinEach generation's capacity to exceed the previous one's evil
Apply This Today
Living 1 Kings 16
The rapid succession of violent coups in Israel shows what happens when a nation abandons its moral foundation. Sin does not stay static; it always escalates. Ahab and Jezebel represent the logical endpoint of a culture that has gradually removed God from the center of its life.
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