1 Kings 16
This chapter continues the narrative of the kings of Israel. It recounts the reigns of Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab, and emphasizes the increasing wickedness in the kingdom of Israel. The chapter also highlights how the kings repeatedly provoked the Lord to anger through idolatry, resulting in various prophecies and judgments being fulfilled. The chapter concludes with the ascension of Ahab, a king whose actions led Israel further into idolatry.
1 Kings 16:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani, against Baasha, saying:
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,
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.
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."
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?
These verses depict the judgment against Baasha, the king of Israel. Though God had elevated him from humble beginnings, Baasha followed in Jeroboam’s sinful ways, leading Israel into idolatry. As a result, God’s judgment was pronounced through the prophet Jehu. His entire family would be destroyed in a similar manner to Jeroboam’s lineage. The image of dogs and birds consuming the dead emphasizes the dishonor awaiting Baasha’s descendants, marking God’s displeasure with his reign.
1 Kings 16:6-7 (NKJV)
6 So Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. Then Elah his son reigned in his place.
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.
Though Baasha’s reign ended in death and he was buried in Tirzah, the judgment on his family remained in effect. These verses remind readers that Baasha’s downfall was not only due to his sins but also because he had acted violently against Jeroboam’s house, fulfilling God’s earlier judgment. Despite this, Baasha repeated Jeroboam’s sins, and his lineage faced the same destruction as Jeroboam’s.
1 Kings 16:8-10 (NKJV)
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.
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.
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.
Elah’s reign was short and ended violently. While Elah was carelessly indulging in drunkenness, Zimri, one of his military commanders, seized the opportunity and assassinated him. This sudden overthrow demonstrates the instability and chaos in Israel during this time, as rulers fell swiftly due to internal conspiracies and treachery.
1 Kings 16:11-14 (NKJV)
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.
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,
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.
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?
Zimri, after assassinating Elah, immediately carried out the prophecy against Baasha by annihilating his entire household. This was a fulfillment of God’s judgment spoken through Jehu. The destruction of Baasha’s family is directly tied to their idolatry, which provoked God’s anger. The legacy of Baasha’s house is marked by sin and idolatry, and their downfall is a testament to the consequences of turning from God.
1 Kings 16:15-18 (NKJV)
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.
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.
17 Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon, and they besieged Tirzah.
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.
Zimri’s reign lasted only seven days, and his brief time on the throne ended in disaster. When the people heard of his treachery, they rejected his rule and proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, as king. Faced with a siege by Omri, Zimri chose to end his life by setting the royal palace on fire and perishing in the flames. His tragic death reflects the instability and constant power struggles within Israel at the time.
1 Kings 16:19-20 (NKJV)
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.
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?
Zimri’s brief and violent rule is attributed to his sins, particularly his continuation of Jeroboam’s idolatrous practices. His evil actions and conspiracy brought him to a swift and destructive end, emphasizing how sin leads to ruin in the kingship of Israel. His story serves as another example of the consequences of turning away from God.
1 Kings 16:21-24 (NKJV)
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.
22 But the people who followed Omri prevailed over the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri reigned.
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.
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.
After Zimri’s death, a civil war broke out between Omri and Tibni, with the nation divided over which leader should rule. Ultimately, Omri’s faction prevailed, and he became king. One of his notable achievements was the purchase and construction of the city of Samaria, which would later become the capital of the northern kingdom and a center of Israel’s political and religious life.
1 Kings 16:25-26 (NKJV)
25 Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all who were before him.
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.
Despite his political success, Omri’s reign is characterized by deepening idolatry. He not only continued Jeroboam’s sinful practices but exceeded them in wickedness. His reign further entrenched Israel in the worship of idols, provoking God’s wrath. Omri’s legacy is a reminder of the increasing moral and spiritual decline in Israel during this period.
1 Kings 16:27-28 (NKJV)
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?
28 So Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. Then Ahab his son reigned in his place.
Though Omri’s political achievements are acknowledged, the focus of the narrative remains on his evil deeds. His reign set the stage for even greater wickedness under his son, Ahab. After Omri’s death, Ahab ascended to the throne, marking the beginning of a darker chapter in
1 Kings 16:29-30 (NKJV)
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.
30 Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.
Ahab, son of Omri, succeeded his father and ruled for 22 years. His reign is marked by even greater evil than his predecessors. He surpassed the wickedness of the kings before him, leading Israel into deeper idolatry and rebellion against God. His reign would bring further judgment on Israel due to his actions.
1 Kings 16:31-33 (NKJV)
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.
32 Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
33 And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
Ahab's marriage to Jezebel, the daughter of the Sidonian king, marked a turning point for Israel. Jezebel, a devout worshiper of Baal, influenced Ahab to not only serve Baal but also promote Baal worship throughout Israel. He built a temple and altar for Baal in Samaria and made wooden images for idolatry, intensifying Israel’s sin. Ahab’s reign provoked God’s anger more than any other king before him due to these acts.
1 Kings 16:34 (NKJV)
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.
During Ahab’s reign, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt the city of Jericho, an act that fulfilled the ancient curse pronounced by Joshua. When Jericho was destroyed, Joshua had declared that anyone who rebuilt it would do so at the cost of their children (Joshua 6:26). Hiel lost his firstborn when he laid the foundation and his youngest son when he completed the gates, fulfilling this prophecy. This act underscores how disregarding God's word can bring tragic consequences, even many years later.