1 Kings 16 — MAS — Scriptura

See Hebrew/Greek in BSB →

16וַיְהִ֤י דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֶל־יֵה֣וּא בֶן־חֲנָ֔נִי עַל־בַּעְשָׁ֖א לֵאמֹֽר׃^{Verse 2}יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֲרִימֹתִ֙יךָ֙ מִן־הֶ֣עָפָ֔ר וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֣ נָגִ֔יד עַ֖ל עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ ׀ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֗ם וַֽתַּחֲטִא֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְהַכְעִיסֵ֖נִי בְּחַטֹּאתָֽם׃^{Verse 3}הִנְנִ֥י מַבְעִ֛יר אַחֲרֵ֥י בַעְשָׁ֖א וְאַחֲרֵ֣י בֵיתֹ֑ו וְנָֽתַתִּי֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣יתְךָ֔ כְּבֵ֖ית יָרָבְעָ֥ם בֶּן־נְבָֽט׃^{Verse 4}הַמֵּ֤ת לְבַעְשָׁא֙ בָּעִ֔יר יֹֽאכְל֖וּ הַכְּלָבִ֑ים וְהַמֵּ֥ת לֹו֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ עֹ֥וף הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃^{Verse 5}וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י בַעְשָׁ֛א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה וּגְבֽוּרָתֹ֑ו הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃^{Verse 6}וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב בַּעְשָׁא֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּתִרְצָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵלָ֥ה בְנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃^{Verse 7}וְגַ֡ם בְּיַד־יֵה֨וּא בֶן־חֲנָ֜נִי הַנָּבִ֗יא דְּבַר־יְהוָ֡ה הָיָה֩ אֶל־בַּעְשָׁ֨א וְאֶל־בֵּיתֹ֜ו וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָרָעָ֣ה ׀ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה ׀ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה לְהַכְעִיסֹו֙ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֔יו לִהְיֹ֖ות כְּבֵ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֑ם וְעַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־הִכָּ֖ה אֹתֹֽו׃ פ^{Verse 8}בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָשֵׁשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְאָסָ֖א מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ אֵלָ֨ה בֶן־בַּעְשָׁ֧א עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּתִרְצָ֖ה שְׁנָתָֽיִם׃^{Verse 9}וַיִּקְשֹׁ֤ר עָלָיו֙ עַבְדֹּ֣ו זִמְרִ֔י שַׂ֖ר מַחֲצִ֣ית הָרָ֑כֶב וְה֤וּא בְתִרְצָה֙ שֹׁתֶ֣ה שִׁכֹּ֔ור בֵּ֣ית אַרְצָ֔א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת בְּתִרְצָֽה׃^{Verse 10}וַיָּבֹ֤א זִמְרִי֙ וַיַּכֵּ֣הוּ וַיְמִיתֵ֔הוּ בִּשְׁנַת֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וָשֶׁ֔בַע לְאָסָ֖א מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃^{Verse 11}וַיְהִ֨י בְמָלְכֹ֜ו כְּשִׁבְתֹּ֣ו עַל־כִּסְאֹ֗ו הִכָּה֙ אֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֣ית בַּעְשָׁ֔א לֹֽא־הִשְׁאִ֥יר לֹ֖ו מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֑יר וְגֹאֲלָ֖יו וְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃^{Verse 12}וַיַּשְׁמֵ֣ד זִמְרִ֔י אֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֣ית בַּעְשָׁ֑א כִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־בַּעְשָׁ֔א בְּיַ֖ד יֵה֥וּא הַנָּבִֽיא׃^{Verse 13}אֶ֚ל כָּל־חַטֹּ֣אות בַּעְשָׁ֔א וְחַטֹּ֖אות אֵלָ֣ה בְנֹ֑ו אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטְא֗וּ וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶחֱטִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְהַכְעִ֗יס אֶת־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּהַבְלֵיהֶֽם׃^{Verse 14}וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י אֵלָ֖ה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹֽוא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ^{Verse 15}בִּשְׁנַת֩ עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע שָׁנָ֗ה לְאָסָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה מָלַ֥ךְ זִמְרִ֛י שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בְּתִרְצָ֑ה וְהָעָ֣ם חֹנִ֔ים עַֽל־גִּבְּתֹ֖ון אֲשֶׁ֥ר לַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃^{Verse 16}וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע הָעָם֙ הַחֹנִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר קָשַׁ֣ר זִמְרִ֔י וְגַ֖ם הִכָּ֣ה אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיַּמְלִ֣כוּ כָֽל־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל אֶת־עָמְרִ֨י שַׂר־צָבָ֧א עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בַּיֹּ֥ום הַה֖וּא בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃^{Verse 17}וַיַּעֲלֶ֥ה עָמְרִ֛י וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עִמֹּ֖ו מִֽגִּבְּתֹ֑ון וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ עַל־תִּרְצָֽה׃^{Verse 18}וַיְהִ֞י כִּרְאֹ֤ות זִמְרִי֙ כִּֽי־נִלְכְּדָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־אַרְמֹ֣ון בֵּית־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשְׂרֹ֨ף עָלָ֧יו אֶת־בֵּֽית־מֶ֛לֶךְ בָּאֵ֖שׁ וַיָּמֹֽת׃^{Verse 19}עַל־*חַטָּאתֹו (חַטֹּאתָיו֙) אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֔ם וּבְחַטָּאתֹו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה לְהַחֲטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃^{Verse 20}וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י זִמְרִ֔י וְקִשְׁרֹ֖ו אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָשָׁ֑ר הֲלֹֽא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ^{Verse 21}אָ֧ז יֵחָלֵ֛ק הָעָ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַחֵ֑צִי חֲצִ֨י הָעָ֜ם הָ֠יָה אַחֲרֵ֨י תִבְנִ֤י בֶן־גִּינַת֙ לְהַמְלִיכֹ֔ו וְהַחֲצִ֖י אַחֲרֵ֥י עָמְרִֽי׃^{Verse 22}וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַחֲרֵ֣י עָמְרִ֔י אֶת־הָעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַחֲרֵ֖י תִּבְנִ֣י בֶן־גִּינַ֑ת וַיָּ֣מָת תִּבְנִ֔י וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ עָמְרִֽי׃ פ^{Verse 23}בִּשְׁנַת֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וְאַחַ֜ת שָׁנָ֗ה לְאָסָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה מָלַ֤ךְ עָמְרִי֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה בְּתִרְצָ֖ה מָלַ֥ךְ שֵׁשׁ־שָׁנִֽים׃^{Verse 24}וַיִּ֜קֶן אֶת־הָהָ֥ר שֹׁמְרֹ֛ון מֵ֥אֶת שֶׁ֖מֶר בְּכִכְּרַ֣יִם כָּ֑סֶף וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הָהָ֔ר וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶת־שֵׁ֤ם הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּנָ֔ה עַ֣ל שֶׁם־שֶׁ֔מֶר אֲדֹנֵ֖י הָהָ֥ר שֹׁמְרֹֽון׃^{Verse 25}וַיַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה עָמְרִ֛י הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּ֕רַע מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְפָנָֽיו׃^{Verse 26}וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֔ט *וּבְחַטֹּאתָיו (וּבְחַטָּאתֹ֔ו) אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהַכְעִ֗יס אֶת־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּהַבְלֵיהֶֽם^{Verse 27}וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֤י עָמְרִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וּגְבוּרָתֹ֖ו אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹֽא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃^{Verse 28}וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב עָמְרִי֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּשֹׁמְרֹ֑ון וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אַחְאָ֥ב בְּנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ^{Verse 29}וְאַחְאָ֣ב בֶּן־עָמְרִ֗י מָלַךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בִּשְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּשְׁמֹנֶה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְאָסָ֖א מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַ֠יִּמְלֹךְ אַחְאָ֨ב בֶּן־עָמְרִ֤י עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְרֹ֔ון עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם שָׁנָֽה׃^{Verse 30}וַיַּ֨עַשׂ אַחְאָ֧ב בֶּן־עָמְרִ֛י הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְפָנָֽיו׃^{Verse 31}וַיְהִי֙ הֲנָקֵ֣ל לֶכְתֹּ֔ו בְּחַטֹּ֖אות יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֑ט וַיִּקַּ֨ח אִשָּׁ֜ה אֶת־אִיזֶ֗בֶל בַּת־אֶתְבַּ֙עַל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ צִידֹנִ֔ים וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־הַבַּ֔עַל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לֹֽו׃^{Verse 32}וַיָּ֥קֶם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַבָּ֑עַל בֵּ֣ית הַבַּ֔עַל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָ֖ה בְּשֹׁמְרֹֽון׃^{Verse 33}וַיַּ֥עַשׂ אַחְאָ֖ב אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֨וסֶף אַחְאָ֜ב לַעֲשֹׂ֗ות לְהַכְעִיס֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִכֹּ֨ל מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃^{Verse 34}בְּיָמָ֞יו בָּנָ֥ה חִיאֵ֛ל בֵּ֥ית הָאֱלִ֖י אֶת־יְרִיחֹ֑ה בַּאֲבִירָ֨ם בְּכֹרֹ֜ו יִסְּדָ֗הּ *וּבִשְׂגִיב (וּבִשְׂג֤וּב) צְעִירֹו֙ הִצִּ֣יב דְּלָתֶ֔יהָ כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַ֖ד יְהֹושֻׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃ ס

Commentary

Introduction

Kg1 16:7 adds a supplementary remark concerning the words of Jehu (Kg1 16:2.), not to preclude an excuse that might be made, in which case וגם would have to be taken in the sense of nevertheless, or notwithstanding (Ewald, 354, a.), but to guard against a misinterpretation by adding a new feature, or rather to preclude an erroneous inference that might be drawn from the words, "I (Jehovah) have made thee prince" (Kg1 16:2), as through Baasha had exterminated Nadab and his house by divine command (Thenius). וגם simply means "and also," and is not to be connected specially with יהוּא בּיד, but to be taken as belonging to the whole sentence: "also the word of Jehovah had come to Baasha through Jehu, ... not only because of the evil, etc., but also (ועל...ועל) because he had slain him (Jeroboam)." With regard to this last reason, we must call to mind the remark made at Kg1 11:39, viz., that the prediction of the prophet to Baasha gave him no right to put himself forward arbitrarily as the fulfiller of the prophecy. The very fact that Baasha continued Jeroboam's sin and caused the illegal worship to be perpetuated, showed clearly enough that in exterminating the family of Jeroboam he did not act under divine direction, but simply pursued his own selfish ends.

The Reign of Elah. - As Baasha reigned from the third to the twenty-sixth year of Asa, i.e., not quite twenty-four years, but only twenty-three years and a few months, so his son Elah reigned from the twenty-sixth to the twenty-seventh year of Asa, i.e., not quite two years. Kg1 16:9-11 Zimri, the commander of the half of his war-chariots, conspired against him, and not only slew him, when he was intoxicated (שׁכּור שׁתה) at a drinking bout in the house of Arza, the prefect of his palace, but after ascending the throne exterminated the whole family of Baasha to the very last man. The prefect of the palace was no doubt a party to the conspiracy, and had probably arranged the drinking bout in his house for the purpose of carrying it out. "He did not leave him בּקיר משׁתּין (see at Kg1 14:10), either his avengers (גּאליו, blood-relations, who might have avenged his death) or his friends." These words simply serve to explain בּקיר משׁתּין, and show that this phrase is to be understood as relating to males only. Kg1 16:12-14 "According to the word of the Lord;" see at Kg1 16:1. כּל־חטּאות אל, with regard to all, i.e., on account of all the sins (compare Kg1 16:7, where על is used). בּהבליהם, through their nothingnesses, i.e., their idols, by which the golden calves are meant.

The Reign of Zimri lasted only seven days. As soon as the people of war (העם), who were besieging Gibbethon (see at Kg1 15:27), heard of his conspiracy, his usurpation of the throne, and his murderous deeds, they proclaimed Omri king in the camp of the military commanders, and he at once, with all Israel, i.e., all the army, raised the siege of Gibbethon, to lay siege to Thirza. Now when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the castle of the royal palace and burned the king's house over his own head, as Sardanapalus did, according to Justin (Hist. i. 3). ארמון does not mean harem (Ewald), but the high castle (from ארם, to be high); here and in Kg2 15:25, the citadel of the royal palace, which consisted of several buildings.

Kg1 16:19 is connected with ויּמת in Kg1 16:18 : "and so died for his sins," i.e., as a punishment for them.

But Omri did not come into possession of an undisputed sovereignty immediately upon the death of Zimri. The nation divided itself into two halves; one half was behind Tibni, the son of Ginath (i.e., declared in favour of Tibni), to make him king, the other adhered to Omri. Nevertheless Omri's gained the upper hand over the party of Tibni, and the latter died, whereupon Omri became king after four years, as we may see from a comparison of Kg1 16:15, Kg1 16:16 with Kg1 16:23. The "people of Israel" (Kg1 16:21) are probably the fighting people, so that the succession to the throne was decided by the military. אהרי היה as in Sa2 2:10. הזק, with an accusative instead of with על, in the sense of to overpower, as in Jer 20:7. According to Josephus (Ant. viii. 12, 5), Tibni was slain by his opponent; but this is not contained in the words; on the contrary, all that is implied in the connection of ויּמת with וגו ויּחזק וגו/ is that he met with his death in the decisive engagement in which the opposing party triumphed.

The Reign of Omri. - Kg1 16:23. Omri reigned twelve years, i.e., if we compare Kg1 16:15 and Kg1 16:23 with Kg1 16:29, reckoning from his rebellion against Zimri; so that he only possessed the sole government for eight years (or, more exactly, seven years and a few months), viz., from the 31st to the 38th years of Asa, and the conflict with Tibni for the possession of the throne lasted about four years. "At Thirza he reigned six years," i.e., during the four years of the conflict with Tibni, and after his death two years more. Kg1 16:24 As soon as he had obtained undisputed possession of the throne, he purchased the hill Shomron (Samaria) from Shemer (Semer) for two talents of silver, about 5200 thalers (780 - Tr.), built houses upon it, and named the town which he built after the former owner of the hill שׁמרון, rendered by the lxx Σεμηρών here, but everywhere else Σαμάρεια (Samaria), after the Chaldee form שׁמרין (Ezr 4:10, Ezr 4:17). This city he made his seat (Residenz, place of residence, or capital), in which he resided for the last six years of his reign, and where he was buried after his death (Kg1 16:28). Samaria continued to be the capital of the kingdom of the ten tribes from that time forward, and the residence of all succeeding kings of Israel until the destruction of this kingdom after its conquest by Salmanasar (Kg2 18:9-10). The city was two hours and a half to the north-west of Sichem, upon a mountain or hill in a mountain-hollow (Bergkessel, lit., mountain-caldron) or basin of about two hours in diameter, surrounded on all sides by still higher mountains. "The mountains and valleys round about are still for the most part arable, and are alive with numerous villages and diligent cultivation." The mountain itself upon which Samaria stood is still cultivated to the very top, and about the middle of the slope is surrounded by a narrow terrace of level ground resembling a girdle. And even higher up there are marks of smaller terraces, where streets of the ancient city may possibly have run. After the captivity Samaria was retaken and demolished by John Hyrcanus, and lay in ruins till Gabinius the Roman governor rebuilt it (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 19, 2, 3, and iv. 5, 3). Herod the Great afterwards decorated it in a marvellous manner, built a temple there to the emperor Augustus, and named the city after him Σεβαστή, i.e., Augusta, from which arose the present name Sebuste or Sebustieh, borne by a village which is still standing on the ancient site: "a pitiable hamlet consisting of a few squalid houses, inhabited by a band of plunderers, notorious as thieves even among their lawless fellow-countrymen" (V. de Velde, i. p. 378). - But by the side of this there are magnificent ruins of an ancient Johannite church, with the reputed grave of John the Baptist and remains of limestone columns at the foot of the mountain (cf., Robinson, Pal. iii. p. 136ff.; Van de Velde, Syria and Pal. i. p. 374ff.; and C. v. Raumer, Pal. pp. 159,160). Kg1 16:25-28 Omri also walked in the ways of Jeroboam, and acted worse than his predecessors upon the throne. - For Kg1 16:26 and Kg1 16:27, compare Kg1 16:13 and Kg1 16:14.

The ascent of the throne of Israel by Ahab (Kg1 16:29) formed a turning-point for the worse, though, as a comparison of Kg1 16:30 with Kg1 16:25 clearly shows, the way had already been prepared by his father Omri.

Whereas the former kings of Israel had only perpetuated the sin of Jeroboam, i.e., the calf-worship. or worship of Jehovah under the image of an ox, which he had introduced, Ahab was not satisfied with this. לכתּו הנקל ויהי, "it came to pass, was it too little?" i.e., because it was too little (cf. Ewald, 362, a.) to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, that he took as his wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal the king of the Sidonians, and served Baal, and worshipped him. ויּלך before ויּעבד, "he went and served," is a pictorial description of what took place, to give greater prominence to the new turn of affairs. אתבּעל .sri (i.e., with Baal) is the Εἰθώβαλος (בּעל אתּו or Ἰθόβαλος: Jos. Ant. viii. 13, 1) mentioned by Menander in Josephus, c. Ap. i. 18, who was king of Tyre and Sidon, and priest of Astarte, and who usurped the throne after the murder of his brother, king Pheles, and reigned thirty-two years. Jezebel (איזבל, i.e., probably without cohabitation, cf. Gen 30:20, = untouched, chaste; not a contraction of אביזבל, as Ewald, 273, b., supposes) was therefore, as tyrant and murderess of the prophets, a worthy daughter of her father, the idolatrous priest and regicide. Baal (always הבּעל with the article, the Baal, i.e., Lord κατ ̓ ἐξοχήν) was the principal male deity of the Phoenicians and Canaanites, and generally of the western Asiatics, called by the Babylonians בּל = בּעל (Isa 46:1), Βῆλος, and as the sun-god was worshipped as the supporter and first principle of psychical life and of the generative and reproductive power of nature (see at Jdg 2:13). Ahab erected an altar to this deity הבּעל בּית, in the house (temple) of Baal, which he had built at Samaria. The worship of Baal had its principal seat in Tyre, where Hiram, the contemporary of David and Solomon, had built for it a splendid temple and placed a golden pillar (χρυσοῦν κίονα) therein, according to Dius and Menander, in Joseph. Ant. viii. 5, 3, and c. Ap. i. 18. Ahab also erected a similar pillar (מצּבה) to Baal in his temple at Samaria (vid., Kg2 3:2; Kg2 10:27). For statues of images of Baal are not met with in the earlier times; and the בּעלים are not statues of Baal, but different modifications of that deity. It was only in the later temple of Baal or Hercules at Tyre that there was, as Cicero observes (Verr. iv. 43), ex aere simulacrum ipsius Herculis, quo non facile quidquam dixerim me vidisse pulcrius.

"And Ahab made את־האשׁרה, i.e., the Asherah belonging to the temple of Baal" (see at Jdg 6:25 and Exo 34:13), an idol of Astarte (see at Kg1 14:23).

In his time Hil the Bethelite (האלי בּית; compare Ges. 111. 1 with 86, 2. 5) built Jericho: "he laid the foundation of it with Abiram his first-born, and set up its gates with Segub his youngest, according to the word of Jehovah," etc. (for the explanation see the Comm. on Jos 6:26). The restoration of this city as a fortification, upon which Joshua had pronounced the curse, is mentioned as a proof how far ungodliness had progressed in Israel; whilst the fulfilment of the curse upon the builder shows how the Lord will not allow the word of His servants to be transgressed with impunity. Jericho, on the border of the tribe of Ephraim (Jos 16:7), which was allotted to the Benjaminites (Jos 18:21), had come into the possession of the kingdom of Israel on the falling away of the ten tribes from the royal house of David, and formed a border city of that kingdom, through the fortification of which Ahab hoped to secure to himself the passage across the Jordan.

Open full in Library

Bible

Translations

Pentateuch

History

Wisdom

Major Prophets

Minor Prophets

Keyboard shortcuts