1 Kings 16

THen the word of the LORD came to Jehu A Prophet, of whom see more, 2 Chron. 19. 2. and 20. 34. the son of Hanani Who also was a Prophet, 2 Chron. 16. 7., against Baasha, saying,

Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust Out of a low and mean Estate. See 1 Sam. 2. 8. Psal. 113. 7. Quest. How is Baasha's Exaltation to the Kingdom ascribed to God, when he got it by treachery and cruelty? Answ. Though that way or manner of Invading the Kingdom was from himself, and his own wicked heart; yet the Translation of the Kingdom from Nadab to Baasha simply considered, was from God, who by his Decree and Providence ordered it, and disposed of all occasions, and of the hearts of all the Soldiers and People, so that Baasha should have opportunity of Executing God's Judgment upon Nadab; and such success thereupon, that he should get a present and quiet Possession of the Kingdom. Nay, the very act of Baasha, to wit, the Killing of his Master Nadab, was an act of Divine Justice, foretold and appointed by God, Chap. 14. 10. And if Baasha had done this in obedience to God's Command, and with a single Design, to Execute God's Vengeance threatned against him, it had been no more a Sin, than Iehu's act in Killing his Master King Iehoram, upon the same account, 2 King. 9. But that Baasha did this, merely to gratifie his own Pride, or Covetousness, or Malice; this was not from God, but from himself, and therefore is charged upon him as Murder here, ver. 7., 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 See on 1 King. 14. 9. with their sins:

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.

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.

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?

So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani, came the word of the LORD The meaning is, The Message which came from the Lord to Iehu, ver. 1, &c. was here delivered by the hand. i. e. the Ministry of Iehu, unto Baasha. Iehu did what God commanded him in this matter, though it was not without apparent hazard to himself. 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 i. e. Nadab; who though he be not expressed, yet is sufficiently understood: 1. By the manifest reference which these words have to the Murder committed by Baasha, which was done upon Nadab only, ch. 15. 28. 2. By the foregoing words, the house of Ieroboam; i. e. His Posterity, which was Nadab. Quest. Why does God punish him for doing God's Work? Answ. 1. Though God appointed, That Ieroboam's Family should be cut off; yet he did not give Baasha Commission to do it; nor had declared how, or by whom he would do it. 2. Baasha did this, not to fulfil God's Will, but his own Lusts. See on, ver. 2..

In the twentieth and sixth year of Asa king of Judah, began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years One complete, and part of the other, ver. 10. which in Scripture-account is reckoned for a Year. See above 7. 15. and 15. 25..

And his servant Zimri (captain of half his chariots i. e. Of all his Military Chariots, and the Men belonging to them: the Chariots for carriage of necessary things, being put into other, and meaner hands.) conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah Whilst his Forces were elsewhere imployed, ver. 15. which gave Zimri advantage to execute his Design..

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.

¶ And it came to pass, when he began to reign, assoon 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, Heb. avengers; to whom it belonged to Revenge his Death. See Numb. 35. 12. nor of his friends His confidents, and familiar Acquaintance, such as were most likely to hinder his Settlement in the Throne, and to Avenge their Friends Quarrel..

Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha i. e. Thus fulfilling God's Threatning, but either without his knowledge, o... merely for his own ends., by Jehu the prophet.

For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his sons; by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities. n i. e. Idols, oft called vanities; as Deut. 32. 21. 1 Sam. 12. 21. Ier. 14. 22. because they are but imaginary Deities, and mere nothings; 1 Cor. 8. 4. having nothing at all of a God in them, and nothing of Power to do either good or hurt.

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?

¶ In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah: and the people were encamped against Gibethon, which belonged to the Philistines Which had been Besieged before, Chap. 15. 27. but, it seems, was then relieved, or afterwards recovered by the Philistines; taking the advantage of the Disorders and Contentions which were among their Enemies..

And the people that were encamped, heard say, Zimri has conspired, and has also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri the captain of the host king over Israel that day in the camp.

And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.

And it came to pass when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the Kings house, and burnt the kings house over him Or, and he burnt, &c. Either, 1. Omri burnt it over Zimri; for Pronouns sometimes respect more remote Nouns. Or rather, 2. Zimri (to whom both the foregoing and following words apparently belong) who burnt it upon himself; that neither himself, nor the Royal Palace and Treasures might come into the hands of his insulting Adversary. with fire, and died;

For his sins i. e. This befel him for his Sins. which he sinned, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam Which he might do, either before his Reign, in the whole course of his Life, which is justly charged upon him, because of his Impenitency: or in the Seven days of his Reign; in which, he had time enough to publish his Intentions or Decrees, about the continuance of the Worship of the Calves; or to Sacrifice to them, for his good Success, either already obtained, or further desired., and in his sin which he did, to make Israel sin.

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?

¶ Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts Fell into a Civil War: yet neither this, nor any other of God's dreadful Judgments could win them to Repentance; which is an evidence of their Prodigious Impiety, and Incorrigibleness, and how ripe they were for Ruine.: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king Disdaining that the Soldiers should Usurp such a Power over the whole Kingdom.: and half followed Omri Because they approved the Person, though not the manner of his Election..

But the people that followed Omri prevailed Partly, because they had the Army on their side; and principally, by the appointment and judgment of God, giving up the Israelites to him who was much the worst; ver. 25, 26. against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died A violent Death, in the Battel., and Omri reigned.

¶ In the thirty and one year of Asa king of Judah, began Omri to reign over Israel twelve years i. e. And he Reigned Twelve Years, not from this 31 year of Asa, for he died in his 38 year. ver. 29. but from the beginning of his Reign, which was in Asa's 27 year, ver. 15, 16 So he Reigned four years in a State of War with Tibni, and Eight years peaceably.: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer, for two talents of silver, and built To wit, the City; and especially, a Royal Palace, because that at Tirzah was burnt, ver. 18. on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill Samaria.

¶ But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.

For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam i. e. Did not only promote the Worship of the Calves, as Ieroboam and all his Successors hitherto had done; but did also imitate all Ieroboam's other sins, which doubtless were many and great; and peradventure he added this to the rest, that together with the Calves, he Worshipped Devils: i. e. other Idols of the Heathens, as may be thought from 1 Cor. 10. 20. 20. where his Worship of the Devils, and of the Calves is distinguished. Besides, though he did no more for the substance of the Action, than his Predecessors did; yet he might justly and truly be said to do worse than they, because he did it with greater Aggravations, after so many terrible Examples of Divine Vengeance upon the Kings and People of Israel for that Sin; or, because he made seve... er Laws concerning the Calf-Worship; whence we read of the statutes of Omri, Mich. 6. 16. or did more industriously and violently Execute them, with greater despight against God, and malice against his servants. 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.

Now the 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?

So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

¶ 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.

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, above all that were before him.

And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him As if that Sin were not big enough to express his contempt of God; as if he thought it below his Wit and Dignity, to content himself with such a Vulgar Fault. But the Hebrew runs thus, Was it a light thing, &c? i. e. Was this but a small Sin, that therefore he needed to add more Abominations? Where the question, as is usual among the Hebrews, implies a strong denial; and intimates, That this was no small Sin, but a great Crime; and might have satisfied his wicked Mind, without any additions. to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat; that he took to wife Jezebel A Woman infamous for her Idolatry, and Cruelty, and Sorcery, and Filthiness. See Chap. 18. 4. and 21. 8. 2 King. 9. 22. Revel. 2. 20. the daughter of Ethbaal Called Ithobalus, or Itobalus in Heathen Writers. king of the Zidonians So she was of an Heathenish and Idolatrous Race, and such whom the Kings and People of Israel were expresly forbidden to Marry., and went and served Baal i. e. The Idol which the Sidonians Worshipped, which is thought to be Hercules: or false gods: for this name is common to all such. And this Idolatry was much worse than that of the Calves; because in the Calves they Worshipped the True God; but in these, false gods or Devils, as is evident from Chap. 18. 21., and worshipped him.

And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

And Ahab made a grove Against God's Express Prohibition, Deut. 7. 5.; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

In his days This is here added, 1. As a Character of the time, and an instance of the truth and certainty of Divine Predictions and Comminations, this being fulfilled 800 years after it was threatned; and withal, as a warning to the Israelites, not to think themselves innocent or safe, because the Judgment threatned against them by Ahijah, Chap. 14. 15. was not yet Executed, though they continued in that Calf-worship which he condemned: but to expect the certain accomplishment of it in due time, if they persisted in their Impenitency. Or, 2. As an Evidence of the horrible Corruption of his times, and of that high Contempt of God which then Reigned. did Hiel the Bethelite Who lived in Bethel, the Seat and sink of Idolatry, wherewith he was thoroughly leavened. build Jericho A place seated in the Tribe of Benjamin, but belonging to the Kingdom of Israel: which place he seems to have chosen for his Buildings; not so much for his own advantage, as out of a contempt of the True God, and of his Threatnings, which he designed to convince of falshood by his own Experience; and out of an Ambitious desire to advance his own Reputation and Interest thereby, by attempting that which he knew his King and Queen too, would be highly pleased with.: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub i. e. In the beginning of his Building, God took away his First-born, and others successively in the progress of the Work, and the youngest when he finished it. And so he found by his own sad Experience, the truth of God's Word, and how vain it was to contend with him. Qu. Why did not God rather punish Hiel himself? Answ. This was a terrible Punishment, to see his Children Cut off by Divine Vengeance, before their time, one after another; and all this, for his own folly and rashness. Compare Ier. 52. 10. And as for Hiel himself, possibly after he had been spared so long, that he might be an Eye-witness of his Sons untimely Deaths; he also might be Cut off, though it be not Recorded, as not belonging the Prophecy here mentioned; or, if not, his present Impunity was his greatest Misery; either, as it continued his Torment in the sad and lasting Remembrance of his Loss and Misery; or as it was a mean to harden his Heart so for greater Judgments, to which he was reserved., according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua Of which, see on Iosh. 6. 26. the son of Nun.