1 KINGS LESSON 21
We will begin this lesson in I Kings 16:1 "Then the word of the
LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,"
Jehu was a prophet of Judah. His father, Hanani, was the seer,
who rebuked Asa. Even though Jehu was a prophet of Judah, he spoke
against Baasha, here.
I Kings 16:2 "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;"
The LORD is speaking through Jehu. It was the LORD, who elevated
Baasha to be king over the ten tribes of Israel. This is a reprimand
from the LORD, for the sinful lifestyle of Baasha. Jeroboam followed
after false gods, and so has Baasha. He and the people have angered
God with their false gods.
I Kings 16:3 "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."
He had killed the family of Jeroboam, and that is just what will
happen to his family. There will be none left to carry on the name of
Baasha. God will see to that. His family will die, as Jeroboam's house
had died.
I Kings 16:4 "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."
This is just saying, they will not have a proper burial. Their
carcases will be eaten by the dogs and the fowls.
I Kings 16:5 "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?"
These records are mentioned several times in these lessons.
I Kings 16:6 "So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in
Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead."
The prophecy that had been given by Jehu was not specifically for
Baasha, but for his descendents. Baasha was buried the usual way, with
his fathers.
I Kings 16:7 "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."
We see, in this, the reason for the LORD not allowing Baasha's
descendents to live and carry on his name. The most important reason
was because of his idolatry. The reason his family would be killed the
way they were, is because he showed no mercy to the family of Jeroboam
but killed men, women, and children. We read that all who breathed of
Jeroboam were killed. Whatever a person sows, he will reap. This was
surely the case here.
I Kings 16:8 "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."
Elah was like his father. He was evil. It appears, that his reign
was very short, just two years.
I Kings 16:9 "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."
Elah was a drunkard. "Elah" means oak. Zimri was a descendent of
Saul through Jonathan. Zimri, perhaps, would try to take the throne
back for his ancestor Saul. Whether there was a conspiracy between
Zimri and Arza to get Elah drunk and take his kingdom, we do not know.
He was not the leader, that a king should be. He is drunk and not even
in the palace, but in a servant's home.
I Kings 16:10 "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."
This is understandable, since Baasha killed Nadab to reign in his
stead. Now, we see Zimri killing Elah, to become king.
I Kings 16:11 "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."
This is simply saying, that he killed all of the males in the
family of Baasha. This, again, is because Baasha killed all of the
family of Jeroboam. The only reason for killing his friends, was
because they might rise up against him.
I Kings 16:12 "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,"
Jehu had prophesied this, but it did not happen, because Zimri
was doing the will of the LORD. It happened, and God knew that it
would happen ahead of time. It was not predestined, but foreknown.
I Kings 16:13 "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."
The golden calves are spoken of here. God was very angry about
the worship of these calves. The Ten Commandments are specific about
not worshipping anything, except the One True God. God is jealous, and
He will not permit worship of false gods. The people who do such
things, have committed spiritual adultery.
I Kings 16:14 "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?"
Elah was evil all the days of his life. His sins were part of the
reason, he just reigned part of two years. This book of chronicles is
the same book we have been reading about, that was the record kept of
the kings.
I Kings 16:15 "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."
Zimri reigned for just 7 days. His only claim to fame was that he
killed Elah and the entire family of Baasha. This all happened, while
they were at war with the Philistines at Gibbethon.
I Kings 16:16 "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."
Omri was the commander of the armies of Elah. The army did not
accept Zimri as king, and they proclaimed Omri king. Omri pursues
Zimri to kill him for murdering Elah. We will find that Omri will be
the most evil of all of Israel's kings.
I Kings 16:17 "And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel
with him, and they besieged Tirzah." I Kings 16:18 "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 burnt the king's house over him with
fire, and died,"
Tirzah was in the hill country, and that is why the statement
"they went up" is given. Zimri had fled to the inner part of the
palace of the king's house, and set fire to the palace. He burned to
death in the fire. When he realized that Omri would take the city, he
feared a cruel death, so he committed suicide. Zimri was evil, and the
cruel death he died was, because of the terrible sins he committed.
I Kings 16:19 "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."
There is very little to write, except the murders he committed.
It appears, it was a very dangerous thing to be king of Israel. It was
even more dangerous to be a member of the family of the previous king.
The Scripture above indicates that he, too, was promoting the worship
of the calf.
I Kings 16:20 "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?"
The key word in the Scripture above is treason. He was working
for the king, that he killed.
I Kings 16:21 "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."
Perhaps, this Tibni controlled a large number of the soldiers,
and Omri controlled another group. We do see that the army was divided
in its loyalty. This seemed to be a time of great confusion. The
people had no idea who their next leader would be. If you chose the
wrong leader, you would, probably, be killed, when the other king took
over.
I Kings 16:22 "But the people that followed Omri prevailed
against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni
died, and Omri reigned."
Being commander of the army would give Omri quite an advantage.
He would have the most skilled fighters. They would, also, have been
better equipped for battle. It appears, this struggle went on for 4
years, and finally Omri prevailed.
I Kings 16:23 "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."
All of the time that the ten tribes of Israel were changing from
one king to the other, because of their unfaithfulness to God, Asa
reigned in Judah. Omri reigned for a longer period than most of them.
The Scriptures indicate that he was the most evil of the rulers. He
built Samaria and made it his capital. Omri was proclaimed king in the
27th year of the reign of Asa, and died in the 38th year of Asa's
reign. This means then, that he reigned parts of twelve years.
I Kings 16:24 "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."
A talent of silver was believed to weigh 125 pounds. This means
then, that the land was purchased for 250 pounds of silver. The palace
had been burned by Elah, and Omri picks out a new capital, and builds
there. The new capital is Samaria. This capital, like many of the
others, was built on a hill for safety.
I Kings 16:25 "But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD,
and did worse than all that [were] before him."
Calf worship had taken the place of the one True God. The people
were strictly forbidden to go to the temple in Jerusalem.
I Kings 16:26 "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."
Jeroboam had started the calf worship with the two golden calves.
Omri carried it even further than Jeroboam had done. Jeroboam had
mixed the worship of the LORD with the worship of the calves. Omri
worshipped just the calves.
I Kings 16:27 "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?" I Kings 16:28 "So Omri slept with
his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in
his stead."
The Israelites were great record keepers, and these chronicles,
that continue to be mentioned, verify that. Omri was buried in the
city of Samaria, that he had built. Ahab, his son, would be another of
the very evil kings. Omri had been the most evil up until his time,
but Ahab was even more evil than Omri. "Ahab" means uncle.
I Kings 16:29 "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."
The Jewish religion was at its very lowest ebb in Israel at the
time that Ahab was king. He reigned 22 years. Every year was terrible.
Asa was still king in Judah, when Ahab began to reign. He left his
capital in Samaria, that his son had built.
I Kings 16:30 "And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of
the LORD above all that [were] before him." I Kings 16:31 "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."
The worship of Baal became prominent during the rule of Ahab. He
was not only the most wicked ruler to this date, but he married the
most wicked woman he could find. The name, Jezebel, even unto this
day, is a symbol of the worst kind of woman. "Jezebel" means
unmarried. Two strange meanings for her name are non-cohabited, or
unhusbanded. She had 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of
Astarte. Her father was the king of the Zidonians. She not only
worshipped Baal, herself, but caused Ahab to worship Baal, also.
I Kings 16:32 "And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of
Baal, which he had built in Samaria."
This was even worse than the two golden calves. The golden
calves, in some twisted way, were thought to represent God. In this
building of the altar to Baal, there is no pretense. This is worship
of a false god.
I Kings 16:33 "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."
This had dropped to the lowest ebb that any had done, up until
this time. This is in open opposition to God. It was as if Ahab were
deliberately trying to provoke the LORD.
I Kings 16:34 "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."
Hiel, possibly, knew of the warnings Joshua had spoken about this
re-building, and was doing this in defiance. Joshua 6:26 "And Joshua
adjured [them] at that time, saying, Cursed [be] the man before the
LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the
foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest [son] shall
he set up the gates of it." This means that his firstborn died
because of the building of the foundation, and his son, Segub, died as
they set up the gates. God's word is true. Whatever He says, will be.
This will continue in the next chapter.
1 Kings 21 Questions
1. Who was Jehu?
2. Who did Jehu speak against?
3. Who is he directly speaking to in verses 1 and 2?
4. Why is the condemnation spoken on Baasha?
5. What will happen to his family?
6. What will happen to those that die in the city?
7. Where was Baasha buried?
8. Why were Baasha's descendents not allowed to live?
9. When did Elah begin to reign?
10. How long did he reign?
11. Who conspired against Elah?
12. What was Elah doing, when the uprising began?
13. What does "Elah" mean?
14. Baasha killed _________ to reign in his stead.
15. What was Zimri's first act as king?
16. What were the vanities in verse 13?
17. How long did Zimri reign?
18. Who rose up against Zimri?
19. _______ was the commander of the armies of Elah.
20. What did Zimri do, when he saw the city was taken?
21. What was the only thing Zimri was known for?
22. Who opposed Omri?
23. What helped Omri to win power?
24. How long did Omri reign?
25. How much did Omri pay for the hill of Samaria?
26. What does a talent weigh?
27. What kind of king was Omri, in the sight of the LORD?
28. Where was Omri buried?
29. When did Ahab begin to reign?
30. Who did Ahab take to wife?
31. What became prominent during their reign?
32. What does "Jezebel" mean?
33. How many prophets of Baal did they have?
34. How was the worship of Baal worse than the calf worship?
35. What warning of Joshua did Hiel ignore, when he built Jericho?
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