1 Kings 16

Jehu's Prophecy Against Baasha

¹The LORD’s word came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,

²“Because I exalted you out of the dust and made you prince over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins,

³behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

⁴The dogs will eat Baasha’s descendants who die in the city; and he who dies of his in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.”

⁵Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

⁶Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his place.

⁷Moreover the LORD’s word came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the LORD’s sight, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck him.

Elah's Reign and Assassination

⁸In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah for two years.

⁹His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah;

¹⁰and Zimri went in and struck him and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

¹¹When he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, he attacked all the house of Baasha. He didn’t leave him a single one who urinates on a wall among his relatives or his friends.

¹²Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,

¹³for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and with which they made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.

¹⁴Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Zimri's Seven-Day Reign

¹⁵In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.

¹⁶The people who were encamped heard that Zimri had conspired, and had also killed the king. Therefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.

¹⁷Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.

¹⁸When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the fortified part of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire, and died,

¹⁹for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did to make Israel to sin.

²⁰Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he committed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Civil War: Omri vs. Tibni

²¹Then 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.

²²But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath; so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

²³In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah.

²⁴He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

²⁵Omri did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and dealt wickedly above all who were before him.

²⁶For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins with which he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.

²⁷Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

²⁸So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place.

Beginning of Ahab's Reign

²⁹In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

³⁰Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight above all that were before him.

³¹As if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.

³²He raised up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

³³Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did more yet to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

³⁴In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid its foundation with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the LORD’s word, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

Previous1 Kings 15

Next1 Kings 17

This chapter chronicles the rapid succession of unstable rulers in the northern kingdom of Israel, beginning with God's judgment against King Baasha through the prophet Jehu. Baasha's son Elah reigns only two years before being assassinated by his military commander Zimri, who himself rules for just seven days before committing suicide when the army revolts. The chapter concludes with Omri's rise to power after defeating his rival Tibni, and introduces the beginning of Ahab's reign, setting the stage for Israel's deepest descent into idolatry.

Context

This chapter continues the pattern of dynastic instability in Israel following Jeroboam's rebellion, leading directly to the Ahab-Jezebel era that will dominate the following chapters.

Key Themes

Outline

1-7
Jehu's Prophecy Against BaashaThe prophet Jehu delivers God's judgment against Baasha for following Jeroboam's sinful ways and leading Israel into idolatry.
8-14
Elah's Brief Reign and AssassinationBaasha's son Elah rules for two years before being murdered by his chariot commander Zimri while drunk.
15-20
Zimri's Seven-Day ReignZimri destroys Baasha's entire family but rules only seven days before the army revolts and he kills himself.
21-28
Civil War Between Omri and TibniIsrael splits between two rival kings until Omri defeats Tibni and establishes his dynasty in the new capital of Samaria.
29-34
Ahab's Reign BeginsOmri's son Ahab becomes king and proves more wicked than all previous rulers, marrying Jezebel and promoting Baal worship.

Jehu's Prophecy Against Baasha

16:1–16:7

narrativenarrationwrathful

The prophet Jehu delivers God's judgment against Baasha, declaring that his house will be destroyed like Jeroboam's because he led Israel into sin and provoked God's anger.

person_contrast

Jehu son of Hanani prophesies divine sovereignty ("I exalted you") before executing judgment, uniquely combining God's elevation with condemnation in the same oracle.

Elah's Reign and Assassination

16:8–16:14

narrativenarrationsolemn

Elah's brief two-year reign ends when his servant Zimri assassinates him while drunk, then destroys Baasha's entire house, fulfilling God's prophetic word through Jehu.

person_contrast

Zimri's systematic extermination of Baasha's lineage mirrors the identical Hebrew phrase used for Jeroboam's destruction, creating a prophetic pattern where divine judgment repeats through identical language.

Zimri's Seven-Day Reign

16:15–16:20

narrativenarrationurgent

Zimri's reign lasts only seven days before Israel makes Omri king; when defeated, Zimri burns himself alive in the palace, dying for his sins and continuing Jeroboam's evil ways.

person_contrast

Zimri's seven-day reign represents the shortest monarchical tenure in biblical history, ending when he immolates himself rather than face capture by Omri's forces.

Civil War: Omri vs. Tibni

16:21–16:28

narrativenarrationsolemn

After a civil war between Omri and Tibni, Omri becomes king of Israel and establishes Samaria as his capital, but continues in the sinful ways of Jeroboam. The passage chronicles Omri's twelve-year reign marked by wickedness and idolatry before his death and succession by his son Ahab.

person_contrast

Omri's four-year civil war against Tibni receives only two verses, while his establishment of Samaria—Israel's future capital for 200 years—merits just one sentence.

Beginning of Ahab's Reign

16:29–16:34

narrativenarrationsolemn

Ahab begins his reign as the most wicked king of Israel, marrying Jezebel and establishing Baal worship with altars and Asherah poles. His reign is marked by unprecedented idolatry and the fulfillment of Joshua's curse when Jericho is rebuilt at the cost of the builder's sons.

person_contrast

Ahab's marriage to Jezebel represents the first time in Kings where foreign matrimony directly catalyzes systematic Baal worship, transforming personal sin into national apostasy.

1 Kings 16:2

1 Kings 14:7lexical

Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘The LORD, the God of Israel, says: “Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince…

1 Kings 15:30lexical

for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and with which he made Israel to sin, because of his provocation with which he…

1 Kings 21:22lexical

I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for…

2 Kings 23:15lexical

Moreover the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had ma…

Deuteronomy 9:18lexical

I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because…

1 Kings 16:3

1 Kings 21:22lexical

I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for…

2 Kings 9:9lexical

I will make Ahab’s house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

1 Kings 14:10lexical

therefore, behold, I will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam everyone who urinates on a…

1 Kings 16:4

1 Kings 21:24lexical

The dogs will eat whoever dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat whoever dies in the field.”

1 Kings 14:11lexical

The dogs will eat whoever belongs to Jeroboam who dies in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat whoever dies in th…

Jeremiah 15:3lexical

“I will appoint over them four kinds,” says the LORD: “the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, the birds of the sky, and th…

Ezekiel 31:13lexical

All the birds of the sky will dwell on his ruin, and all the animals of the field will be on his branches,

Ezekiel 31:6lexical

All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs. Under its branches, all the animals of the field gave birth to…

1 Kings 16:5

2 Kings 13:12lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah…

2 Kings 14:28lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus,…

2 Kings 14:15lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t th…

2 Kings 13:8lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronic…

1 Kings 15:23lexical

Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they…

1 Kings 16:6

1 Kings 15:33lexical

In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-fou…

1 Kings 14:31lexical

Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammon…

2 Kings 15:7lexical

Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Jotham his son reigned in his…

1 Kings 15:24lexical

Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned…

2 Chronicles 33:20lexical

So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house; and Amon his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 16:7

1 Kings 21:22lexical

I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for…

1 Kings 16:8

1 Kings 15:33lexical

In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-fou…

2 Chronicles 16:1lexical

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not…

1 Kings 15:28lexical

Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha killed him and reigned in his place.

2 Kings 15:30lexical

Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, attacked him, killed him, and reigned in his…

1 Kings 15:9lexical

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.

1 Kings 16:10

1 Kings 15:33lexical

In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-fou…

1 Kings 15:9lexical

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.

1 Kings 16:11

1 Samuel 25:22lexical

God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as…

1 Kings 16:13

1 Kings 21:22lexical

I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for…

1 Kings 15:30lexical

for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and with which he made Israel to sin, because of his provocation with which he…

Deuteronomy 9:18lexical

I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because…

1 Kings 16:14

2 Kings 15:11lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

2 Kings 21:25lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

2 Kings 15:6lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings…

1 Kings 14:29lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the king…

1 Kings 15:23lexical

Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they…

1 Kings 16:15

1 Kings 15:33lexical

In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-fou…

1 Kings 15:9lexical

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.

1 Kings 16:17

1 Kings 15:27lexical

Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him at Gibbethon, which bel…

1 Kings 16:18

2 Chronicles 36:19lexical

They burned God’s house, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all of its va…

Jeremiah 34:22lexical

Behold, I will command,” says the LORD, “and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it, take it, and…

1 Kings 9:16lexical

Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, taken Gezer, burned it with fire, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and gi…

Jeremiah 37:8lexical

The Chaldeans will come again, and fight against this city. They will take it and burn it with fire.”’

Joshua 7:15lexical

It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he h…

1 Kings 16:19

1 Kings 15:34lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he made Isr…

2 Kings 10:31lexical

But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the s…

2 Kings 15:18lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat…

2 Kings 15:9lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as his fathers had done. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the…

2 Kings 3:3lexical

Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from t…

1 Kings 16:20

2 Kings 15:15lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chron…

1 Kings 15:7lexical

The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of J…

2 Kings 8:23lexical

The rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Ju…

1 Kings 11:41lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of…

2 Kings 16:19lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

1 Kings 16:23

2 Kings 13:10lexical

In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria for…

1 Kings 15:33lexical

In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-fou…

2 Chronicles 16:1lexical

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not…

1 Kings 16:24

2 Kings 5:22lexical

He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have c…

2 Samuel 24:21lexical

Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy your threshing floor, to build an alta…

1 Kings 16:26

1 Kings 21:22lexical

I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for…

2 Kings 15:24lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which…

2 Kings 15:18lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat…

2 Kings 15:9lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as his fathers had done. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the…

2 Kings 17:21lexical

For he tore Israel from David’s house; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; and Jeroboam drove Israel from foll…

1 Kings 16:27

2 Kings 13:8lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronic…

2 Kings 10:34lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronic…

2 Kings 20:20lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought water in…

2 Kings 13:12lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah…

2 Kings 14:28lexical

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus,…

1 Kings 16:28

2 Kings 10:35lexical

Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

2 Kings 14:16lexical

Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his…

2 Kings 13:9lexical

Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria; and Joash his son reigned in his place.

2 Kings 13:13lexical

Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

2 Kings 3:1lexical

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, a…

1 Kings 16:29

2 Kings 3:1lexical

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, a…

2 Kings 15:8lexical

In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six mon…

2 Kings 10:36lexical

The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

1 Kings 22:41lexical

Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

2 Kings 8:26lexical

Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Ath…

1 Kings 16:31

2 Kings 13:2lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made I…

2 Kings 15:28lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which…

2 Kings 14:24lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with wh…

2 Kings 13:11lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with wh…

2 Kings 15:24lexical

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which…

1 Kings 16:32

2 Kings 21:3lexical

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he raised up altars for Baal, and made a…

Judges 6:28lexical

When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut…

2 Chronicles 33:3lexical

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he raised up altars for the Baals, mad…

1 Kings 16:34

Joshua 6:26lexical

Joshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed is the man before the LORD who rises up and builds this…

Joshua 2:1lexical

Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” The…

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Historical Context

Places and events in this chapter

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