Bible Commentaries
1 Kings 16

Verses 1-34

1 Kings 16:8-14 The Reign of Elah Over Israel (886-885 B.C.) 1 Kings 16:8-14 records the story of Elah reigning as king over Israel.

1 Kings 16:15-20 The Reign of Zimri Over Israel (885 B.C.) 1 Kings 16:15-20 records the story of Zimri reigning over Israel.

1 Kings 16:21-28 The Reign of Omri Over Israel (885-874 B.C.) 1 Kings 16:21-28 records the story of Omri reigning as king over Israel.

1 Kings 16:29 to 1 Kings 22:40 The Reign of Ahab Over Israel (874-853 B.C.) 1 Kings 16:29 to 1 Kings 22:40 records the story of Ahab reigning as king over Israel. Ahab’s reign contains a lengthy section because of the important of Elijah the prophet to Israel’s redemptive history.

1 Kings 16:31 “that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians” - Comments Josephus describes Jezebel as “the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Tyrians and Sidonians.”

1 Kings 16:31 “and went and served Baal, and worshipped him” - Comments - The Israelites fell deeply into Baal worship during the reign of Ahab, king of Israel (1 Kings 16:31). Josephus tells us that King Ahab began to worship the gods of Jezebel his wife. [32] The name Baal, which means “owner, lord,” was used as a title of the supreme god among the Canaanites. [33] The name of Baal was often associated with the sun in ancient times. [34] Therefore, it is likely that this word from the Lord spoken by Elijah regarding a drought is a direct challenge to the worship of Baal, and that this challenge culminated on Mount Carmel in chapter 18, with the prophets of Baal being slain.

[32] Josephus writes, “…he also took to wife the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Tyrians and Sidonians, whose name was Jezebel, of whom he learned to worship her own gods.” ( Antiquities 8.13.1)

[33] A. H. Sayce, “Baal (1),” in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., c1915, 1939), in The Sword Project, v. 1.5.11 [CD-ROM] (Temple, AZ: CrossWire Bible Society, 1990-2008).

[34] A. S. Peake, “Baal,” in A Dictionary of the Bible Dealing with Language, Literature, and Contents Including the Biblical Theology, vol. 1, ed. James Hastings (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1908), 209.

1 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.”

1 Kings 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite 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.

1 Kings 16:34 Comments - Joshua prophesied a curse upon any man that rebuild the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:26). The fact that Hiel the Bethelite lost his firstborn when the work began and his youngest when the work was completed implies that he lost all of his other sons during the reconstruction of this city. Hiel, the Bethelite, fulfilled the curse and ended it, much like Christ became our curse so that all who followed Christ might be blessed (Galatians 3:13).

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.”

Galatians 3:13, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”