31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing H7043 for him to walk H3212 in the sins H2403 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 that he took H3947 to wife H802 Jezebel H348 the daughter H1323 of Ethbaal H856 king H4428 of the Zidonians, H6722 and went H3212 and served H5647 Baal, H1168 and worshipped H7812 him.
And they left H5800 all the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and made H6213 them molten images, H4541 even two H8147 calves, H5695 and made H6213 a grove, H842 and worshipped H7812 all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and served H5647 Baal. H1168
And Jehu H3058 gathered H6908 all the people H5971 together, H6908 and said H559 unto them, Ahab H256 served H5647 Baal H1168 a little; H4592 but Jehu H3058 shall serve H5647 him much. H7235
Then the five H2568 men H582 departed, H3212 and came H935 to Laish, H3919 and saw H7200 the people H5971 that were therein, H7130 how they dwelt H3427 careless, H983 after the manner H4941 of the Zidonians, H6722 quiet H8252 and secure; H982 and there was no magistrate H3423 H6114 in the land, H776 that might put them to shame H3637 in any thing; H1697 and they were far H7350 from the Zidonians, H6722 and had no business H1697 with any man. H120
But there was none like unto Ahab, H256 which did sell H4376 himself to work H6213 wickedness H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 whom Jezebel H348 his wife H802 stirred up. H5496 And he did very H3966 abominably H8581 in following H3212 H310 idols, H1544 according to all things as did H6213 the Amorites, H567 whom the LORD H3068 cast out H3423 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 Baalim: H1168
Neither shalt thou make marriages H2859 with them; thy daughter H1323 thou shalt not give H5414 unto his son, H1121 nor his daughter H1323 shalt thou take H3947 unto thy son. H1121 For they will turn away H5493 thy son H1121 from following H310 me, that they may serve H5647 other H312 gods: H430 so will the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 be kindled H2734 against you, and destroy H8045 thee suddenly. H4118
And when Jehu H3058 was come H935 to Jezreel, H3157 Jezebel H348 heard H8085 of it; and she painted H7760 H6320 her face, H5869 and tired H3190 her head, H7218 and looked out H8259 at a window. H2474 And as Jehu H3058 entered in H935 at the gate, H8179 she said, H559 Had Zimri H2174 peace, H7965 who slew H2026 his master? H113 And he lifted up H5375 his face H6440 to the window, H2474 and said, H559 Who is on my side? who? And there looked out H8259 to him two H8147 or three H7969 eunuchs. H5631 And he said, H559 Throw her down. H8058 So they threw her down: H8058 and some of her blood H1818 was sprinkled H5137 on the wall, H7023 and on the horses: H5483 and he trode her under foot. H7429 And when he was come in, H935 he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and said, H559 Go, H6485 see now this cursed H779 woman, and bury H6912 her: for she is a king's H4428 daughter. H1323 And they went H3212 to bury H6912 her: but they found H4672 no more of her than H518 the skull, H1538 and the feet, H7272 and the palms H3709 of her hands. H3027 Wherefore they came again, H7725 and told H5046 him. And he said, H559 This is the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 by H3027 his servant H5650 Elijah H452 the Tishbite, H8664 saying, H559 In the portion H2506 of Jezreel H3157 shall dogs H3611 eat H398 the flesh H1320 of Jezebel: H348 And the carcase H5038 of Jezebel H348 shall be as dung H1828 upon the face H6440 of the field H7704 in the portion H2506 of Jezreel; H3157 so that they shall not say, H559 This is Jezebel. H348
Notwithstanding G235 I have G2192 a few things G3641 against G2596 thee, G4675 because G3754 thou sufferest G1439 that woman G1135 Jezebel, G2403 which G3588 calleth G3004 herself G1438 a prophetess, G4398 to teach G1321 and G2532 to seduce G4105 my G1699 servants G1401 to commit fornication, G4203 and G2532 to eat G5315 things sacrificed unto idols. G1494
Seemeth it a small thing H4592 unto you to have eaten up H7462 the good H2896 pasture, H4829 but ye must tread down H7429 with your feet H7272 the residue H3499 of your pastures? H4829 and to have drunk H8354 of the deep H4950 waters, H4325 but ye must foul H7515 the residue H3498 with your feet? H7272
Yet hast thou not walked H1980 after their ways, H1870 nor done H6213 after their abominations: H8441 but, as if that were a very H6985 little H4592 H6962 thing, thou wast corrupted H7843 more than they H2004 in all thy ways. H1870
Moreover thou hast taken H3947 thy sons H1121 and thy daughters, H1323 whom thou hast borne H3205 unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed H2076 unto them to be devoured. H398 Is this of thy whoredoms H8457 a small matter, H4592
Then he said H559 unto me, Hast thou seen H7200 this, O son H1121 of man? H120 Is it a light thing H7043 to the house H1004 of Judah H3063 that they commit H6213 the abominations H8441 which they commit H6213 here? for they have filled H4390 the land H776 with violence, H2555 and have returned H7725 to provoke me to anger: H3707 and, lo, they put H7971 the branch H2156 to their nose. H639
And he said, H559 Hear H8085 ye now, O house H1004 of David; H1732 Is it a small thing H4592 for you to weary H3811 men, H582 but will ye weary H3811 my God H430 also?
In those days H3117 also saw H7200 I Jews H3064 that had married H3427 wives H802 of Ashdod, H796 of Ammon, H5984 and of Moab: H4125 And their children H1121 spake H1696 half H2677 in the speech of Ashdod, H797 and could H5234 not speak H1696 in the Jews' language, H3066 but according to the language H3956 of each H5971 people. H5971 And I contended H7378 with them, and cursed H7043 them, and smote H5221 certain H582 of them, and plucked off their hair, H4803 and made them swear H7650 by God, H430 saying, Ye shall not give H5414 your daughters H1323 unto their sons, H1121 nor take H5375 their daughters H1323 unto your sons, H1121 or for yourselves. Did not Solomon H8010 king H4428 of Israel H3478 sin H2398 by these things? yet among many H7227 nations H1471 was there no king H4428 like him, who was beloved H157 of his God, H430 and God H430 made H5414 him king H4428 over all Israel: H3478 nevertheless even him H1571 did outlandish H5237 women H802 cause to sin. H2398 Shall we then hearken H8085 unto you to do H6213 all this great H1419 evil, H7451 to transgress H4603 against our God H430 in marrying H3427 strange H5237 wives? H802 And one of the sons H1121 of Joiada, H3111 the son H1121 of Eliashib H475 the high H1419 priest, H3548 was son in law H2860 to Sanballat H5571 the Horonite: H2772 therefore I chased H1272 him from me. Remember H2142 them, O my God, H430 because they have defiled H1352 the priesthood, H3550 and the covenant H1285 of the priesthood, H3550 and of the Levites. H3881
But Jezebel H348 his wife H802 came H935 to him, and said H1696 unto him, Why is thy spirit H7307 so sad, H5620 that thou eatest H398 no bread? H3899 And he said H1696 unto her, Because I spake H1696 unto Naboth H5022 the Jezreelite, H3158 and said H559 unto him, Give H5414 me thy vineyard H3754 for money; H3701 or else, if it please H2655 thee, I will give H5414 thee another vineyard H3754 for it: and he answered, H559 I will not give H5414 thee my vineyard. H3754 And Jezebel H348 his wife H802 said H559 unto him, Dost thou now govern H6213 the kingdom H4410 of Israel? H3478 arise, H6965 and eat H398 bread, H3899 and let thine heart H3820 be merry: H3190 I will give H5414 thee the vineyard H3754 of Naboth H5022 the Jezreelite. H3158 So she wrote H3789 letters H5612 in Ahab's H256 name, H8034 and sealed H2856 them with his seal, H2368 and sent H7971 the letters H5612 unto the elders H2205 and to the nobles H2715 that were in his city, H5892 dwelling H3427 with Naboth. H5022 And she wrote H3789 in the letters, H5612 saying, H559 Proclaim H7121 a fast, H6685 and set H3427 Naboth H5022 on high H7218 among the people: H5971 And set H3427 two H8147 men, H582 sons H1121 of Belial, H1100 before him, to bear witness H5749 against him, saying, H559 Thou didst blaspheme H1288 God H430 and the king. H4428 And then carry him out, H3318 and stone H5619 him, that he may die. H4191 And the men H582 of his city, H5892 even the elders H2205 and the nobles H2715 who were the inhabitants H3427 in his city, H5892 did H6213 as Jezebel H348 had sent H7971 unto them, and as it was written H3789 in the letters H5612 which she had sent H7971 unto them. They proclaimed H7121 a fast, H6685 and set H3427 Naboth H5022 on high H7218 among the people. H5971 And there came H935 in two H8147 men, H582 children H1121 of Belial, H1100 and sat H3427 before him: and the men H582 of Belial H1100 witnessed H5749 against him, even against Naboth, H5022 in the presence of the people, H5971 saying, H559 Naboth H5022 did blaspheme H1288 God H430 and the king. H4428 Then they carried him forth H3318 out H2351 of the city, H5892 and stoned H5619 him with stones, H68 that he died. H4191 Then they sent H7971 to Jezebel, H348 saying, H559 Naboth H5022 is stoned, H5619 and is dead. H4191
And Ahab H256 told H5046 Jezebel H348 all that Elijah H452 had done, H6213 and withal how he had slain H2026 all the prophets H5030 with the sword. H2719 Then Jezebel H348 sent H7971 a messenger H4397 unto Elijah, H452 saying, H559 So let the gods H430 do H6213 to me, and more H3254 also, if I make H7760 not thy life H5315 as the life H5315 of one H259 of them by to morrow H4279 about this time. H6256
Now therefore send, H7971 and gather H6908 to me all Israel H3478 unto mount H2022 Carmel, H3760 and the prophets H5030 of Baal H1168 four H702 hundred H3967 and fifty, H2572 and the prophets H5030 of the groves H842 four H702 hundred, H3967 which eat H398 at Jezebel's H348 table. H7979
For it was so, when Jezebel H348 cut off H3772 the prophets H5030 of the LORD, H3068 that Obadiah H5662 took H3947 an hundred H3967 prophets, H5030 and hid H2244 them by fifty H376 H2572 in a cave, H4631 and fed H3557 them with bread H3899 and water.) H4325
For it came to pass, when H6256 Solomon H8010 was old, H2209 that his wives H802 turned away H5186 his heart H3824 after H310 other H312 gods: H430 and his heart H3824 was not perfect H8003 with the LORD H3068 his God, H430 as was the heart H3824 of David H1732 his father. H1 For Solomon H8010 went H3212 after H310 Ashtoreth H6253 the goddess H430 of the Zidonians, H6722 and after H310 Milcom H4445 the abomination H8251 of the Ammonites. H5984 And Solomon H8010 did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and went not fully H4390 after H310 the LORD, H3068 as did David H1732 his father. H1 Then did Solomon H8010 build H1129 an high place H1116 for Chemosh, H3645 the abomination H8251 of Moab, H4124 in the hill H2022 that is before H6440 Jerusalem, H3389 and for Molech, H4432 the abomination H8251 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 And likewise did H6213 he for all his strange H5237 wives, H802 which burnt incense H6999 and sacrificed H2076 unto their gods. H430
But king H4428 Solomon H8010 loved H157 many H7227 strange H5237 women, H802 together with the daughter H1323 of Pharaoh, H6547 women of the Moabites, H4125 Ammonites, H5984 Edomites, H130 Zidonians, H6722 and Hittites; H2850 Of the nations H1471 concerning which the LORD H3068 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 Ye shall not go in H935 to them, neither shall they come in H935 unto you: for surely H403 they will turn away H5186 your heart H3824 after H310 their gods: H430 Solomon H8010 clave H1692 unto these in love. H157
The Zidonians H6722 also, and the Amalekites, H6002 and the Maonites, H4584 did oppress H3905 you; and ye cried H6817 to me, and I delivered H3467 you out of their hand. H3027
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 evil H7451 again H3254 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 Baalim, H1168 and Ashtaroth, H6252 and the gods H430 of Syria, H758 and the gods H430 of Zidon, H6721 and the gods H430 of Moab, H4124 and the gods H430 of the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and the gods H430 of the Philistines, H6430 and forsook H5800 the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 not him.
Else if ye do in any wise H7725 go back, H7725 and cleave H1692 unto the remnant H3499 of these nations, H1471 even these that remain H7604 among you, and shall make marriages H2859 with them, and go in H935 unto them, and they to you: Know H3045 for a certainty H3045 that the LORD H3068 your God H430 will no more H3254 drive out H3423 any of these nations H1471 from before H6440 you; but they shall be snares H6341 and traps H4170 unto you, and scourges H7850 in your sides, H6654 and thorns H6796 in your eyes, H5869 until ye perish H6 from off this good H2896 land H127 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath given H5414 you.
Seemeth it but a small thing H4592 unto you, that the God H430 of Israel H3478 hath separated H914 you from the congregation H5712 of Israel, H3478 to bring you near H7126 to himself to do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD, H3068 and to stand H5975 before H6440 the congregation H5712 to minister H8334 unto them?
And she said H559 unto her, Is it a small matter H4592 that thou hast taken H3947 my husband? H376 and wouldest thou take away H3947 my son's H1121 mandrakes H1736 also? And Rachel H7354 said, H559 Therefore he shall lie H7901 with thee to night H3915 for H8478 thy son's H1121 mandrakes. H1736
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 16
Commentary on 1 Kings 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
This chapter relates wholly to the kingdom of Israel, and the revolutions of that kingdom-many in a little time. The utter ruin of Jeroboam's family, after it had been twenty-four years a royal family, we read of in the foregoing chapter. In this chapter we have,
1Ki 16:1-14
Here is,
1Ki 16:15-28
Solomon observes (Prov. 28:2) that for the transgression of a land many were the princes thereof (so it was here in Israel), but by a man of understanding the state thereof shall be prolonged-so it was with Judah at the same time under Asa. When men forsake God they are out of the way of rest and establishment. Zimri, and Tibni, and Omri, are here striving for the crown. Proud aspiring men ruin one another, and involve others in the ruin. These confusions end in the settlement of Omri; we must therefore take him along with us through this part of the story.
1Ki 16:29-34
We have here the beginning of the reign of Ahab, of whom we have more particulars recorded than of any of the kings of Israel. We have here only a general idea given us of him, as the worst of all the kings, that we may expect what the particulars will be. He reigned twenty-two years, long enough to do a great deal of mischief.