American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
1 Kings 16
2
For as much as 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;
Reference
3
Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Kings 14:10
4
Him that dies of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dies of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
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Parallel theme
1 Kings 14:11
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?
Reference
6
So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
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People
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.
Reference
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.
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.
Reference
People
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.
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 urinates against a wall, neither of his kinfolks, nor of his friends.
Reference
12
Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet.
Reference
Word
1 Kings 16:1
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.
Reference
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?
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.
Reference
16
And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri has conspired, and has also slain the king: why all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
People
17
And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 17:23
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.
Reference
20
Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he worked, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Reference
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.
People
22
But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
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.
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.
Reference
25
But Omri worked evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
Reference
26
For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
Reference
27
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?
28
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
People
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.
30
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
Reference
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.
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People
32
And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Kings 10:21
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.
Reference
Creation
2 Kings 13:6
Kingdom
2 Kings 21:3
Parallel theme
Exodus 34:13
References Lord
1 Kings 21:25
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 spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.
Reference
People
References Lord
Joshua 6:26
Summary of 1 Kings 16
1 Kings Chapter 16 describes the continued decline of the northern kingdom of Israel and introduces one of its most important and most corrupt royal dynasties. The chapter shows that political success cannot compensate for spiritual rebellion against God.
The chapter begins with God's judgment against Baasha, who became king by overthrowing Jeroboam's son but continued the same sinful practices. Through the prophet Jehu, God announced that Baasha's family would be destroyed because he led Israel into idolatry. After Baasha's death, his son Elah ruled briefly before being assassinated by Zimri, one of his military commanders.
Zimri destroyed Baasha's family but ruled for only seven days. When the army rejected him and supported Omri, Zimri found himself surrounded and ended his own life by burning the palace. After a period of civil conflict, Omri became king and established a new dynasty.
Politically, Omri was one of Israel's strongest rulers. He built the city of Samaria and made it the capital of the northern kingdom. Archaeological evidence shows that Omri's kingdom gained international recognition. However, the biblical writer evaluates him primarily through his relationship with God and states that Omri did evil by continuing Jeroboam's false worship.
The chapter reaches a darker point with the introduction of Ahab. Ahab married Jezebel, a Phoenician princess, and officially introduced Baal worship into Israel. He built a temple for Baal in Samaria and promoted practices that directly opposed worship of the Lord.
The final verse mentions Hiel of Bethel rebuilding Jericho and experiencing the fulfillment of Joshua's ancient curse. This event serves as a reminder that God's word remains true across generations.
The main message of 1 Kings 16 is that power, wealth, military success, and political achievements cannot replace faithfulness to God. Israel's kings gained temporary influence but created long-term spiritual damage because they rejected God's commands.
The chapter begins with God's judgment against Baasha, who became king by overthrowing Jeroboam's son but continued the same sinful practices. Through the prophet Jehu, God announced that Baasha's family would be destroyed because he led Israel into idolatry. After Baasha's death, his son Elah ruled briefly before being assassinated by Zimri, one of his military commanders.
Zimri destroyed Baasha's family but ruled for only seven days. When the army rejected him and supported Omri, Zimri found himself surrounded and ended his own life by burning the palace. After a period of civil conflict, Omri became king and established a new dynasty.
Politically, Omri was one of Israel's strongest rulers. He built the city of Samaria and made it the capital of the northern kingdom. Archaeological evidence shows that Omri's kingdom gained international recognition. However, the biblical writer evaluates him primarily through his relationship with God and states that Omri did evil by continuing Jeroboam's false worship.
The chapter reaches a darker point with the introduction of Ahab. Ahab married Jezebel, a Phoenician princess, and officially introduced Baal worship into Israel. He built a temple for Baal in Samaria and promoted practices that directly opposed worship of the Lord.
The final verse mentions Hiel of Bethel rebuilding Jericho and experiencing the fulfillment of Joshua's ancient curse. This event serves as a reminder that God's word remains true across generations.
The main message of 1 Kings 16 is that power, wealth, military success, and political achievements cannot replace faithfulness to God. Israel's kings gained temporary influence but created long-term spiritual damage because they rejected God's commands.