1 Kings 16

The prophet Jebu prophesieth against Baesa verse 1 &c. his see his son Ela suceedeth him8 Zimri slayeth him and becometh king 9being besieged by Omri burieth himself 15 Omri prevaileth against Tibni becometh king 21 he buildeth samaria 24 followeth the sins of Jerobeam 25 and dieth 28 Achab his son suceedeth in his room 29 he is more wicked and his pre cessors 30 Hiel buildeth Jericho, 34.

1. Then the word of the Lord came to Jebu [of this prophet we read also 2 Chronicles 19:2 and 20.34 and he is to be distinguished from Jebu that was king of Israel below chapter 19.16 and from others that have likewise had this name 1 Chronicles 2:38 &12.3] the son of Hanani[who is likewise to be distinguished from others that have had the same name 1 Chronicles 25:4 Ezra 10:20] against Baesa saying.

2. For as much as I exhalted thee out of the dust [that is out of a very low and mean estate compare 1Samuel 2.8 Psalms 113:7 the word dust is often taken for lowness contempt impotency grief nothingness Psalms 7:6 and 119.25 Job 16:15 Isaiah 26:5 Lamentations 3:6]and made thee a ladder over my people Israel and thou hast walked in the way of Jerobeam [see above chapter 15 on verse 16 provoking me to anger by their sin.

3. Behold I will remove the posterity of Baesa and the posterity of his house [that is family so in the sequel see above chapter 14on verse 10 others I will cause to burn after Baesa and after his house] and I will make thine house as the house of Jerubeam the son of Nehat [see chapter 15.29.]

4. Him that dieth of Baesa in the city shall the dogs eat and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the heaven eat [see above chapter 14 on verse 11.]

5. Now the rest of the acts of Baesa and that which he aid and his might are they not written in the book of Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

6. And Baesa fell asleep with his father and was buried at Tirza[see of this city above chapter 14.17] and Elia his son reigned in his stead.

7. Thus also the word of the Lord came into the ministry [Heb. the hand so below verse 12 see Leviticus 8 on verse 36]of the prophet Jebu the son of Hanani against Baesa and against his house [the meaning is that as the meaning of the word of the Lord came by the prophet Abia against Jerobeam above chapter 14.7so also the same to the prophet Jebu against Baesa and that both prophecies each in their due time were fulfilled] and that for all the evil which he had done in the rise of the Lord [so below verse 19.25 and 30 see Genesis 38 on verse 7 and above chapter 16.6]provoking him to anger by the work of his hand [which was especially two folds first idolatry wherein he had been like unto Jerobeam secondly blood guiltiness and tyranny committed against his house as the following words of this verse do shew compare Hosiah 1on verse 5]because he was like just the house of Jerobeam and because he had smitten the same [to wit Jerobeams house see above chapter 15.29.]

8. In the six and twentieth year of Asa king of Judah Elia the son of Baesa became king over Israel at Tirza and reigned two years [understand not two years complete but unto the second year for in the six and twentieth year of king Asa eh became king as is said in this verse and in the seven and twentieth he was slain below verse 10it is custom for the scripture to use an even number for an odd one or a perfect number for an imperfect one see Genesis 15 verse 25 and 33 and chapter 16.8.]

9. And his servant Zimri the commander of the charets made a conspiracy against him when he was at Tirza drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza the steward[Heb. who was over the house to wit of the king understand thereby the whole court now he that is placed over it we call him the Stewart compare above chapter 4 on verse 6and the annotate upon it] at Tirza.

10. Then Zimri came in and smote and killed him in the seven and twentieth year of king of Judah see above on verse 8] and he became king in his stead[to wit for the time of seven days so below verse 15.]

11. and it came to pass when he reigned when he sat upon his throne to sit upon the throne is to govern as king which word doth also here go before for explanation sake as above chapter 1 on verse 13 see likewise the annotate there ] that he smote all the house of Baesa he left him not anyone that pisseth against the wall [see above chapter 14 on verse 10]neither his kinsfolks [Heb. deliverers to whom it lawfully appertainly to execute vengeance on the slayer which were the next of kin or blood Numbers 35:12]nor his friends [that is his beloved friends and acquaintance though there were no kin at all to him.]

12. Thus did Zimri destroy all the houses of Baesa according to the word of the Lord which he had spoken over Baesa by the ministry of prophet Jehu.

13. For all the sins of Baesa and the sins of Ela his son wherewith they had sinned and wherewith they had made Israel sin [at which God looked who thus executed his right vengeance and not Zimri who followed his unrighteous wilfulness above verse 7compare also above chapter 15 on verse 29]provoking the Lord the God of Israel by their vanities [that is idols which are nothing in the world 1Corinthians 8.4 and chapter 10.19 see Leviticus 19 on verse 4.]

14. Now the rest of the acts of Ela and all the he did is that not written in the book of Chronicles of the kings of Israel? [see above chapter 14 on verse 19.]

15. In the seven twentieth year Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days at Tirza and the people had camped themselves at Gibbethon [above chapter 15 on verse 27] which is the Philistine city.

16. Now the people that had camped themselves [namely before Gibbethon]heard say Zimri had made a conspiracy [see above chapter 15 on verse 27]yea hath also smitten the king therefore all Israel made Zimri [the father of Achab which whom is joined in the matter of false worship vain superstition and evil work Micah 6:16 and in respect is said to have been worse than all the kings that have been before him below verse 25]the commander in chief king of Israel that day in the camp.

17. And Omri matched up and all Israel with him for Gibbothon and besieged Tirza.

18. And it came to pass when Zimri saw the city was taken that he went into the place of the kings house and burnt the kings house upon with fire [that s burnt the kings house wherein he was together with himself a like phrase is Judges 12:1]and died.

19. For his sins which he had sinned doing that which is evil in the eyes of the Lord [see above chapter 11 on verse]walking in the way of Jerobeam [that is following the sins of Jerobeam see above chapter 15 on verse 26]and his sins which he had done making Israel to sin [see above chapter 14.16.]

20. Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his conspiracy [see above chapter 15 on verse 27]which he made [Heb. bound] are they not he in the book of Chronicles the kings of Israel ?[hence it apeareth that this book is not to be meant of the two books of Chronicles which follow in the bible after the two books of kings as is noted above chapter 14 on verse 19foras much as in this Chronicles here is not extent that which is related here and below verse 27.]

21. Then the people of Israel were divided into two halves [Heb. into the half]half of the people following Tibini so in the sequel see above chapter 1 on verse 7]the son of Ginath to make him king and half followed Omri.

22. But the people that followed Omri was stronger then the people that followed Tibni teh son and Tibni died and Omri reigned.

23. In the one and thirtieth year of Asa king of Judah Omri became king over Israel and reigned twelve years [then ten years that reigned Tibni being under comprehended beginning from the seven and twentieth year of Asa reign] he reigned six years at Tirza.

24. And he bought the mountain Samaria [Heb. Schameron which is mountain lying in the tribe of Ephraim about the borders of the tribe of Mannasseh for which the city of Samaria built thereon and all the country round about obtained its name compare above chapter 13 the annotate on verse 32.]of Semer for two talents of silver [see of the weight of a talent Exodus 35 on verse 39] and build upon the mountain and called the name of the mountain which he built after the name of Semer [distinguished others that had this name 1 Chronicles 6.46nad 7.34] the lord or owner of the mountain Samaria [a city built upon the aforesaid mountain in which the kings of Israel after they had left Tirza kept their court and dwelling above two hundred year years before Salmansa took this city and destroyed the kingdom of Israel and carried away the ten tribes captive in Assyria 2Kings 17.5&c.]

25. And Omri did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord yea he did worse than all that had been before him.

26. And he walked in all ways of Jerobeam the son of Nebat and his sins wherewith he had made Israel to sin provoking the Lord the God of Israel to anger by their vanities [see above verse 13.]

27. Now the rest of the acts of Omri what he did and what his power which he exercised [Heb. did otherwise whereby he did it] are they not written in the book of Chronicles of the kings of Israel? [see above on verse 20.]

28. And Omri fell asleep with his father and was buried at Samaria and Achab his son reigned in his stead.

29. And Achab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the eighteenth and thirtieth year of Asa the king and Achab the son of Omri reigned over Israel at Samaria two and twenty years [to wit not complete for the first year he reigned jointly with his father the last with his son see above on verse 8.]

30. And Achab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord more than that had been before him.

31. and it came to pass was it a light thing that he walked in the sins of Jerobeam the son of Nebat? [that is was it a small and mean sin that he followed the idolatry and abomination of Jerobeam? understand no in no wise but it was as if holy ghost should say an abominable departing from the true God for this kind of questioning inferreth a very strong denial see Genesis 18 on verse 17] that he took yet to wise Izebel the daughter of Eth-Baal king of Zidonians and went and served Baal [see Judges 2 o verse 11] and bowed himself before him.

32. And he reared up an altar of Baal in the house of Baal [that is in the temple of Baal so 1Samuel 5.2 and 31 verse 9,10above chapter 12,31 2Kings 10.21] which he had built at Samaria.

33. Achab also made a groove [to wit in honour of the idol Baal see Deuteronomy 7 on verse 5] so that Achab did yet more [Heb. added or adjoined to do see Genesis 8 on verse 10] to provoke the Lord the God of Israel to anger then all the kings of Israel that had been before him.

34. In his days did Hael the Bethilile built Jericho he laid thefoundation thereof of Abiram his first born son and set up the gates thereof in Seguh his youngest son according to the word of the Lord which he had spoken of the ministry [Heb. the hand compare Leviticus 8:36 and the annotate]of Joshua the son of Nun [the meaning is that he began the building with the loss of his first born and finished it with the loss of his youngest son whereby the curse denounced above a thousand years before against the rebuilding of the city was fulfilled Joshua 6:26.]