1 Kings 16

1 Kings 16:1

SOn of Hanani] Not the king (2 Kings 9:14.) nor the son of Obed (1 Chron. 2. 38.) nor the Antothite (1 Chron. 12. 3.) but the prophet (v. 12.) who was long after this, sent to Jehosaphat (2 Chron. 19. 2.) who also wrote chronicles, 2 Chron. 20. 34.

Hanani] Who also was a seer, 2 Chronicles 16:7.

1 Kings 16:2

I exalted] See chap. 14. 6.

out of the dust] From the lowest of the people, chap. 14. 6. Psalms 113:7.

1 Kings 16:3

of his house] Of such as are allied to him. Thus the brethren of Ahaziah, who was allied to Ahab, were in such a case slain, 2 Kings 10:13.

the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat] Chap. 15. 29.

1 Kings 16:4

Him that dieth of Baasha in the city] Chap. 14. 11.

1 Kings 16:5

his might] See chap. 15. 23.

1 Kings 16:6

Tirzah] See chap. 14. v. 17.

1 Kings 16:7

And also] This hath reference to the judgement denounced by Ahijah against Jeroborm, Chapter 14. v. 6, 7, &c.

As the word of the LORD came by Ahijah against Jeroboam, so also by Jehu against Baasha.

in the sight of the Lord] See Chap. 21. v. 20.

because he killed him] Nadab, Jeroboams son, and that upon his own traiterous and ambitious minde: nor commanded by God (as Jehu was, 2 Kings 9:7.) nor inwardly incited by Gods Spirit, as Ehud was, Judges 3:20-21.

1 Kings 16:8

two yeers] Curtent, as chap. 15. 2. For he was slain in the twenty and seventh yeer of the reign of Asa.

1 Kings 16:9

servant] A speciall officer under the king, and attendant on him.

captain of half] A great command he had thereby.

in Tirzah] While his army was in the field, v. 15.

drinking] Excessively, till he was drunk. Thus was he the more easily surprised, as Belshazzar, Daniel 5:2; Daniel 5:30. and Amnon, 2 Samuel 13:28-29.

steward] Heb. which was ever. Or, governour, chap. 4. 6.

went in] Into the city and house where the king was.

1 Kings 16:11

when he began to reign] Which was so soon as he had slain Elah.

he slew] By the assistance of those souldiers which were under his command.

that pisseth] See chap. 14. 10.

neither of his kinsfolks] Or, both his kinsmen and his friends.

kinsfolks] Heb. redeemer, Numbers 35:19.

friends] All that he thought might any way favour Elahs cause, be on his side, and seek to revenge his death.

1 Kings 16:12

all the house] He was diligent and speedy in his bloody design, that in a weeks space could make such a thorow dispatch of them all.

by] Heb. by the hand of.

1 Kings 16:13

vanities] Idols which are meer vanities, Deuteronomy 32:21. 2 Kings 17:15. Isaiah 41:28. 1 Corinthians 8:4. False gods have no reality of deity in them, but are vainly imagined to be what they are not, Jere. 2. 5. Jon. 2. 8.

1 Kings 16:15

seven dayes] All that time he was Gods rod to scourge Baasha’s stock. So soon as that work was done, the rod was cast into the fire, v. 18.

Gibbethon] Where Nadab was slain, chap. 15. 27.

1 Kings 16:16

all Israel] Except such as took part with Tibni, v. 21.

1 Kings 16:17

from Gibbethon] Accounting a traiterous usurper more dangerous then an open enemy: and the losse of a kingdom, worse then the losse of a city.

1 Kings 16:18

died] Being consumed in, and with the palace. He chose rather to destroy himself, then to fall into the revengers hands, like Saul, 1 Samuel 31. 4.

1 Kings 16:19

sins] Even before he slew his master, as well as after.

way of Jeroboam] Worshipping the calves, and causing the people to continue in that idolatry, chap. 12. vers. 28, 29, 30.

1 Kings 16:21

followed Tibni] Took part with him, affording their best ayd to settle him in the throne.

1 Kings 16:22

a grove] A place planted with trees for refreshing and delight, dedicated to the honour of an idoll, to allure people to idolatry. For therein they used to set their idols, to erect altars, and offer sacrifices to their idols. Chap. 15. v. 13. Jere. 17. 2. See the notes on Judg. 3. 7. and on Genesis 21:33. and on Deuteronomy 12:3.

did] Heb. added.

more] First, None trd in the steps of such a father, v. 25. Secondly, none married such a wife, v. 31. Thirdly, nor attributed such deity to an idol, v. 31. Fourthly, nor erected such an idolatrous temple, v. 32. Fifthly, nor so slighted Gods word, v. 34. Sixthly, nor so hated Gods prophets, chap. 22. v. 8. Seventhly, nor so persecuted them, chap. 18. v. 10. Eighthly, nor so coveted anothers inheritance, chap. 21. 4. Ninthly, nor so causelessely and unjustly shed blood, chap. 21. 19. Tenthly, nor so heaped up idolatrous and false prophets, chap. 18. 22. and 22. 6. Eleventhly, nor so foolishly let go the enemy whom God put into his hand, chap. 20. 42. Twelfthly, nor so sold himself to work wickednesse in the ight of God, Chap. 21. 20, 21.

1 Kings 16:23

In the thirty and one] Then was Tibni destroyed, and Omri reigned over all Israel quietly. The people made him king so soon as they heard that Zimri had kild his master, which was in the twenty and seventh yeer of Asa, v. 15, 16. But because it was uncertain, whether Omri or Tibni should carry the crown away, while Tibni lived, he is said to begin his reign four yeers after, in the thirty and one of Asa.

twelve yeers] These twelve yeers must needs be reckoned from the peoples first making him king in the twenty and seventh of Asa, because in the thirty eighth of Asa, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign, and that after the death of his father, v. 28, 29.

six yeers] Till he had bought Samaria, and built his palace there.

1 Kings 16:24

Samaria] This is a Greek title, John 4:4. The Hebrew is Shomeron. Here an hill is called Samaria, in the end of this verse a city built thereon is so called, so also the whole countrey about that hill, wherein were many cities, chap. 18. 2. 2 Kings 17:24. yea, and th whole kingdom of Israel; for the king of Israel is stiled king of Samaria, 2 Kings 1:3.

Shemer] This name is expressed, to shew the reason of the name of the place: whereby it appears that he was a man of great esteem.

two talents] The Jews valued silver ten times lesse worth then gold. So as a alent of silver was reckoned at three hundred and seventy five pound sterling: but a talent of gold, three thousand seven hundred and fifty pound (chap. 9. v. 14.) The price then that Omri paid, was seven hundred and fifty pound. See the notes on 1 Chronicles 22:14.

Samaria] Heb. Shomeron.

1 Kings 16:25

worse] In that he made statutes to binde the people to his idolatry, Mic. 6. 16.

1 Kings 16:26

his sin] See chap. 15. 26.

1 Kings 16:27

his might] For he was captain of hosts (v. 16.) and he prevailed against Zimri the king (v. 17, 18.) and against Tibni, whom many of the people would have made king, vers. 21, 22.

1 Kings 16:28

slept] See chap. 2. 10.

Samaria] See v. 29.

1 Kings 16:29

in Samaria] There was his royall palace; and chiefest place of residency. See v. 24. This city was to Israel (as Zion and Jerusalem to Judah) their metropolis, or chief city (cha. 20. 2. and 22. 10.) yea, the place of their kings sepulchres. See v. 29. chap. 22. 37. 2 Kings 10:35. and 13. 9, 13.

twenty and two yeers] Current, as chap. 15. 3. His first yeer must be reckoned in the last of his fathers. Compare this verse with the eighth.

1 Kings 16:30

above all] Above his father and others too, before them. The reason is rendred in the verses following.

1 Kings 16:31

as if it had been a light thing] Heb. was it a light thing? &c. In the Hebrew it is set down interrogatively, which implies, a more vehement deniall.

Jezebel] An heathen, a notorious idolater, extremely arrogant, and cruell, as the case of Naboth, and destruction of the prophets sheweth, chap. 18. 4. and 21. 8, &c.

Ehbaal] His own, and his daughter Jezebels name, being compounded of Baal, shews how much he was addicted to that idol Baal.

Baal] Signifieth a lord, Hosea 2:16. In common it is put for any kinde of Idol, which men do worship as a lord. In speciall it signifieth a prime, or chief idol, a prince of idols: Beel-zebub is interpreted, prince of devils, Matthew 12:24. Sundry countries, to distinguish their idoll from others, had severall additions to Baal; as Ekron, Baal-zebub ( King 1. 2.) a flylord. The Moabites, Baal-Peor (Numbers 25:3.) Peor is a mount in Moab, where their Baal was worshipped. The Israelites Baal-berith (Judges 8:33.) a lord of covenant: an idoll to whom by covenant they bound themselves. The chief idoll of the Zidonians, was Baal, which is supposed to be Hercules, common to Tyrus, as well as Zidon, 2 Maccab. 4. 18, 19. See more of Baal, Judges 2:11.

worshipped him] Baal himself, and not Jehovah in that image, as the Israelites did in the golden calves, chap. 12. 28. This phrase of Elijah (if Baal be God, chap. 18. v. 21.) proves as much.

1 Kings 16:32

house] A fair temple, in imitation of that which was in Jerusalem.

in Samaria] The royall city of the kingdom, which his father had built, v. 24. Thus he exceeded Jeroboams idolatry.

1 Kings 16:34

In his dayes] Before which, for the space of more then five hundred yeers, none durst attempt that work, upon which there lay so fearfull a curse. If it were done with his knowledge and consent, surely he too much slighted Gods threatning. If without his consent, yet was it a judgement even on him, that such a thing should be done in his dayes.

Beth-elite] So called, because he was an inhabitant of Bethel, that idolatrous city.

Jericho] An accursed city: the first of all Canaan that was destroyed, and that miraculously, Joshua 6:20. God would have the ruines thereof remain as a monument of his power, and of the curse that lay upon it.

in his first born] When he first began this forbidden work, his eldest son and heir died: and in the finishing of it, his youngest son died: and as probably may be gathered from the curse, in Joshua 6:26. by some casualty in laying the foundation and setting up the gates. So as it is likely that he destroyed his living house by erecting this cursed city.

according to the word] Compare, Joshua 6:26. with this verse, and you may finde Gods threatning accomplished in the particular circumstances thereof.

by] Or, by the hand.