For he walked in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin ,.... Worshipping the calves; to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities ; these, and whatsoever idols else were worshipped by him, see 1 Kings 16:13 . read more
Now the rest of the acts of Omri, which he did, and his might which he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? Where those of the preceding kings were written, see 1 Kings 14:19 . read more
So Omri slept with his fathers ,.... Died a natural death: and was buried in Samaria ; the city he had built, and now the royal seat and metropolis of the kingdom: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead ; of whom much is said in the following history. read more
Divided into two parts - Why this division took place we cannot tell; the people appear to have been for Tibni, the army for Omri; and the latter prevailed. read more
In the thirty and first year of Asa - There must be a mistake here in the number thirty-one; for, in 1 Kings 16:10 ; and 1 Kings 16:15 , it is said that Zimri slew his master, and began to reign in the twenty-seventh year of Asa; and as Zimri reigned only seven days, and Omri immediately succeeded him, this could not be in the thirty-first, but in the twenty-seventh year of Asa, as related above. Rab. Sol. Jarchi reconciles the two places thus: "The division of the kingdom... read more
He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer - This should be read, "He bought the hill of Shomeron from Shomer, and called it Shomeron, (i.e., Little Shomer), after the name of Shomer, owner of the hill." At first the kings of Israel dwelt at Shechem, and then at Tirzah; but this place having suffered much in the civil broils, and the place having been burnt down by Zimri, Omri purposed to found a new city, to which he might transfer the seat of government. He fixed on a hill that... read more
Did worse than all - before him - Omri was, An idolater in principle; An idolater in practice; He led the people to idolatry by precept and example; and, which was that in which he did worse than all before him, 4. He made statutes in favor of idolatry, and obliged the people by law to commit it. See Micah 6:16 , where this seems to be intended: For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. read more
A Divine judgment and its instrument. I. THE JUDGMENT . 1 . It was delayed in God's long suffering . Baasha had reigned nearly twenty-four years; Elah nearly two. The Lord is swift to bless but slow to strike. He has no delight in a sinner's death. Do we remember that God's long suffering today is not forgetfulness or indifference, but the restraining of infinite love? 2 . It came upon him in his sin . The army was in the field, but he was not there. He was deaf to the... read more
The Kingdom of Men. Though "the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men," yet is He not responsible for the principles by which such kingdoms are actuated. For these are in shaking contrast to those which shall obtain in the "kingdom of God." In the kingdom of men as represented in the specimen before us we encounter— I. FOLLY . 1 . True religion is pure wisdom . 2 . False religion is supreme folly . 3 . Of such folly was the kingdom of Israel flagrantly guilty . ... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 16:25
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord ,.... Openly and publicly, as if it were in defiance of him: and did worse than all that were before him ; taking no warning by the judgments inflicted on them, which aggravated his sins; and besides, he not only worshipped the calves, as the rest, and drew Israel by his example into the same, as they did, but he published edicts and decrees, obliging them to worship them, and forbidding them to go to Jerusalem, called "the statutes of Omri",... read more