1 Kings 16:31

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 16:31

And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him [Heb. as marg. was it a light thing? Ewald explains this to mean "because it was." But it seems better to understand, "was it such a light thing… that he must needs also?" etc.] to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat [ i.e; the sins of heresy and schism], that he took to wife Jezebel [= "Without cohabitation," "chaste," Gesenius, who compares it with Agnes . It is hardly the original of Isabella] the daughter... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 16:31

As if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam - Idolatries are not exclusive. Ahab, while he detested the pure worship of Yahweh, and allowed Jezebel to put to death every “prophet of the Lord” whom she could find 1 Kings 18:4, readily tolerated the continued worship of the “calves,” which had no doubt tended more and more to lose its symbolic character, and to become a thoroughly idolatrous image-worship.Eth-baal - Identified with the Ithobalus of Menander, who... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 16:29-31

1 Kings 16:29-31. In the thirty and eighth year of Asa, &c. Asa saw six kings of Israel buried, while Judah flourished under him, the length of whose reign was doubtless a great advantage to them. Began Ahab the son of Omri to reign Of whom we have more particulars recorded than of any of the other kings of Israel, and almost all of an infamous nature. For he did evil above all that were before him He exceeded all his predecessors in wickedness, and reigned over Israel twenty-two... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 16:29-34

16:29-22:53 MINISTRY OF ELIJAHJezebel’s Baalism in Israel (16:29-17:24)In a new political alliance, Ahab, the new king of Israel, married Jezebel, daughter of the king-priest of Phoenicia. Ahab not only accepted his wife’s Baalism, but also gave it official status in Israel by building a Baal temple in the capital (29-33). The Baalism imported by Jezebel was of a kind far more evil and far more dangerous to Israel’s religion than the common Canaanite Baalism practised at the high places.... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Kings 16:31

Jezebel , daughter of a regicide and fratricide (Josephus c. Apion 1, 18, Antiquities viii. 3, 1), priest of the Phoenician goddess Astarte. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Kings 16:29-34

Ahab’s wickedness 16:29-341 Kings 16:30; 1 Kings 16:33 bracket and set forth Ahab’s unusual wickedness with special emphasis. The writer had just written that Omri was the worst king so far (1 Kings 16:25), but now he said Ahab exceeded him in wickedness. For Ahab, the fact that Jeroboam’s cult deviated from the Mosaic Law was "trivial" (1 Kings 16:31).The writer held Ahab responsible for marrying Jezebel. This was fair because even in arranged marriages in the ancient world the candidates,... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Kings 16:29-40

1. Ahab’s evil reign in Israel 16:29-22:40Ahab ruled Israel from Samaria for 22 years (874-853 B.C.). During the first of these years Asa ruled alone in Judah. Then for three years Asa and Jehoshaphat shared the throne. For the remainder of Ahab’s reign Jehoshaphat ruled alone. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Kings 16:29-53

B. The Period of Alliance 1 Kings 16:29-2 Kings 9:29King Jehoshaphat of Judah made peace with King Ahab of Israel (1 Kings 22:44). He did so by contracting a marriage between his son, Jehoram, and Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah (2 Chronicles 18:1). This ended the first period of antagonism between the two kingdoms (931-874 B.C.) and began a 33-year period of alliance (874-841 B.C.). read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 16:1-34

The Reigns of Elah, Zimri, and Omri1. Jehu the son of Hanani] Hanani is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 16:7-10. Jehu’s denunciation of Baasha is similar to Ahijah’s denunciation of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:7-11). 9. As he was.. drunk] Elah’s incapacity and dissoluteness doubtless tempted Zimri to aspire to the throne.13. Vanities] i.e. idols, and so in 1 Kings 16:26.15. Gibbethon] see 1 Kings 15:27. The siege, begun in the reign of Nadab, had apparently not succeeded, and had been resumed. 18. Palace]... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Kings 16:31

(31) Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians.—The mention of Ethbaal, clearly the Eithobalus of Menander (see Jos. against Apion i. 18), affords another comparison of Israelite with Tyrian history. He is said to have assassinated Pheles, king of Tyre, within fifty years after the death of Hiram, and to have founded a new dynasty. He was a priest of Astarte, and it is notable that he is called, not, like Hiram, “king of Tyre,” but “king of the Sidonians,” thus reviving the older name of “the great... read more

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