And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. That he might not go so far as Tyre or Zidon; and for his wife's convenience also he built a temple in Samaria for Baal, and erected an altar there to offer sacrifices upon it unto him; so open and daring was he in his idolatrous practices. read more
Change without improvement. I. OMRI 'S INDEBTEDNESS TO DIVINE GOODNESS . 1 . His success against Zimri ( 1 Kings 16:15-25 ). The traitor fell before him almost without a struggle. 2 . Against Tibni . Israel was equally divided, yet his life was preserved and the kingdom given to him. Men pass up to place and means and influence through a pathway which, if it is only looked back upon and considered, is full of power to touch the heart and bow it under the will of... read more
The Seed of Evil doers. The subject before us furnishes illustration of the following propositions, viz.: I. WICKED ARE THE SEED OF THE WICKED . 1 . There is a sense in which this is generally true . 2 . There is a sense in which this is universally true. II. THE TRIUMPHING OF THE WICKED IS SHORT . 1 . How brief was the reign of these kings! 2 . How little happiness had they in their rule! III. THE END OF THE WICKED ... read more
God's threatenings find at last a complete fulfilment. I. THE LAST STEP IN A CAREER OF REBELLION AND FOLLY . Nadab might have been warned. His way to the throne was opened up by God's judgment in the removal of Abijah. He must have heard of the Divine threatenings; he might have seen the evil results of his father's sin. But in the face of all these things he adopted the sinful policy of his father. 1 . " He did evil in the sight of the Lord ." His heart and... read more
Ahab's wickedness. The evil genius of the son of Omri appeared— I. IN HIS WALKING IN THE SINS OF JEROBOAM . 1 . In this, probably, he encouraged his father . 2 . He did not alter his course after his father's death . II. IN HIS MATRIMONIAL ALLIANCE WITH JEZEBEL . 1 . She was a pronounced idolater . 2 . Such alliances have ever proved demoralizing . 3 . For typical reasons also they were forbidden . III. IN HIS ... read more
EXPOSITION THE REIGN OF AHAB .—With the accession of Ahab a new main section of our history begins—the section which has its close in the destruction of the house of Omri by Jehu, as related in 2 Kings 10:1-36 . And this reign is recorded at unusual length; in fact, it occupies nearly all the remaining portion of this volume, whereas the reigns of preceding kings have in several instances been dismissed in a few verses. It owes this distinction to the ministry of the great... read more
Moral Ruin through Moral Weakness. This was the turning-point in the history of the kingdom of Israel. Till now the people had professedly worshipped Jehovah under the symbol of the calf. Now idolatry of a grosser kind was avowedly set up as the national religion, on a scale of great magnificence. The text, therefore, is worthy of our study as the record of an event of deep historic significance, but we propose to consider it as a suggestive example of the way in which a man of moral... read more
And he reared up an altar for Baal in [Heb. omits in ; cf. 1 Kings 15:15 , etc.] the house of Baal [A temple, we can hardly doubt, of considerable splendour. Jezebel would not be satisfied with less], which he had built in Samaria [According to 2 Kings 3:2 , 2 Kings 10:27 , he also raised a pillar (A.V. image ) in the house of Baal. We learn from Dius and Menander that Hiram had raised a golden pillar to Baal in Tyre. Perhaps Ahab may have copied this. But it is probable... read more
And he reared up an altar for Baal in [Heb. omits in ; cf. 1 Kings 15:15 , etc.] the house of Baal [A temple, we can hardly doubt, of considerable splendour. Jezebel would not be satisfied with less], which he had built in Samaria [According to 2 Kings 3:2 , 2 Kings 10:27 , he also raised a pillar (A.V. image ) in the house of Baal. We learn from Dius and Menander that Hiram had raised a golden pillar to Baal in Tyre. Perhaps Ahab may have copied this. But it is probable... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 16:29-34
We have here the beginning of the reign of Ahab, of whom we have more particulars recorded than of any of the kings of Israel. We have here only a general idea given us of him, as the worst of all the kings, that we may expect what the particulars will be. He reigned twenty-two years, long enough to do a great deal of mischief. I. He exceeded all his predecessors in wickedness, did evil above all that were before him (1 Kgs. 16:30), and, as if it were done with a particular enmity both to God... read more