And in the thirty fifth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel ,.... At the latter end of it, the same year his father died, see 1 Kings 16:23 . and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years ; the same number of years Jeroboam did, 1 Kings 14:20 . read more
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, above all that were before him. Adding other idols to the calves, and those more abominable than they; since the other kings pretended to worship God in them, but he worshipped other gods besides him, as the following verses show. read more
And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat ,.... To worship the golden calves he set up: that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians ; who is called Ithobalus and Itobalus king of the Tyrians, by Heathen historians F8 Menander apud Joseph. Antiqu. l. 8. c. 13. sect. 1, 2. & contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 21. Diodor. Sicul. apud Junium in loc. ; and, by Theophilus of Antioch F9 Ad... read more
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
He took to wife Jezebel - This was the head and chief of his offending; he took to wife, not only a heathen, but one whose hostility to the true religion was well known, and carried to the utmost extent. She was the idolatrous daughter of an idolatrous king; She practiced it openly; She not only countenanced it in others, but protected it, and gave its partisans honors and rewards; She used every means to persecute the true religion; She was hideously cruel, and put to... 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
The Punishment of Jeroboam's Sin. We have already considered the true character of Jeroboam's sin It now remains for us to observe, first, the punishment which it provoked, and secondly, its workings in later generations. And its punishment was so great and so varied that it will of itself occupy the rest of this homily. But let us remember, in the first place, that there were two parties to this sin. Jeroboam sinned himself and also "made Israel to sin." King and people alike were... 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