1 Kings 16:2

Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust [cf. 1 Kings 14:7 ; 2 Samuel 7:8 ; Psalms 78:70 . These words assuredly point to a lowly origin. He may well have risen from the ranks], and made thee prince [The original word is used of leaders of various degrees, comprehending even the king: 1 Kings 1:35 ; 1 Samuel 9:16 ; 1 Samuel 10:1 ; cf. Daniel 9:25 ] over my people Israel [There is no approval implied here of the means by which Baasha had raised himself to the throne. All that is said is that he had been an instrument in God's hands, and owed his throne to God's sanction and ordering. Even his conspiracy and cruelties had been overruled to the furtherance of the Divine purpose], and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger [better vex, one word] with their sins;