Study of the Book of Kings – 1Ki 16:1-34 “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after” (1Ti 5:24)
1Ki 16:1-34 “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after” (1Ti 5:24)
[Study Aired April 29, 2022]
1Ki 16:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
1Ki 16:2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
1Ki 16:3 Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
1Ki 16:4 Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
1Ki 16:5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:6 So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
1Ki 16:7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
1Ki 16:8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
1Ki 16:9 And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
1Ki 16:10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
1Ki 16:11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
1Ki 16:12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
1Ki 16:13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
1Ki 16:14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:15 In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
1Ki 16:16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
1Ki 16:17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
1Ki 16:18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died,
1Ki 16:19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
1Ki 16:20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
1Ki 16:22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
1Ki 16:23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
1Ki 16:24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
1Ki 16:25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
1Ki 16:26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
1Ki 16:27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
1Ki 16:29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
1Ki 16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
1Ki 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
1Ki 16:32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
1Ki 16:33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
1Ki 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
The saying ‘it is always darkest before the dawn’ comes to mind when we read this section of Kings that starts off with the word of the LORD coming to a prophet by the name Jehu who pronounces God’s judgments on Baasha, found in these first few verses (1Ki 16:1-6).
Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah we are told, and then Elah his son reigned in his stead. Elah the son of Baasha would reign over Israel in Tirzah for two years, and of that time we also read, “And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.”
This judgment against Baasha, who is now dead, is against his house for following Jeroboam’s idolatrous ways and for killing him, and this reminds us that God is not mocked, and what we sow we are going to reap. This judgment being pronounced on Baasha and his family after him represents the judgment that is upon the body of Christ today and the rest of the world who will be judged later in the great white throne judgment (Luk 8:17-18, 1Ti 5:24, 1Pe 4:17, Gal 6:7-9, Mat 3:12).
Luk 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. [This will happen – we will reap what we sow, God will harden our hearts and cause us to err (Isa 63:17)]
Luk 8:18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. [We must reap what we sow, and God has ordained that the elect give an accounting today of that preordained positive and negative sowing and reaping process of which we are part (Php 2:12-13).]1Ti 5:24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; [1Pe 4:17] and some men they follow after. [1Co 11:31, 1Co 3:15]
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. [Luk 22:32]Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, [Mat 16:18] and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
These severe judgments upon these kings that are pronounced through the prophets will continue to unfold leading up to the next chapter where the prophet Elijah the Tishbite is going to be introduced who will be sustained by God via a widowed woman and will later deliver her son from death.
There is great encouragement in knowing we can be blessed by God through judgment and thus becoming the light of the world having been given the power through Christ to shine more and more “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.” So when we read of all of this judgment upon these nations and kings it’s important to remember that God is the one who is causing the man to sow and reap all according to the counsel of His own will, (Eph 1:11), and tells us to “Do all things without murmurings and disputings” as we go through this process of having our hearts hardened and softened, sowing and reaping both good and bad seed (Rom 7:24), to the glory of God, because in time we will reap great benefit if we are the ones in this age who are blessed to not grow weary in well doing and understand that the well doing is having God gather all the good that comes out of this process of judgment that leads us unto repentance (Rom 2:4) as He burns up the tares within us, even as the wheat is gathered into God’s barn, “Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” (Pro 4:18, Dan 12:3, Php 2:14-15, 2Co 3:17-18, Mat 13:30).
Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. [from obedience to obedience as we learn obedience by the things that we suffer (Heb 5:8, 1Jn 4:17)]Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. [God’s elect understand we have a wheat and tare process that God has created within us to His glory (1Jn 1:8)]
1Ki 16:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
1Ki 16:2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
1Ki 16:3 Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
1Ki 16:4 Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
1Ki 16:5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
God raised this king Baasha for our sakes as an example of a tare who was made ‘a prince over my people Israel’ to make the people of Israel to sin and provoke God to anger with their sins (Isa 63:17, Rom 9:20). Nobody without the mind of Christ believes that statement I just read or that God is the one who ordained all the “acts of Baasha” to the end that his evil actions would bring about these consequences: “Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.“
The dogs and the fowls are within us and when we are yet carnal they snatch away the word and consume it upon their own lusts which happens within the world or the field which is all that is in the world within me (Mar 4:15, Mat 13:4, 1Jn2:16). The Lord will continue to inspire this statement: “Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?“, to remind us that these stories of these kings were chronicled for our sakes upon whom the end of the world is come (1Co 10:11).
Mar 4:14 The sower soweth the word.
Mar 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
1Co 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, [Php 2:14] and were destroyed of the destroyer.
1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Ki 16:6 So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
1Ki 16:7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
1Ki 16:8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
Elah, who is the son of Baasha, turns out to be no different than his father, evidence that judgment still needed to be meted out because of these things that Baasha was guilty of: “even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.” The timing of when God punishes a nation or a king is already predetermined, including the means to that end that are all at God’s disposal to do exactly what is best for all in the long run (Eph 1:11, 1Co 3:19-23).
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23 And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
1Ki 16:9 And his servant Zimri, captain of halfH4276 his chariotsH7393, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of ArzaH777 steward of his house in Tirzah.
1Ki 16:10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
1Ki 16:11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
1Ki 16:12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
1Ki 16:13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
1Ki 16:14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? [1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11].
God calls us the name which He has ordained from the foundation of the world and ZimriH2174 = my psalm was going to be the instrument used of God to strike ElahH425 = oak dead and “destroy all the house of BaashaH1201 = wicked, according to the word of the LORD“, also described in these graphic terms: “he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends“. If we look closer at the meaning of the names in this section of the study, we’ll see how God’s timing, as always, is orchestrated with such precision as to even name these men for our sakes to see and believe that He always accomplishes the counsel of His own will. Today we see “ZimriH2174 destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.“
H2174 zimrı̂y zim-ree’ From H2167; musical; Zimri, the name of five Israelites, and of an Arabian tribe: – Zimri. Total KJV occurrences: 15
H2167 zâmar zaw-mar’ A primitive root (perhaps identical with H2168 through the idea of striking with the fingers); properly to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, that is, play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music: – give praise, sing forth praises, psalms. Total KJV occurrences: 46
H2168 zâmar zaw-mar’ A primitive root (compare H2167, H5568, H6785); to trim (a vine): – prune. Total KJV occurrences: 2
It was when we were spiritually drunk on the wine of Babylon [“house of ArzaH777“], which represents false doctrines, that God splits our world apart (Luk 12:53), bringing in the spiritual forces that He uses to do that. In this case it is by Elah’s servant “Zimri, captain of halfH4276 his chariotsH7393, [who] conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of ArzaH777 steward of his house in Tirzah.
Arza H777 ‘artsâ’ ar-tsaw’ From H776; earthiness; Artsa, an Israelite: – Arza. Total KJV occurrences: 1
H776 ‘erets eh’-rets From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): – X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.
Total KJV occurrences: 2505
“half his chariots”:
H4276 machătsı̂yth makh-ats-eeth’ From H2673; a halving or the middle: – half (so much), mid [-day].
Total KJV occurrences: 16
H2673 châtsâh khaw-tsaw’ A primitive root (compare H2686); to cut or split in two; to halve: – divide, X live out half, reach to the midst, part. Total KJV occurrences: 15
H7393 rekeb reh’-keb From H7392; a vehicle; by implication a team; by extension cavalry; by analogy a rider, that is, the upper millstone: – chariot, (upper) millstone, multitude [from the margin], wagon.
Total KJV occurrences: 119
1Ki 16:15 In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
1Ki 16:16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
1Ki 16:17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
1Ki 16:18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died,
1Ki 16:19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
1Ki 16:20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
It’s important to note that God called the actions of Zimri “treason“, and even though it did accomplish God’s purpose of punishing the generational sins of Jeroboam, unlike king David (1Sa 26:7-9) Zimri had no regard for God’s anointed servant, and in time would be destroyed after having been used of God to do these destructive acts upon the king Elah. The lesson for us is to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us, and do not seek vengeance which belongs to God alone (Mat 5:44, Rom 12:9).
1Sa 26:7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
1Sa 26:8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
1Sa 26:9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
As soon as the news got out of these treasonous actions of Zimri, “the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines” and they “made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah“. This all happened “In the twenty and seventh year of Asa“, a witness of the complete destruction (2 and 7 th year) that was going to come upon Zimri who only reigned for seven days.
Zimri was not typical of a good king, and his life typifies the rejected anointed who would go “into the palace of the king’s house“, representing going back into the world eating and drinking and being merry seeing he knew “that the city was taken” and there was no hope of him overcoming. The end result of the world’s judgment is being typified by this story where all will be saved yet so by fire (1Co 3:15) and in the palaces that represent our many good works and religion that will be burnt to the ground and destroyed: “the palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died“. For God’s elect, the timing of God’s fiery judgment is ‘now’, seeing we are judged first for these very same spiritual sins that are common to all men: “For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin“. Once again these things are chronicled, “Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?“, for our sakes upon whom the end of the world is come.
1Ki 16:21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed TibniH8402 the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed OmriH6018.
1Ki 16:22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
1Ki 16:23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
1Ki 16:24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
1Ki 16:25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
1Ki 16:26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
1Ki 16:27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
The nation of Israel was already divided at this point, becoming Judah and Israel, and now Israel is further divided, “the people of Israel divided into two parts“, with one part following “Tibni the son of Ginath” and the other half “followed Omri“. God told us at the end of our age that there would be division within our own families, and brother would be against brother, and these events in Israel are a shadow of that prophecy God had caused for our edification upon whom the end of the ages have come (Judah and Israel – Mat 24:7, they of our own household Mat 10:36-37, 1Co 11:19, 1Co 10:11).
Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.1Co 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
The names of these two kings of Israel explain to us the stages that we all must go through as Christ is being formed within us and the man of sin is being destroyed by the brightness of his coming (2Th 2:7-8). The verse that best describes these two kings is found in (1Co 3:12-13).
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
Tibni’s name represents the wood, hay and stubble which symbolize the sins of the flesh that must be burned out of us, and Omri’s name means ‘to bind sheaves’ or ‘gather grain’, as well as ‘chastise’, and these are all good things that are needed in order to be received and brought to God (Heb 12:6-8). The fruit of his life demonstrates that he did not endure that process that would have brought wheat into God’s barn (Mat 13:30): “But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.“
Tibni H8402 tibnı̂y tib-nee’ From H8401; strawy; Tibni, an Israelite: – Tibni.
Total KJV occurrences: 3
H8401 teben teh’-ben Probably from H1129; properly material, that is, (specifically) refuse haum or stalks of grain (as chopped in threshing and used for fodder): – chaff, straw, stubble.
Total KJV occurrences: 17
Omri H6018 ‛omrı̂y om-ree’ From H6014; heaping; Omri, an Israelite: – Omri.
Total KJV occurrences: 18
H6014 ‛âmar aw-mar’ A primitive root; properly apparently to heap; figuratively to chastise (as if piling blows); specifically (as denominative from H6016) to gather grain: – bind sheaves, make merchandise of.
Total KJV occurrences: 3
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Omri having “bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria” is a symbol of worldly repentance or sorrow [“two talents of silver”] but not the Godly sorrow that God’s elect are called unto (2Co 7:8-10). The hill that is bought symbolizes our pride in our flesh (Jer 49:16) and inability to truly become a people with a broken and contrite heart which is a gift from God we are told not to despise (Isa 66:2, Rom 2:4).
Jer 49:16 Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
2Co 7:8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
In verse 27 we are reminded that these events were chronicled for our sakes (2Co 4:15) showing us the process that we all must go through, “Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?“, and then we’re told “So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead“, signifying that Omri was not a type of the elect who would be in the first resurrection, rather was buried in Samaria which is a symbol of where the dead bury their dead. (1Ki 13:31, 2Ki 23:18, Mat 8:22)
1Ki 16:29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
1Ki 16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
1Ki 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
1Ki 16:32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
1Ki 16:33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
The next king in line is Ahab the son of Omri, and he reigned “over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years” which is a witness to something either good or bad, and in this case it is very bad seeing Ahab personifies that man of sin who has no fear of God and his judgments: “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him“. Just because he is not immediately being punished for said acts, “And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him“, does not mean that judgment is not around the corner, because God is just to correct and cleanse us of all of our iniquities (Psa 51:1-3) provided we are being dragged to him to be judged, and our hearts are being softened and prepared to repent of all those idolatries. We may be chastened over and over to no avail, which is what we are seeing in the lives of so many of these kings and their descendants that show us that there is no ability to learn from our past mistakes if God does not make a way in the wilderness where there appears to be none (Isa 43:19).
Psa 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
I mentioned that Ahab sinned with impunity, meaning with no thought to the reality that he was going to be given correction for these actions and be judged for what he was sowing, as was evidenced with these verses: “And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him“. Taking “to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians” symbolizes how the first man Adam, typified by Ahab, has long-term plans to corrupt the nation of Israel [the world] with his newly founded wicked wife Jezebel who represents the churches of this world who are serving and worshiping Baal, “and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.” Of course this is telling us what we’ve come out of and are coming out of, and in future verses we will see how God shows us that with Christ in us we identify with the prophets Elijah and Elisha who warn our old man of the impending doom that is going to come upon us if we don’t repent, which is only possible through God’s goodness working with us in this age as He leads us unto repentance (Rev 18:4, Rom 2:4, Php 2:12-13).
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
1Ki 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
In the days of this wicked king Ahab, “Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho” and “he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.” The walls of Jericho had already once come down via an act of faith which we read of in (Heb 11:30). The two stages of the proud and lofty beast within us being destroyed are represented by the wall coming down at the time of Joshua and then rebuilding of Jericho by “Hiel the Bethelite” (Rev 13:12). The two sons in this story, and the walls of Jericho falling down, represent the same event and process of judgment that is brought about by the seven last plagues that bring about the new man in Christ within us. Jericho being rebuilt just demonstrates the point for us that sin is persistent and that it is God who gives increase in our heavens via the destruction of the first temple and building of the second (Isa 45:7, Rom 11:22).
Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
H48 ‘ăbı̂yrâm ab-ee-rawm’ From H1 and H7311; father of height (that is, lofty); Abiram, the name of two Israelites: – Abiram. Total KJV occurrences: 11
H7687 śegûb seg-oob’ From H7682; aloft; Segub, the name of two Israelites: – Segub.
Total KJV occurrences: 3
H7682 śâgab saw-gab’ A primitive root; to be (causatively make) lofty, especially inaccessible; by implication safe, strong; used literally and figuratively: – defend, exalt, be excellent, (be, set on) high, lofty, be safe, set up (on high), be too strong.
Total KJV occurrences: 20
Here is how this verse (1Ki 16:34) reads in the (PNBkjv):
1Ki 16:34 in his days did Hiel (living god) the Bethelite (house of god) build Jericho (place of fragrance): he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram (my father is exalted) his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub (exalted), according to the word of the lord, which he spake by Joshua (Jehovah is salvation) the son of Nun (eternity).
Both sons’ names are connected with loftiness and being self-exalted and represent what has to be torn down and destroyed within us at the appointed time through Christ, who is typified by “Joshua the son of Nun“.
Our sowing to our flesh is represented by what “Hiel the Bethelite” rebuilds during the reign of Ahab, many years after Joshua’s pronouncement of the curse that would come (Jos 6:26). Jericho’s gates, all idols of our hearts, will come down, which represent the seven last plagues that must be poured out upon the kingdom of our proud and lofty old man through Christ (Rev 15:8, Rev 5:4).
Jos 6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
Rev 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
God is seeking an occasion against our flesh within as He did with Jericho, and like the walls of Jericho that came down via a process so there must be a process of judgment that will bring us unto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32). That wicked foundation and those exalted gates will finally be destroyed (Eze 13:14, Luk 6:49, Jer 51:58, Rev 22:14).
Eze 13:14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Jer 51:58 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
So inwardly it is true, “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after“, and if we are blessed to endure that process of judgment today and are granted to endure to the end, it will be by the grace through faith gift of God that reveals to us the sins that are open beforehand and those that will follow after. God’s elect will be thoroughly cleansed and washed of all our iniquity and will be made ready as the bride of Christ (Rev 19:7). That readiness will make it possible for us to extend that same mercy toward the rest of humanity in the great white throne judgment which will reconcile all of God’s creation to himself (1Co 15:28).
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.