Jehu was a prophet, and his father, Hanani, was also a prophet, 1 Kings 16:1 / 2 Chronicles 16:7-10. Jehu is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 20:34, as being the author of a history which is recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.
Later, Jehu moved to Jerusalem, 2 Chronicles 16:7-10, and prophesied under Jehoshaphat, whom he rebuked on one occasion. He lived to a good age and outlived Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:34.
Although the N.I.V tells us that God appointed Baasha ‘ruler’, 1 Kings 16:2, other translations tell us that God made him a ‘prince’. This tells us that although God brought him to the throne, it was God Himself who was the one with the final authority because a prince didn’t have the final authority of any kingdom.
Baasha, like Asa before him, led people into idolatry, 1 Kings 16:2, and because of this, God removed him from his throne. His household would suffer the same fate as Jeroboam’s because he didn’t turn the people back towards God, 1 Kings 16:3. His family would be eaten by dogs, and the birds would feed off their bodies, 1 Kings 16:4 / 1 Kings 16:7 / 1 Kings 14:7-11.
The other events of Baasha’s reign, what he did and his achievements, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel, 1 Kings 16:5 / 1 Kings 15:17-21. Baasha dies and was buried in Tirzah and Elah his son succeeded him as king, 1 Kings 16:6.
God spoke through Jehu who told Baasha and his house, he was being punished because of all the evil he had done, arousing God’s anger by the things he did, becoming like the house of Jeroboam and also because he destroyed it, 1 Kings 16:7 / 1 Kings 16:4.
When we read these verses, we begin to get a glimpse into just how morally corrupt Israel and their leadership have become. We must also remember that in and through all of this corruption, God was going to bring about the Messiah, 1 Kings 19:18.
Elah’s reign was actually less than two years, but during this time, Zimri plotted against him, 1 Kings 16:8-9. Elah is busy getting drunk, 1 Kings 16:9, which wasn’t worthy behaviour of royalty; he should have been out on the battlefield fighting with his army.
He was getting drunk in the house of Arza, 1 Kings 16:9. He was probably in charge of the palace of Tirzah and probably plotted against Elah along with Zimri.
Zimri becomes king, 1 Kings 16:10, and notice that he killed every one of his predecessor’s heirs, leaving no living rival to the throne, 1 Kings 16:11. What Zimri did to Baasha’s son was the same as what Baasha had done before him, 1 Kings 16:3. Zimri was a professional soldier, perhaps not even an Israelite since he isn’t identified with any tribe.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Zimri’s measures were of much more than ordinary severity. Not only was the royal family extirpated, but the friends of the king, his councillors and favourite officers, were put to death. Omri, as having been in the confidence of the late monarch, would naturally fear for himself, and resolve to take the course which promised him at least a chance of safety.’
Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, especially idolatry, 1 Kings 16:12-13.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘We see why it was that God permitted such judgments to fall on this family. Baasha was a grievous offender, and so also was his son Elah; and they caused the people to sin; and they provoked God to anger by their idolatries.’
The other events of Elah’s reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel, 1 Kings 16:14.
Because of his plotting and scheming against Elah, Zimri was only able to stay in power for seven days, 1 Kings 16:15, which is the shortest rule of any king in Israelite history. The Israelites rejected him as king and made Omri their king, 1 Kings 16:16.
There were two reasons why the army of Israel didn’t accept Zimri as king: 1. He was a subordinate commander to Omri, and 2. His murder of a host of Elah’s friends, along with Elah and all of their sons, must have made him a host of bitter enemies.
It’s worth remembering that these kings of Israel were chosen by the people, not by God. God appears to be a distant memory at this point in time, and this is displayed in Israel’s sinful behaviour and power struggle.
Zimri didn’t have the support of the people, and so when Omri defeated Zimri’s weak army of men at Tirzah, he committed suicide by burning himself to death when he set the king’s house alight, 1 Kings 16:17-18.
He is one of only four people mentioned in the Scriptures who committed suicide. The other three are Ahithophel, 2 Samuel 17:23, King Saul, 1 Samuel 31:5, and Judas Iscariot, Matthew 27:5.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It appears that, at this time, the Israelites had war with the Philistines, and were now besieging Gibbethon, one of their cities. This army, hearing that Zimri had rebelled and killed Elah, made Omri, their general, king, who immediately raised the siege of Gibbethon, and went to attack Zimri in the royal city of Tirzah, who, finding his affairs desperate, chose rather to consume himself in his palace than to fall into the hands of his enemies.’
Zimri didn’t learn any lessons from Jeroboam’s sins; he made the same fatal mistake of leading Israel to commit idolatry, 1 Kings 16:19. The other events of Zimri’s reign, and the rebellion he carried out, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel, 1 Kings 16:20.
Omri reigned from 885-874 B.C., and he managed to bring together the kingship of the northern kingdom after a period of turmoil among evil kings, and he had a lot of influence internationally.
In the British Museum, there is the Black Obelisk, a black limestone obelisk of Shalmaneser III, which glorifies the achievements of the king and minister. On it are written inscriptions which show tribute coming from all directions.
There are tribute bearers in five rows, identified by captions. Each row has four panels, one on each side of the obelisk, 1. Gilzanu (North-West Iran) tribute includes horses. 2. House of Omri (Ancient Israel- tribute from Biblical King Jehu 841 B.C.). 3. Musri, or Egypt tribute or gift of elephant, ape, and other exotic animals. 4. Suhi on the Euphrates, scene of animal hunting. 5. Patina in Southern Turkey.
The people of Israel were split into two factions; half supported Tibni son of Ginath for king, and the other half supported Omri, 1 Kings 16:21. However, Omri’s followers proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath, and so, Tibni died, and Omri became king, 1 Kings 16:22.
Notice that ‘Omri the king of Israel’ is mentioned, 1 Kings 16:23. This tells us that at this point in time, when Omri had become king, the northern kingdom was divided between those who gave allegiance to Tibni and those who followed Omri.
Omri triumphed in the conflict, and as a result of this, he brought some stability to the kingdom. He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria, after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill, 1 Kings 16:24.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Omri purchased the right of property in the hill, just as David purchased the threshing-floor, 2 Samuel 24:24 / 1 Kings 21:2. Two talents, or 6,000 shekels, Exodus 38:24, about 500 British pounds or perhaps 800 pounds of our money, may well have been the full value of the ground. And while naming his city after Shemer, Omri may also have had in view the appropriateness of such a name to the situation of the place.’
He moved the capital of Israel from Tizrah to Samaria, 1 Kings 16:24, and so, by doing this, he established Samaria as the centre of government and faith in the northern kingdom.
Omri, just like those before him, led Israel into idolatry, 1 Kings 16:25-26 / Micah 6:16. He obviously was chosen by the people because he, like many before him, wanted to please the people and allowed the people to influence him.
The other events of Omri’s reign, what he did and the things he achieved, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel, 1 Kings 16:27. He died, and his son, Ahab, now becomes king of Israel, 1 Kings 16:28.
Ahab reigned from 874 to 853 B.C. He reigned in Samaria over Israel for twenty-two years, 1 Kings 16:29, and his reign shows us just how evil things have become in Israel. Ahab was worse than all the previous kings, 1 Kings 16:30.
Up to this point, the focus has been on all the power struggles within Israel, but here the focus is on how evil the kings were in their relationships with the people they reigned over.
Notice that ‘the sins of Jeroboam’, 1 Kings 16:31, had become mainstream, Ahab considered what he was doing as trivial, not a big deal, 1 Kings 16:31. We read that this great apostasy to lead Israel into more idolatry was led by Ahab and Jezebel, the king and queen of the northern kingdom, 1 Kings 16:31 / 1 Kings 18:4. No wonder Israel are setting herself up to fail, no wonder God is eventually going to take them into captivity.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘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.
1. She was the idolatrous daughter of an idolatrous king.
2. She practised it openly.
3. She not only countenanced it in others, but protected it, and gave its partisans honours and rewards.
4. She used every means to persecute the true religion.
5. She was hideously cruel and put to death the prophets and priests of God.
6. And all this she did with the most zealous perseverance and relentless cruelty.
We see just how much the people have rejected God as Baal worship is now the main form of worship in both the northern and southern kingdoms, 1 Kings 16:31-32.
There appear to be a few righteous people among all this Baal worship, but because of intimidation, their faith goes into hiding. False Baal prophets were employed by the government to impose submission to Baal, which resulted in the true prophets of God also being intimidated.
If there was ever a time for those of great faith in God, Elijah, and Elisha to step up, it was now. The righteous people and the true prophets of God needed to be encouraged and reminded that, amidst all this ungodliness and idolatry, God is still in control. Ahab also made an Asherah pole, and so, God’s people are just going from bad to worse with every king who comes to the throne, 1 Kings 16:33.
Notice that Hiel built Jericho, 1 Kings 16:34. Joshua had prophesied that this would happen in Joshua 6:26, around five hundred years before. Within his prophecy, he also warned that if anyone did rebuild it, there would be consequences to pay. Here we read about those consequences, which cost the lives of Hiel’s two sons, Abiram and Segub, 1 Kings 16:34.