1 Kings 16:32

_AND HE REARED UP AN ALTAR FOR BAAL IN THE HOUSE OF BAAL, WHICH HE HAD BUILT IN SAMARIA._ Reared up an altar for Baal - i:e., the sun, worshipped under various images. Ahab set up one (2 Kings 3:2), probably as the Tyrian Hercules, in the temple in Samaria. No human sacrifices were offered; the fire was kept constantly burning; the priests officiated barefoot; dancing and kissing the image (1 Kings 19:18) were among the principal rites....

29-34 Ahab did evil above all that reigned before him, and did it with a particular enmity both against Jehovah and Israel. He was not satisfied with breaking the second commandment by image-worship, he broke the first by worshipping other gods: making light of lesser sins makes way for greater. Marriages with daring offenders also imbolden in wickedness, and hurry men on to the greatest excesses. One of Ahab's subjects, following the example of his presumption, ventured to build Jericho. Like Achan, he meddled with the accursed thing; turned that to his own use, which was devoted to God's honour: he began to build, in defiance of the curse well devoted to God's honour: he began to build, in defiance of the curse well known in Israel; but none ever hardened his heart against God, and prospered. Let the reading of this chapter cause us to mark the dreadful end of all the workers of iniqu...

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. 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 prophet Elijah by which it was marked, and, indeed, was profoundly influenced; but this ministry, it must be remembered, was necessitated by the critical circumstances of the time. It may be that "every age thinks itself a crisis," but no one can fail to see that this was one of the veritable turning points of Jewish history. One of the real ...

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....

4. KINGS OF ISRAEL Chapter S 15:25-16 _ 1. Nadab, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:25)_ 2. Baasha, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:34; 1 Kings 16:1) 3. Elah, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:8) 4. Zimri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:15) 5. Divisions (1 Kings 16:21) 6. Omri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:23) 7. Ahab ...

1 KINGS 15:33 TO 1 KINGS 16:34. BAASHA'S DYNASTY. RISE OF THE HOUSE OF OMRI. Nothing is told us of Baasha except the usual annalistic details, and, that a prophet named Jehu foretold the destruction of his whole house. His son Elah was at war with the Philistines (1 Kings 16:15), but remained at Tirzah (p. 30), which at this time was the chief residence of the kings of Israel. Zimri slew him and reigned but seven days, and was then attacked by the army under Omri, and burned himself in his house. For four years, (_cf._ 1 Kings 16:15 with 1 Kin

in _the house of Baal_ The LXX. renders by ἐν οἴκῳ τῶν προσοχθισμάτων αὐτοῦ = in the house of his abominations. This is after the fashion of the Jews who preferred to use the word -bosheth" = _shame_, rather than the name -Baal" when the latter could be avoided. Cf. the names -Ishbosheth" and -Mephibosheth" which are instead of -Eshbaal" and -Meribbaal....

D. THE OMRI DYNASTY 16:21-34 The Omri dynasty ruled Israel for forty-four years. The closing verses of chapter 16 contain brief notices concerning (1) Omri's rise to power (1 Kings 16:21-22); (2) the reign of Omri (1 Kings 16:23-28); and (3) the early years of Ahab (1 Kings 16:29-34). Sixth King of Israel OMRI 885-874 B.C. (_Heaping_) 1 Kings 16:15-28 Synchronism Omri 1 = Asa 27 _The curse of the Lord is in the bouse of the wicked; but He blesses the habitation of the just._...

THE REIGNS OF ELAH, ZIMRI, AND OMRI 1. Jehu the son of Hanani] Hanani is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 16:7. Jehu's denunciation of Baasha is similar to Ahijah's denunciation of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:7)....

GOD’S LESSONS FROM HISTORY 1 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 16 V1 Then the *Lord spoke to Jehu the son of Hanani. He gave him this message for Baasha. V2 ‘You were not an important person, but I made you leader of my people *Israel. You have *sinned as Jeroboam did. And you have led my people into *sin. Their *sins made me very angry. V3 I will kill you and your family as I did to Jeroboam and his family. V4 Dogs will eat the members of your family who die in the city. The birds of the air will eat those who die in the country.’ V5 You can read about everything else that Baasha achieved. It is in the book of the History of the Kings of *Israel. V6 Baasha died and they buried h