P² q 1,2. Introduction. r 3. Sins. Committed. s 4,5. Divine forbearance. r 6. Sins. Punished. q 7,8. Conclusion.
863 B.C.
15)
1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijah over Judah (#18 = bondage).
2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem (not full years, for he died in the 20th year of Jeroboam [v.9]). And his grandmother's name [was] Maachah (= oppression. Or Michaiah [2 Chron.13:2] = who is like God?), the daughter of Absalom (2 Chron.11:21).
3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart (or mind) was not perfect with the Lord (Yehovah) his God (Elohim), as the mind of David his father (fig. put for ancestor).
4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord (Yehovah) his God (Elohim) give him a lamp in Jerusalem (see 11:36. Peculiarly used of David), to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
5 Because David did [that which was] right in the eyes of the Lord (Yehovah), and turned not aside from any [thing] that He commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (see 2 Chron.13:3) And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
8 And Abijam slept with his fathers (see 14:20); and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
P³ t 9,10. Introduction. u 11-15. Events. Religious. u 16-22. Events. Millitary. t 23,24. Conclusion.
860 to 819 B.C.
9 And in the twentieth year (#20 = redemption) of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa (= physician, or cure) over Judah.
10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his grandmother's name [was] Maachah, the daughter of Absalom.
11 And Asa did [that which was] right in the eyes of the Lord (Yehovah) (therefore hs days "long in the land" [v.23]. Contemporary with 7 Israelite kings), as [did] David his father.
12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land (see 14:24), and removed all the filthy idols that his fathers had made.
13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from [being] queen, because she had made an idol in a grove (= a montrous ’Ashêrah. See Ex.34:13); and Asa destroyed her filthy idol, and burnt [it] by the brook Kidron.
14 But the high places were not removed (not till the reign of Hezekiah [22:43. 2 Kings 12:3; 18:4): nevertheless Asa's mind was perfect with Yehovah all his days.
15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated (= holy things of his father. See Ex.3:5), and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the Lord (Yehovah), silver, and gold, and vessels.
u v 16. War with Baasha. Begun. w 17. Baasha's building of Ramah. Begun. x 18. Ben-hadad. Subsidy to. y 19. Former league appealed to. x 20. Ben-hadad. Help from. w 21. Baasha's building of Ramah. Left. v 22. War with Baasha. Ended.
16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days (only border fighting. No campaign. Cp. v.32).
17 And Baasha (= wicked) king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah (= a hill. The modern - er Rãm, 5 miles north of Jerusalem, which it was intended to menace. See 2 Chron.16:1), that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah (but in vain. See 12:27; 15:9, &c.).
18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold [that were] left in the treasures of the house of the Lord (Yehovah), and among the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad (= son of the mighty), the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
19 “[Let there be] a covenant between me and you, [as] between my father and your father: behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold; come and break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”
20 So Benhadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of the forces which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth (all in the neighborhood of Gennesaret), with all the land of Naphtali.
21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard [thereof], that he left off building of Ramah, and returned to Tirzah (see 14:17).
22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none [was] exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (cp. 2 Chron.14:9-15:10) Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
24 And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his forefather: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
E² Q¹ 15:25-31. Nadab. Q² 15:32-16:7. Baasha. Q³ 16:8-14. Elah. Q4 16:15-20. Zimri. (Interregnum, 16:21,22). Q5 16:23-28. Omri. Q6 16:29-22:40. Ahab.
Q¹ z 25. Introduction. a 26. Evil-doing. b 27-29. Conspiracy of Baasha. a 30. Evil-doing. z 31. Conclusion.
858-857 B.C.
25 And Nadab (= liberal) the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years (= division).
26 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord (Yehovah), and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin (see 14:16).
27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which [belonged] to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, [that] he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord (Yehovah) (cp. 14:7-11), which He spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
30 Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) of Israel to anger.
31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Q² c 15:32,33. Introduction. d 15:34. Evil-doing. d 16:1-4. Evil-doing. Punished. c 16:5-7. Conclusion.
32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days (only border fighting [cp. vv.16,32. 2 Chron.14:1; 15:19], no actual campaign as in 2 Chron.16:1).
857 to 833 B.C.
33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah (see 14:17 and v.21), twenty and four years (began in the 3rd year of Asa. Therefore he died in the 26th year of Asa [16:8]. Yet in the 36th year Baasha came and made war against Judah [2 Chron.16:1]. This would be 9 or 10 years after he was dead. But see note on 2 Chron.16:1, were the word "reign" should be rendered "kingdom": i.e. the 36th year from the kingdom of Israel).
34 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord (Yehovah), and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
16)
1 Then the word of the Lord (Yehovah) came to Jehu (= the living) the son of Hanani (cp. 2 Chron.16:7-10; 19:2) against Baasha, saying,
2 “Forasmuch as I exalted you out of the dust, and made you prince over My People Israel (or captain = one raised up); and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My People Israel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins;
3 Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat (cp. 15:29; 14:11).
4 Him that dies of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dies of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.”
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?
6 So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the Lord (Yehovah) against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of Yehovah, in provoking Him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
Q³ e 8. Introduction. f g 9,10. Zimri. Conspiracy. h 11. Elah. Cut off. f g 12. Zimri. Prophecy. h 13. Elah cut off. Reason. e 14. Conclusion.
834 B.C.
8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah (= an oak, strength) the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
9 And his servant Zimri (= musical), 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.
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.
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 pisses against a wall (= not one male), neither of his kinsmen-redeemers, nor of his friends.
12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord (Yehovah), which He spoke against (some codices read "to", others "concerning") Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
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 (Yehovah Elohim) of Israel to anger with their idols (cp. v.26).
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?
Q4 i 15-. Introduction. k -15,16-. Zimri. Conspiracy. l -16. Omri. Elected. l 17. Omri. Siege o Tizrah. k 18,19. Zimri. Suicide. i 20. Conclusion.
833 B.C.
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.
16 And the People [that were] encamped heard say, “Zimri has conspired, and has also slain the king:”
wherefore all Israel made Omri (= pupil of the Lord (Yehovah)), the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
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,
19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of Yehovah (committed not merely during the 7 day's reign, but during his whole life, of course), in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin (see 14:16).
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?
¶ m¹ 21. People. Division for Tibni. m² 22. People. Prevelance for Omri.
21 Then were the People of Israel divided into two parts: half of the People followed Tibni (= intelligent) the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
Q5 n 23. Introduction. o 24. Events. Building Samaria. o 25,26. Events. Evil-doing. n 27,28. Conclusion.
833-821 B.C.
23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel (he reigned 12 years, and yet in v.29 Ahab began in the 38th year of Asa. Omri began to reign de jure when he slew Zimri, in the 27th year of of Asa; but only de facto on the death of Tibni the usurper), twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah (beginning in Asa's 31st and ending in Asa's 38th [v.29]).
24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver (*aprox. 220 lbs), and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, lord of the hill, Samaria (= watch mountain. This is the origin of the city).
25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of Yehovah, and did worse than all that [were] before him.
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 (Yehovah Elohim) of Israel to anger with their vanities.
27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which (some codices read "and all that") he did, and his might that he shewed, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
Q6 R 16:29-. Introduction. S T 16:-29-33. Personal evil. Idolatry. U 16:34-20:43. Public events. War with Syria. S T 21:1-29. Personal evil. Naboth. U 22:1-38. Public events. War with Syria. R 22:39,40. Conclusion.
822-800 B.C.
29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel:
T p -29. Ahab. Length of reign. q 30,31. Personal evil. q 32,33-. Public evil. p -33. Ahab. Character of reign.
and Ahab (= uncle) the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years (#22 = light [can also mean false light], or 2 x 11. For spiritual significance see 14:20).
30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord (Yehovah) above all that [were] before him (the reign of Ahab opens a new era in Israel's history).
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 (= chaste [used in irony]. Daughter of a regicide and fratricide [Josephus c. Apion 1.18, Ant. viii. 3. 1), priest of the Phoenician godess Astarte the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
33 And Ahab made a grove (= Ástorah. See Ex.34:13);
and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
U V¹ 16:34. The rebuilding of Jericho. V² 17:1-19:21. The drought. V³ 20:1-43. War with Syria.
34 In his days did Hiel (= God lives) the Bethelite build Jericho (= to fortify and complete. It had been partially restored [Judg.3:13. 2 Sam.10:5], but now became a fortified city of Israel): he laid the foundation thereof at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof at the cost of his youngest [son] Segub, according to the word of the Lord (Yehovah), which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun (cp. Josh.6:26).
V² W 17:1-24. Elijah's retirement. X 18:1-46. Mission to Ahab. W 19:1-14. Elijah's flight. X 19:15-21. Mission to Hazael and others.
W Y r 1-4. Command. s 5,6. Obedience. t 7. Circumstance. The brook and ravens. Y r 8,9. Command. s 10-. Obedience. t -10-24. Circumstance. The widow.
822 to 800 B.C.
17)
1 And Elijah (= GOD [El] is JAH [or Yehovah]. First mention) the Tishbite (= sojourner. Probably a priest) , [who was] of the sojourners of Gilead, said to Ahab, “[As] the Lord (Yehovah Elohim) of Israel lives, before Whom I stand (probably a priest. See above), there shall not be dew (= night-mist. Cp. Deut.32:2. 2 Sam.1:21. Job 38:28) nor rain these years (not 3 years. No definite period stated. "Years" is plural, not dual. In Luke 4:25 and James 5:17 = "three years and six months". These six months must be reckoned before the three years, not added at the end because of "the third year" [18:1]: i.e. the third full year), but according to my word.”
2 And the word of the Lord (Yehovah) came to him, saying,
3 “Get you from this place, and turn you eastward, and hide youself by the brook Cherith, that [is] before Jordan (i.e. on the east side).
4 And it shall be, [that] you shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded (Elijah miraculously fed 3 times: (1) by raven [17:6];(2) by widow [17:9]; (3) by an angel [19:5,6]) the ravens (note "I have commanded". All things possible when He speaks. Almighty power is better and easier explanation than all rationalistic inventions) to feed you there” (nowhre else. Note the special lesson. Anywhere but in God's appointed place he would have perished).
5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord (Yehovah): for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that [is] before Jordan.
6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
8 And the word of the Lord (Yehovah) came to him, saying,
9 “Arise, get you to Zarephath (= smelting-place. The Sarepta of Luke 4:26), which [belongs] to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you (1 of 9 widows mentioned. See v.4 and Gen.38:19).
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath.
t Z¹ -10-16. Maintenance. Z² 17-24. Bereavement.
Z¹ u¹ -10-11. Elijah. Request. v¹ 12. The widow. Excuse. u² 13,14. Elijah. Promise. v² 15-. The widow. Compliance. u³ -15,16. Elijah. Promise fulfilled.
And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman [was] there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, “Fetch me, I pray you, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”
11 And as she was going to fetch [it], he called to her, and said, “Bring me, I pray you, a morsel of bread in your hand.”
12 And she said, “[As] the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) lives, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil (from Josh.19:24-28 Zidon fell to Asher. From Deut.33:24 Asher had abundance of oil, though water was scarce. Cp. Gen.49:20) in a flask (cp. Matt.25:4): and, behold, I [am] gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
13 And Elijah said to her, “Fear not; go [and] do as you have said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring [it] to me, and after make for you and for your son.
14 For thus says the Lord (Yehovah Elohim) of Israel, ‘The barrel of meal (fig. = meal in the barrel) shall not waste, neither shall the flask of oil fail, until the day [that] the Lord (Yehovah) sends rain upon the earth.’ ”
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah:
and she, and he, and her house, did eat [many] days.
16 [And] the meal in the barrel wasted not, neither did the flask of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord (Yehovah), which He spoke by Elijah.
Z² w y 17. Son. Death. z 18. Widow. Complaint. x a 19. Son taken. b 20,21. Prayer made. x b 22. Prayer answered. a 23-. Son restored. w y -23. Son. Life. z 24. Widow. Acknowledgment.
17 And it came to pass after these things, [that] the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you (see 2 Sam.16:10), O you man of Elohim? (see Deut.33:1) are you come to me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?”
19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried to the Lord (Yehovah), and said, “O Lord (Yehovah) my God (Elohim), have You also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?”
21 And he measured himself upon the child three times, and cried to the Lord (Yehovah), and said, “O Lord (Yehovah) my God (Elohim), I pray You, let this child's soul (= life. Cp. v.23, "lives". Heb. nephesh) come into him again.”
22 And the Lord (Yehovah) heard the voice of Elijah; and the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother: and Elijah said, “See, your son lives” (the result of life's being given, making the child "a living soul" [Gen.2:7]).
24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you [are] a man of God (Elohim), [and] that the word of the Lord (Yehovah) in your mouth [is] truth.”