1 KINGS 16

THE REIGNS OF BAASHA, ELAH, ZIMRI, OMRI + AHAB

God delivers a message to Jehu, the son of Hanani, to give to Baasha. The message says that because of Baasha’s rebellion, he would be destroyed and killed. Jehu’s news came to pass and Baasha is killed. After his death, his son Elah is the next king over Israel.

Elah was only king for two years before he was killed by his chariot captain, Zimri. After Zimri murders Elah, he becomes king of Israel. During his reign, he fulfills what Jehu predicted and murders all of Baasha’s remaining family.

Zimri was only king for seven days, the shortest recorded reign. Because of Zimri’s violent attacks, Omri, the commander of the army, replaces Zimri as king. Omri and his army go after Zimri, but Zimri, accepting defeat, sets his house on fire, killing himself inside.

Omri reigns for twelve years and builds the city of Samaria. Omri is an evil king who disobeys God and leads others to sin. After his death, Omri’s son Ahab becomes king of Israel.

Ahab is the most evil king to date, following in his father’s footsteps. Ahab marries a non-Israelite, Jezebel. Not only does he disobey God, he denies God completely and worships another god, Baal. Ahab builds a temple to worship Baal and a shrine for Asherah, a sexual goddess. Ahab is worse than all the other kings combined and offers two of his sons as child sacrifices.