A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 16
1 Kings CHAP. XVI.
THIS Chapter contains the Hiſtory of Five Kings of Iſrael, Baaſha, Elah, Zimri, Omri and Ahab.
The General Remarks are, Firſt, Good Aſa, notwithſtanding his many Miſcarriages, (which were not inconſiſtent with his Uprightneſs, Imperfections being to be found in the moſt refin'd Soul) did out-live not only Jeroboam and his Son Nadab, but alſo this his worſt Rival and Troubler Baaſha, though he Reigned over Iſrael twenty and four Years, Chap. 15.33. for Aſa's Forty and one Years of his Reign expired not until the Fourth Year of Ahab, wherein Jehoſaphat ſucceeded his Father Aſa after his Death, 1 Kings 22.41, 42. So that while Aſa held the Throne of Judah, he ſaw many Changes in the Throne of Iſrael.
The Second General Remark is, the Holy Penman of this Sacred Hiſtory in the Book of Kings, giveth a large Narrative of Aſa's Life, &c. altogether, Chap. 15. from ver. 9, to 24. becauſe many Kings did Reign over Iſrael during Aſa's long Reign. Aſa began his Reign in the Twentieth Year of Jeroboam, the firſt King of Iſrael (divided from Judah) and he continued to the time of the Eighth King of Iſrael: Aſa's great Work of Reformation required it, and God gave him a great continuance in his Kingdom, wherein to accompliſh it.
The Third General Remark; Aſa wanted not God's Fatherly Chaſtiſements for his declining from his former Goodneſs; for beſide his Gout in his Feet (becauſe he did not foreign, walk uprightly in God's way, Gal. 2.14.) He had continual Wars and Troubles after his alteration into Acts of Ʋnbelief, Paſſion againſt the Prophet, and Oppreſſion of the People, &c. which troubles we have an account of Chap. 15. both the Riſe of them, ver. 16, 17, 18. and the Removal of them, ver. 19, 20, to 24.
Mark 1. Their Riſe was from this Baaſha, who went up in the thirteenth Year of his own Reign, and in the fourteenth of Aſa's 2 Chron. 16.1. being afraid of him (who had now conquer'd the Ethiopians) and of his growing greatneſs; therefore he attempts to build Rama (as was hinted before) upon the very Frontiers of Ephraim, Judges 4.5. to block up that Paſſage, that none of Iſrael might flee to Aſa for the ſake of God's ſincere Service, as they had done in abundance, 2 Chron. 15.9.
Mark 2. Aſa's removal of this Trouble from Baaſha; hereupon Aſa hires the Army of Syrians (as before) to fall upon the Coaſts of Iſrael neareſt to Syria: this gave Baaſha a Diverſion from annoying Judah, ſuch as Saul had from annoying David, when tidings came to him, that the Philiſtines had Invaded the Land, 1 Sam. 23.27, 28. Baaſha deſiſts from Building the Bulworks, and Aſa (after Baaſha's departure) to defend his own Coaſts, took away the Stones Baaſha had brought to Ramah, and built two Cities of Benjamin with them, his Enemy providing Materials for it, 2 Chron. 16.6.
The Fourth General Remark is, when this Holy Penman hath largely related the Life and Death of Aſa King of Judah, Chap. 15. He returns again to the Hiſtory of the Kings of Iſrael, beginning with Nadab, ver. 25. and with Baaſha, ver. 27. and ſo on in this Chap. 16. yea, and continueth ſolely that Hiſtory of Iſrael's Kings only, until he come at Chap. 22.41. where he returns to Aſa's Son and Succeſſor as King of Judah. And though Jehoſaphat (Aſa's Son) be mentioned ver. 2. Chap. 22. yet that Story belongs to the Reign of Ahab King of Iſrael, and not to his Reign.
The laſt general Remark is that of great Grotius, ſaying, That in the Ten Tribes, many came to the Kingdom by Force and Violence, and not by Succeſſion; whereas none came to the Kingdom of Judah but by Deſcent in the Royal Blood of the Right-line according to God's Promiſe made to David, 2 Sam. 7.16. 1 Kings 15.4, &c. So that we need the leſs wonder, why Aſa lived up to the Eighth King of Iſrael, when five diſtinct Families in Iſrael's Kingdom had deſtroyed one another in Aſa's Reign.
Now come we to make particular Remarks firſt upon Baaſha; as, Firſt, God threatens Baaſha with the Deſtruction of his Family for his Idolatry, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. wherein,
Mark 1. As Hanani the Seer reproved Aſa for his Reliance upon Syria, ſo Jehu the Son of Hanani reproveth Baaſha for his Idolatry; A good Father God bleſt with a good Son, to ſucceed him in his Office, &c.
Mark 2. This Prophet tells Baaſha how God had exalted him: His Treachery and Cruelty (ſaith P. Martyr) were from himſelf, but it was an Act of God's Providence to bring him to the Throne.
Mark 3 Behold how loth the Lord was to loſe Iſrael, whom he ſtill ſtiles [My People,] notwithſtanding their notorious Apoſtaſy from him, yet did he moſt graciouſly ſend them many Prophets time, after time in their State of Defection.
Mark 4. 'Tis a certain Preſage, and a juſt Merit of Ruine, not to be warned by the Woe of others. Jeroboam's Perdition ſhould have been Baaſha's Caution: though he had been God's Inſtrument to deſtroy Jeroboam's Houſe, yet dares he to commit the very ſame Sins over again, ver. 34. of Chap. 15.
Mark 5. God gives Baaſha here the Hiſtory of his Judgments upon Jeroboam already paſt, which ſets out to the Life the Dread of God, more than a bare Prediction of the like to come: What God hath done once, he can do again, and not fail to fulfill his Threatnings.
Mark 6. The like Sins bring the like Puniſhments; Baaſha conſpired againſt his own Lord, Worſhipped the Works of his own Hands, as Jeroboam had done; ſo his Houſe became Food to Fowls and Dogs, yea he murdered his Maſter, ver. 7. and his Son was murder'd.
The Second Remark is upon Elah, who ſucceeds his Father Baaſha, ver. 8, 9, 10. wherein,
Mark 1. Elah Reigns in the twenty-ſixth Year of Aſa, and was kill'd in the twenty-ſeventh Year of Aſa, ver. 8.10. wherein God paid Baaſha in kind; as he had done to Nadab, the ſame is retaliated upon Elah; as he had cut Jeroboam's Son ſhort, ſo his Son is cut ſhort alſo.
Mark 2. That Noon-day Devil (Drunkenneſs) was Elah's Deſtruction; when drunk, he was ſoon ſurprized, as was Amnoh, 2 Sam. 13.28, 29. and Belſhazzar, Dan. 5.2, 30. a fit opportunity this was to his diſcontented Captain, eſpecially if he were of Saul's Houſe, 1 Chron. 8.36.
Mark 3. King's are ſafeſt in the place of their Callings; Had David Headed his Army in beſieging Rabba, 1 Sam. 11.2, 3. he had avoided that Temptation, &c. and had Elah been with his Army beſieging Gibbethon, ver. 15. here, perhaps they might have protected him from Deſtruction.
Mark 4. Vatablus ſaith, Elah was drinking himſelf Drunk in the Houſe of an Idol, which he worſhipped: However, he was drown'd before he was Stabb'd, and he died in his Sin, far worſe than to die in a Ditch or Dungeon, &c.
The Third Remark is, upon Zimri, from ver. 11, to ver. 17. Wherein
Mark 1. He was a Murtherer of his Maſter, yea of a kind Maſter, who had preferr'd him to a very great Command, in making him high Captain over all his Chariots for War, ver. 9. and to attend upon himſelf.
Mark 2. So ſoon as he had ſet himſelf upon the Throne in the room of his Maſter, whom he had treacherouſly murthered, when helpleſs by exceſſive Drinking, He deſtroy'd all the Houſe of Baaſha, yea all his Kinsfolks and Friends, ver. 12. reſolving to leave never a Rubb to lay in his way, that might hinder the true running of his Bowl, &c. leſt any that favour'd Elah's Cauſe ſhould ſeek to revenge his Death on Zimri.
Mark 3. Though this Zimri (whom God raiſed out of the Duſt, ver. 2.) was as bad as that impious Prince Zimri, Numb. 25.14. yet is he ſaid to fulfil the Will of God, ver. 12.13 while he aim'd only to fulfil his own Will.
Mark 4. When God had worn this Rod to the ſtump, in one Week's time (for this raſh Zimri laid about him luſtily to ruin the Houſe, &c. of boiſterous Baaſha) at ſeven days end, God caſt it into the Fire; for the news of Zimri's Tyranny at Tirzah coming to Omri, Captain of the Camp at Gibbethon, his Army there proclaim'd Omri King, who immediately came to Tirzah with his Forces, and forced Zimri to burn himſelf with the Pallace (Saul-like) rather than fall into Omri's Hands, ver. 18. N.B. Thus Tyrants, cruel to others, at laſt are left to be cruel to themſelves.
The Fourth Remark is Upon Omri, from ver. 21, to ver. 28. Wherein
Mark 1. The People (having not yet ratified the Armies Election of Omri, after his recovering Tirzah) choſe Tibni, but the Soldi…ry prevailing over the unarmed Faction, probably (as ſome ſay) ſlew Tibni, and ſo impoſed Omri upon the People: The Word [prevailed] imports all this, ſaith Peter Martyr.
Mark 2. Omri reigned twelve Years, which Dr. Lightfoot reckons from the Death of Zumri, in the twenty ſeventh of Aſa, ver. 15. to Omri's Death in the thirty eight Year of Aſa, ver. 28, 29. and that Tibni continued his Corrival, until the thirty firſt Year of Aſa, ver. 23.
Mark 3. Omri reigned four Years in a State of War with Tibni, and eight Years quietly without a Corrival, wherein He purchas'd Samaria (Joh. 4.4.) for two Talents of Silver, ver. 24. and built a Palace there, becauſe Zimri had burnt that in Tirzah.
Mark 4. Omri was worſe than all his Predeceſſors, ver. 25. who did not only worſhip Calves, but Devils alſo, 2 Chron. 11.15. 1 Cor. 10.20. and whoſe wickedneſs both Grotius and Peter Martyr do aggravate, ſaying, He outdid Jeroboam, in his taking no warning from former Precedents of God's Vengeance for the ſame Sins, in not only encouraging the People to his Devil-Worſhip by his Example, but alſo binding them to it by a Law, Mic. 6.16. thoſe Statutes of Omri eſtabliſhed that Miſchief, Pſal. 94.20.
The Fifth Remark is, upon Ahab from ver. 29. to the end. Wherein
Mark 1. Though Omri the Father was very bad, yet his Son Ahab was well worſe, a none ſuch Sinner, Chap. 21.25, 26. who thought it below his Dignity to content himſelf with the common Sins of Jeroboam, ver. 31. here.
Mark 2. No wonder if Ahab grew to ſuch an unparallel'd height of wickedneſs, when he ventured to Marry that Zidonian Virago Jezebel, who (as Dr. Lightfoot Characterizes her) was an Idolatreſs, a Murdreſs, a Witch, and a Whore. N.B. And every wicked Woman is hence call…d a Jezebel, Rev. 2.20.
Mark 3. Hiel to curry favour with Ahab (his fellow-Contemner of God) rebuilds Jericho in deſpight of God's Curſe, Joſh. 6.26. which none had dared to do, for above five hundred and thirty Years before: But this bold Bethelite paid dear for it, loſing his living Houſe by building this curſed City, and no Son to inherit it: This was Ahab's Sin to ſuffer it, yet Hiel eſcapes from greater Wrath, ſaith Peter Martyr, on his own Perſon, &c.