20240922

looking for spiritual integrity

1 Kings 15:25-16:34 (JDV)

1 Kings 15:25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Judah’s King Asa; he reigned over Israel two years.
1 Kings 15:26 Nadab did what was evil in Yahveh’s sight and walked in the ways of his father and the sin he had caused Israel to commit.
1 Kings 15:27 Then Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon of the Philistines while Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon.
1 Kings 15:28 In the third year of Judah’s King Asa, Baasha killed Nadab and reigned in his place.
1 Kings 15:29 When Baasha became king, he struck down the entire house of Jeroboam. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone breathing but destroyed his family according to the word of Yahveh he had spoken through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.
1 Kings 15:30 This was because Jeroboam had angered Yahveh God of Israel by the sins he had committed and had caused Israel to commit.
1 Kings 15:31 The rest of the events of Nadab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
1 Kings 15:32 There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their reigns.
1 Kings 15:33 In the third year of Judah’s King Asa, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah twenty-four years.
1 Kings 15:34 He did what was evil in Yahveh ‘s sight and walked in the ways of Jeroboam and the sin he had caused Israel to commit.
1 Kings 16:1 Now the word of Yahveh came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha:
1 Kings 16:2 “Because I raised you up from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel, but you have walked in the ways of Jeroboam and have caused my people Israel to sin, angering me with their sins,
1 Kings 16:3 take note: I will eradicate Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat:
1 Kings 16:4 Anyone who belongs to Baasha and dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and anyone who is his and dies in the field, the birds will eat.”
1 Kings 16:5 The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
1 Kings 16:6 Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place.
1 Kings 16:7 But through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani the word of Yahveh also had come against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in Yahveh’s sight. His actions angered the Lord, and Baasha’s house became like the house of Jeroboam, because he had struck it down.
1 Kings 16:8 In the twenty-sixth year of Judah’s King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah two years.
1 Kings 16:9 His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza, who oversaw the household at Tirzah.
1 Kings 16:10 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri went in, struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place.
1 Kings 16:11 When he became king, as soon as he was seated on his throne, Zimri struck down the entire house of Baasha. He did not leave a single male, including his kinsmen and his friends.
1 Kings 16:12 So Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of Yahveh he had spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu.
1 Kings 16:13 This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and those of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, angering Yahveh God of Israel with their worthless idols.
1 Kings 16:14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
1 Kings 16:15 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.
1 Kings 16:16 When these troops heard that Zimri had not only conspired but had also struck down the king, then all Israel made Omri, the army commander, king over Israel that very day in the camp.
1 Kings 16:17 Omri along with all Israel marched up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.
1 Kings 16:18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down over himself. He died
1 Kings 16:19 because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in Yahveh ‘s sight and by walking in the ways of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit.
1 Kings 16:20 The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, along with the conspiracy that he instigated, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
1 Kings 16:21 At that time the people of Israel were divided: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.
1 Kings 16:22 However, the people who followed Omri were stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.
1 Kings 16:23 In the thirty-first year of Judah’s King Asa, Omri became king over Israel, and he reigned twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah,
1 Kings 16:24 then he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver, and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.
1 Kings 16:25 Omri did what was evil in Yahveh ‘s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him.
1 Kings 16:26 He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat in every respect and continued in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, angering Yahveh God of Israel with their worthless idols.
1 Kings 16:27 The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, along with his accomplishments and the might he exercised, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
1 Kings 16:28 Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.
1 Kings 16:29 Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.
1 Kings 16:30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in Yahveh ‘s sight more than all who were before him.
1 Kings 16:31 Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him.
1 Kings 16:32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria.
1 Kings 16:33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to anger Yahveh God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
1 Kings 16:34 During his reign, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he finished its gates, according to the word of Yahveh he had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.

looking for spiritual integrity

A long succession of apostate and violent kings ends with the worst of them all: Ahab. Each line sought to outdo themselves in bringing in more bloodshed and idolatry. Most were assassinated, and the assassin became king afterward. The LORD was there, watching. He was holding each responsible for following the failures of those they replaced. The LORD is looking for spiritual integrity and peace. If he does not find it in our hearts, he will not grant it to our land.

LORD, find peace in us, and grant it to us.