Post by Lee on Aug 23, 2014 3:17:44 GMT
—This chapter sets forth the insecurity and misery of the ten tribes. Hanani had reproved Asa, king of Judah; now his son, Jehu, denounces Baasha, king of Israel. We have here the dark historic picture in which Elijah’s life was set. About sixty years elapsed between the severance of the ten tribes and the reign of Ahab.
The throne of Israel had been filled by seven kings, all bad:—(1) Jeroboam, who instituted calf worship. He reigned 22 years. (2) Nadab, reigned two years, murdered by (3) Baasha, he reigned 24 years, buried in Tirzah; succeeded by (4) Elah, he reigned two years, murdered, whilst drunk, by his captain, Zimri; (5) Zimri reigned seven days, besieged by Omri, he set fire to the palace and perished in the flames. “Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?” (6) Omri overcame Tibni, so, in the terse language of scripture, “Tibni died, and Omri reigned,” 12 years altogether, six in Tirzah, then he bought the hill of Shemer and built Samaria. He was the first king to be buried there. Ahab (7), who did more to provoke God than all his predecessors.
His sin culminated in his marriage with a heathen idolatrous woman. Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Zidon. Eth-baal, or Ithobal, was priest of Ashtaroth, but he murdered his brother Pheles, king of Tyre, and usurped the throne. It was Jezebel’s intention (with the aid of Ahab) to force the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth on the Israelites, and to make it the state religion.
1910 Christadelphian p 192
The throne of Israel had been filled by seven kings, all bad:—(1) Jeroboam, who instituted calf worship. He reigned 22 years. (2) Nadab, reigned two years, murdered by (3) Baasha, he reigned 24 years, buried in Tirzah; succeeded by (4) Elah, he reigned two years, murdered, whilst drunk, by his captain, Zimri; (5) Zimri reigned seven days, besieged by Omri, he set fire to the palace and perished in the flames. “Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?” (6) Omri overcame Tibni, so, in the terse language of scripture, “Tibni died, and Omri reigned,” 12 years altogether, six in Tirzah, then he bought the hill of Shemer and built Samaria. He was the first king to be buried there. Ahab (7), who did more to provoke God than all his predecessors.
His sin culminated in his marriage with a heathen idolatrous woman. Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Zidon. Eth-baal, or Ithobal, was priest of Ashtaroth, but he murdered his brother Pheles, king of Tyre, and usurped the throne. It was Jezebel’s intention (with the aid of Ahab) to force the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth on the Israelites, and to make it the state religion.
1910 Christadelphian p 192