1 Kings – Chapter 16

Old Testament34 Verses

Chapter Summary

"Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasa, saying:" — so begins 1 Kings 16. The chapter centers on Ahab, Asa and Jezebel. Across its 34 verses, two threads run through the text: God's kingdom and kingship and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasa, saying:

2For as much as I have exalted thee out of the dust and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins:

3Behold I will cut down the posterity of Baasa, and the posterity of his house, and I will make thy house as the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat.

4Him that dieth of Baasa, in the city, the dogs shall eat: and him that dieth of his in the country, the fowls of the air shall devour.

5But the rest of the acts of Baasa, and all that he did, and his battles, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

6So Baasa slept with his fathers, and was buried in Thersa: and Ela, his son, reigned in his stead.

7And when the word of the Lord came in the hand of Jehu, the son of Hanani, the prophet, against Baasa, and against his house, and against all the evil that he had done before the Lord, to provoke him to anger by the works of his hands, to become as the house of Jeroboam: for this cause he slew him; that is to say, Jehu, the son of Hanani, the prophet.

8In the six and twentieth year of Asa, king of Juda, Ela, the son of Baasa, reigned over Israel, in Thersa, two years.

9And his servant Zambri, who was captain of half the horsemen, rebelled against him: now Ela was drinking in Thersa, and drunk in the house of Arsa, the governor of Thersa.

10And Zambri rushing in, struck him, and slew him, in the seven and twentieth year of Asa, king of Juda and he reigned in his stead.

11And when he was king, and sat upon his throne, he slew all the house of Baasa, and he left not one thereof to piss against a wall and all his kinsfolks and friends.

12And Zambri destroyed all the house of Baasa, according to the word of the Lord, that he had spoken to Baasa, in the hand of Jehu, the prophet,

13For all the sins of Baasa, and the sins of Ela, his son, who sinned, and made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, with their vanities.

14But the rest of the acts of Ela, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

15In the seven and twentieth year of Asa, king of Juda, Zambri reigned seven days in Thersa: now the army was besieging Gebbethon, a city of the Philistines.

16And when they heard that Zambri had rebelled, and slain the king, all Israel made Amri their king, who was general over Israel in the camp that day.

17And Amri went up, and all Israel with him, from Gebbethon, and they besieged Thersa.

18And Zambri, seeing that the city was about to be taken, went into the palace, and burnt himself with the king's house: and he died

19In his sins, which he had sinned, doing evil before the Lord, and walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

20But the rest of the acts of Zambri, and of his conspiracy and tyranny, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

21Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: one half of the people followed Thebni, the son of Gineth, to make him king: and one half followed Amri.

22But the people that were with Amri, prevailed over the people that followed Thebni, the son of Gineth: and Thebni died, and Amri reigned.

23In the one and thirtieth year of Asa, king of Juda, Amri reigned over Israel twelve years: in Thersa he reigned six years.

24And he bought the hill of Samaria of Semer, for two talents of silver: and he built upon it, and he called the city which he built Samaria, after the name of Semer, the owner of the hill.

25And Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and acted wickedly above all that were before him.

26And he walked in all the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin: to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.

27Now the rest of the acts of Amri, and the battles he fought, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

28And Amri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, and Achab, his son, reigned in his stead.

29Now Achab, the son of Amri, reigned over Israel in the eight and thirtieth year of Asa, king of Juda. And Achab, the son of Amri, reigned over Israel in Samaria two and twenty years.

30And Achab, the son of Amri, did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.

31Nor was it enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat: but he also took to wife Jezabel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. And he went, and served Baal, and adored him.

32And he set up an altar for Baal, in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria;

33And he planted a grove: and Achab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

34In his days Hiel, of Bethel, built Jericho: in Abiram, his firstborn, he laid its foundations: and in his youngest son, Segub, he set up the gates thereof: according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke in the hand of Josue, the son of Nun.

Important Verses in 1 Kings 16

Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasa, saying:

1 Kings 16:1

For all the sins of Baasa, and the sins of Ela, his son, who sinned, and made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, with their vanities.

1 Kings 16:13

And he walked in all the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin: to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.

1 Kings 16:26

And he planted a grove: and Achab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

1 Kings 16:33

Historical Context

1 Kings belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for the exiles, shown why the kingdom fell: infidelity to the covenant. Chapter 16 of 22 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 34 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Ahab, Asa, Jezebel and Joshua appear at the center of the events recorded here. It opens with the line: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasa, saying:" The final verse reads: "In his days Hiel, of Bethel, built Jericho: in Abiram, his firstborn, he laid its foundations: and in his youngest son,…" The wider setting of 1 Kings is this: First Kings moves from the glory of Solomon—his wisdom, his Temple—to the tragic division of the kingdom into Israel (north) and Judah (south), and the ministry of the prophet Elijah against the idolatry of Ahab and… The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: Events from about 970 to 850 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile (6th century BC).

Who Wrote It

Unknown; tradition suggests Jeremiah or prophetic circles as compilers

When It Was Written

Events from about 970 to 850 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile (6th century BC)

Catholic Commentary

The prophet addresses Israel with a message rooted in covenant fidelity and the hope of restoration. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasa, saying:" The passage repeatedly touches on God's kingdom and kingship.

Catholic exegesis reads 1 Kings 16 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. the Temple prefigures Christ's body and the Church (CIC 756). St. Leo the Great and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 1814).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.

People in This Chapter

Ahab5 mentionsAsa5 mentionsJezebel1 mentionJoshua1 mention

Reflection for Today

As Catholics read 1 Kings Chapter 16, we do so within the living Tradition that has guarded this text for two millennia.

The saints did not treat Scripture as antiquarian literature. St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis de Sales, and countless others used passages such as this to fuel daily conversion. the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love remains a practical lesson for modern disciples.

As you continue through 1 Kings, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 1 Kings Chapter 16 about?

1 Kings 16 contains 34 verses. It opens with "Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasa, saying:" and closes with "In his days Hiel, of Bethel, built Jericho: in Abiram, his firstborn, he laid its foundations: and in his youngest son,…". The book as a whole is historical narrative with prophetic accounts.

What is a key verse in 1 Kings 16?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasa, saying:" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in 1 Kings Chapter 16?

This chapter mentions Ahab, Asa, Jezebel, Joshua.

Who wrote 1 Kings and when?

Unknown; tradition suggests Jeremiah or prophetic circles as compilers. Events from about 970 to 850 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile (6th century BC).

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