Jehu’s Prophecy against Baasha

1Then the word of the LORD {YHWH} came to Jehu (YHWH is He) son of Hanani (gracious) against Baasha (wicked), saying: 2“Even though I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel (he wrestles with God), you have walked in the way of Jeroboam (the people will contend) and have caused My people Israel to sin and to provoke Me to anger by their sins. 3So now I will consume Baasha (wicked) and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam (the people will contend) son of Nebat (aspect):

4Anyone belonging to Baasha (wicked) who dies in the city

will be eaten by dogs,

and anyone who dies in the field

will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

5As for the rest of the acts of Baasha (wicked), along with his accomplishments and might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel (he wrestles with God)? 6And Baasha (wicked) rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah (favorable), and his son Elah (An oak) reigned in his place.

7Moreover, the word of the LORD {YHWH} came through the prophet Jehu (YHWH is He) son of Hanani (gracious) against Baasha (wicked) and his house, because of all the evil he had done in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of his hands and becoming like the house of Jeroboam (the people will contend), and also because Baasha had struck down the house of Jeroboam.

Elah Reigns in Israel

8In the twenty-sixth year of Asa’s (healer) reign over Judah (praised), Elah (An oak) son of Baasha (wicked) became king of Israel (he wrestles with God), and he reigned in Tirzah (favorable) two years.

9However, while Elah was in Tirzah (favorable) getting drunk in the house of Arza (earthy) the steward of his household there, Elah’s servant Zimri (my music), the commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. 10So in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s (healer) reign over Judah (praised), Zimri (my music) went in, struck Elah down, and killed him. And Zimri reigned in his place.

11As soon as Zimri began to reign and was seated on the throne, he struck down the entire household of Baasha (wicked). He did not leave a single male, whether a kinsman or friend. 12So Zimri (my music) destroyed the entire household of Baasha (wicked), according to the word that the LORD {YHWH} had spoken against Baasha through Jehu (YHWH is He) the prophet. 13This happened because of all the sins Baasha (wicked) and his son Elah (An oak) had committed and had caused Israel (he wrestles with God) to commit, provoking the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.

14As for the rest of the acts of Elah (An oak), along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel (he wrestles with God)?

Zimri Reigns in Israel

15In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s (healer) reign over Judah (praised), Zimri (my music) reigned in Tirzah (favorable) for seven days. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon (mound) of the Philistines (immigrants), 16and the people in the camp heard that Zimri (my music) had conspired against the king and struck him down. So there in the camp that very day, all Israel (he wrestles with God) proclaimed Omri (pupil of YHWH), the commander of the army, king over Israel.

17Then Omri (pupil of YHWH) and all the Israelites (God prevails) marched up from Gibbethon (mound) and besieged Tirzah (favorable). 18When Zimri (my music) saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down upon himself. So he died 19because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH} and following the example of Jeroboam (the people will contend) and the sin he had committed and had caused Israel (he wrestles with God) to commit.

20As for the rest of the acts of Zimri (my music) and the treason he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel (he wrestles with God)?

Omri Reigns in Israel

21At that time the people of Israel (he wrestles with God) were divided: Half of the people supported Tibni (intelligent) son of Ginath (protection) as king, and half supported Omri (pupil of YHWH). 22But the followers of Omri (pupil of YHWH) proved stronger than those of Tibni (intelligent) son of Ginath (protection). So Tibni died and Omri became king.

23In the thirty-first year of Asa’s (healer) reign over Judah (praised), Omri (pupil of YHWH) became king of Israel (he wrestles with God), and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah (favorable). 24He bought the hill of Samaria (watch mountain) from Shemer (preserved) for two talents of silver <151 lb / 68.4 kg>a and built a city there, calling it Samaria after the name of Shemer, who had owned the hill.

25But Omri (pupil of YHWH) did evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH} and acted more wickedly than all who were before him. 26For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam (the people will contend) son of Nebat (aspect) and in his sins, which he caused Israel (he wrestles with God) to commit, provoking the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.

27As for the rest of the acts of Omri (pupil of YHWH), along with his accomplishments and the might he exercised, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel (he wrestles with God)?

28And Omri (pupil of YHWH) rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria (watch mountain), and his son Ahab (father's brother) reigned in his place.

Ahab Reigns in Israel, Marries Jezebel

29In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s (healer) reign over Judah (praised), Ahab (father's brother) son of Omri (pupil of YHWH) became king of Israel (he wrestles with God), and he reigned in Samaria (watch mountain) twenty-two years.

30However, Ahab (father's brother) son of Omri (pupil of YHWH) did evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH}, more than all who were before him. 31And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam (the people will contend) son of Nebat (aspect), he even married Jezebel (Baal exalts) the daughter of Ethbaal (with Baal) king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve (lord) and worship Baal.

32First, Ahab set up an altar for Baal (lord) in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria (watch mountain). 33Then he (father's brother) set up an Asherah pole (goddess). Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel, to anger (he wrestles with God) than all the kings of Israel before him.

34In Ahab’s days, Hiel (God lives) the Bethelite (house of God) rebuilt Jericho (city of palms). At the cost of Abiram (my father is exalted) his firstborn he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub (exalted) his youngest he set up its gates, according to the word that the LORD {YHWH} had spoken through Joshua (YHWH saves) son of Nun <Jos 6:26>.b