TEXT [Commentary]
9. Ahab rules in Israel (16:29-34)
29 Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. 31 And as though it were not enough to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. 32 First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. 33 Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.
34 It was during his reign that Hiel, a man from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest son, Abiram. And when he completed it and set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son, Segub.[*] This all happened according to the message from the LORD concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun.
NOTES
16:29 Ahab son of Omri. He is the first Israelite king to be mentioned in a cuneiform inscription (the Kurkh Monolith). “Ahab the Israelite” is said to have contributed numerous chariots (2,000 if the text is accurate) and 10,000 foot soldiers to an anti-Assyrian coalition (see Cogan 2001:420, 506). The name Ahab (’akh’ab [TH256, ZH281]) may have been a non-Israelite name (cf. Omri his father; see the first note on 16:23); it may mean “My brother is Abba (the father-god)” (so Wiseman 1993:162), or else (if it is Israelite), “the brother of the father” (i.e., “resembling the father”; Gray 1970:367).
16:31 Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians. Jezebel, the soon-to-be-infamous queen, probably married early in Ahab’s reign to cement political and economic ties between Israel and Phoenicia (cf. Wiseman 1993:163; see also the commentary on 16:21-28). The name Jezebel perhaps means “Zebul exists” where Zebul, “Prince,” is an epithet for Baal (Cogan 2001:281, 420-421); but Appler (2008:313) prefers a reference to the Canaanite cultic chant, “where is the Prince?” (cf. Gray 1970:368). Ethbaal, the “Eithobalos” or “Ithobalos” of Josephus (see, at length, Barnes 1991:29-55), ruled 32 years in Tyre; his name probably means “Baal is alive” (Wiseman 1993:162-163; cf. Gray 1970:368), “Baal exists,” or else, “Baal is with him” (HALOT 101-102). The term “Sidonians” probably at this time referred to the greater region of Tyre (i.e., the land of Phoenicia) as well as the port city of Sidon itself (Katzenstein 1997:130-136).
16:32 a temple and an altar for Baal. Blatant apostasy—here, the worship of other gods—is signified by this phrase. Cogan (2001:421) has pointed out that “Ahab’s introduction of the cult of Baal in Samaria is hardly different from Solomon’s installation of various high places in Jerusalem (cf. 11:7); both monarchs honored their wives by supporting the worship of their native gods.” Nevertheless, Yahweh, the jealous God of Israel, would not allow this to continue for very long (see commentary on 12:25-33).
16:33 an Asherah pole. See note on 14:15. This particular Asherah symbol will apparently survive until after the reign of the reformer king, Jehu (cf. 2 Kgs 13:6).
He did more to provoke the anger of the LORD. This is the climax of an escalating refrain of harsh criticism (cf. 16:25, 30) unique to Omri and Ahab. With such severe censure, the mitigating refrain found later in 21:27-29 seems genuinely grace-filled (“Ahab . . . humbled himself before me. . . . I will not do what I promised during his lifetime. It will happen to his sons.”).
16:34 This all happened according to the message from the LORD concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun. Joshua placed a curse on anyone who would try to rebuild Jericho (Josh 6:26). The curse is fulfilled some 350 or more years later, at the cost of (A)hiel’s oldest and youngest sons (concerning the name Hiel [MT] or Ahiel [cf. LXX], see Cogan 2001:421). Whether it’s part of the curse of the kherem [TH2764, ZH3051] (see note on 9:21), or something particularly dangerous or distasteful about Jericho’s particular location (later on, the prophet Elisha will have to heal its waters; see 2 Kgs 2:19-22), or a combination of both of these factors, the Kings editor reminds us that these sad events occurred during the already ill-starred reign of Ahab. In addition, this strong tie between the books of Joshua and Kings serves to strengthen the Deuteronomistic hypothesis that the editing of both books came from the same hand.
COMMENTARY [Text]
Once again, we find here mostly formulaic denunciations, but with even more “mustard” than in the past. Ahab is the worst king of all so far! Among other things, such statements prepare us for Elijah’s harsh words of condemnation for both Ahab and Jezebel in the next chapters; and ironically, these words also prepare us to be shocked by the events of chapter 21, where Ahab’s repentance brings about a startling delay of the inevitable disaster awaiting the dynasty and kingdom. (Cf. 21:27-29 with 2 Kgs 22:19-20, the only two places in 1–2 Kings containing the term “humble oneself,” a Niphal of kana‘ [TH3665, ZH4044].) So, notwithstanding the present harsh, condemnatory passage, as well as the next several chapters of repeated, deserved prophetic denunciations, there is always hope, it would seem, for even the most wicked of leaders if they repent of their sins and change their ways. This seems to be the overall agenda of the editor(s) of 1–2 Kings. But for the present, it is only condemnation, severe condemnation, and, eventually, monstrously disastrous condemnation.
The concluding Jericho inclusio (cf. the first note on 3:15), found in the present passage (see note on 16:34; cf. Josh 6:26), serves effectively to prepare us for the prophetic chapters that lie ahead. For it is the prophetic role of Joshua son of Nun that is emphasized here—that is, a prophetic word coming from the “kinglike” Joshua, able military leader and mostly successful successor of Moses—who literally had the last word concerning the fate of Jericho. The firstfruits of the Israelite conquest, Jericho would be, as it were, the last city to be rebuilt in the land, and at a fearsome cost. As already discussed in the note on 16:34, the unfortunate actions of Hiel are probably meant to reflect negatively on the reign of Hiel’s king, Ahab. While any king can repent and thus bring blessing to himself, his land, and perhaps to his future dynasty, no king can undo a truly prophetic word from God, whether it be from an unnamed “man of God” (cf. ch 13), or from the renowned leader Joshua. Perhaps the continuing conundrum of free will versus predestination has never been illustrated so clearly as in these parallel passages: God literally has the last word in history, but authentic repentance can remarkably change the future, at least to some extent (yet not rendering void any clear long-term prophecies from God). What a divine mystery this is! What a hope and what a warning to believers in any age!