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1 Kings 16 (Melachim Alef) in Hebrew and English

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Tenakh Study · 1 Kings 16:1–34

1 Kings, Chapter 16

מלכים א טז

Yehu son of Chanani prophesies against Ba’sha; Elah his son is slain by Zimri, who destroys the house of Ba’sha and reigns seven days before burning the king’s house over himself; Omri prevails over Tivni and builds Shomron, and Achav his son takes Izevel to wife, serves Ba’al, and provokes Hashem more than all before him.

16:1Then the word of Hashem came to Yehu (Jehu) the son of Chanani (Hanani) against Ba’sha (Baasha), saying,

אוַיְהִ֤י דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֶל־יֵה֣וּא בֶן־חֲנָ֔נִי עַל־בַּעְשָׁ֖א לֵאמֹֽר׃

16:2“Forasmuch as I exalted you out of the dust, and made you prince over My people Israel; and you have walked in the way of Yarov’am (Jeroboam), and have made My people Israel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins;

ביַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֲרִימֹתִ֨יךָ֙ מִן־הֶ֣עָפָ֔ר וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֣ נָגִ֔יד עַ֖ל עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ ׀ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֗ם וַֽתַּחֲטִא֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְהַכְעִיסֵ֖נִי בְּחַטֹּאתָֽם׃

16:3Behold, I will take away the posterity of Ba’sha, and the posterity of his house; and will make your house like the house of Yarov’am the son of Nevat (Nebat).

גהִנְנִ֥י מַבְעִ֛יר אַחֲרֵ֥י בַעְשָׁ֖א וְאַחֲרֵ֣י בֵית֑וֹ וְנָֽתַתִּי֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣יתְךָ֔ כְּבֵ֖ית יָרָבְעָ֥ם בֶּן־נְבָֽט׃

16:4Him that dies of Ba’sha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dies of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.”

דהַמֵּ֤ת לְבַעְשָׁא֙ בָּעִ֔יר יֹֽאכְל֖וּ הַכְּלָבִ֑ים וְהַמֵּ֥ת לוֹ֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ ע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

16:5Now the rest of the acts of Ba’sha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

הוְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י בַעְשָׁ֛א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה וּגְבֽוּרָת֑וֹ הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

16:6So Ba’sha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirtzah (Tirzah): and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

ווַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב בַּעְשָׁא֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּתִרְצָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵלָ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

16:7And also by the hand of the prophet Yehu the son of Chanani came the word of Hashem against Ba’sha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of Hashem, in provoking Him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Yarov’am; and because he killed him.

זוְגַ֡ם בְּיַד־יֵה֨וּא בֶן־חֲנָ֜נִי הַנָּבִ֗יא דְּבַר־יְהוָ֡ה הָיָה֩ אֶל־בַּעְשָׁ֨א וְאֶל־בֵּית֜וֹ וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָרָעָ֣ה ׀ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה ׀ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה לְהַכְעִיסוֹ֙ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֔יו לִהְי֖וֹת כְּבֵ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֑ם וְעַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־הִכָּ֖ה אֹתֽוֹ׃

Elah son of Ba’sha

16:8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Yehudah (Judah) began Elah the son of Ba’sha to reign over Israel in Tirtzah, two years.

חבִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָשֵׁשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְאָסָ֖א מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ אֵלָ֨ה בֶן־בַּעְשָׁ֧א עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּתִרְצָ֖ה שְׁנָתָֽיִם׃

16:9And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirtzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Artza (Arza) steward of his house in Tirtzah.

טוַיִּקְשֹׁ֤ר עָלָיו֙ עַבְדּ֣וֹ זִמְרִ֔י שַׂ֖ר מַחֲצִ֣ית הָרָ֑כֶב וְה֤וּא בְתִרְצָה֙ שֹׁתֶ֣ה שִׁכּ֔וֹר בֵּ֣ית אַרְצָ֔א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת בְּתִרְצָֽה׃

16:10And Zimri went in and struck him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Yehudah, and reigned in his stead.

יוַיָּבֹ֤א זִמְרִי֙ וַיַּכֵּ֣הוּ וַיְמִיתֵ֔הוּ בִּשְׁנַת֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וָשֶׁ֔בַע לְאָסָ֖א מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

16:11And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Ba’sha: he left him not one that pisses against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

יאוַיְהִ֨י בְמָלְכ֜וֹ כְּשִׁבְתּ֣וֹ עַל־כִּסְא֗וֹ הִכָּה֙ אֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֣ית בַּעְשָׁ֔א לֹֽא־הִשְׁאִ֥יר ל֖וֹ מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֑יר וְגֹאֲלָ֖יו וְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

16:12Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Ba’sha, according to the word of Hashem, which He spoke against Ba’sha by Yehu the prophet,

יבוַיַּשְׁמֵ֣ד זִמְרִ֔י אֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֣ית בַּעְשָׁ֑א כִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־בַּעְשָׁ֔א בְּיַ֖ד יֵה֥וּא הַנָּבִֽיא׃

16:13For all the sins of Ba’sha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking Hashem God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

יגאֶ֚ל כָּל־חַטֹּ֣אות בַּעְשָׁ֔א וְחַטֹּ֖אות אֵלָ֣ה בְנ֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטְא֗וּ וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶחֱטִ֨יאוּ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְהַכְעִ֗יס אֶת־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּהַבְלֵיהֶֽם׃

16:14Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

ידוְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י אֵלָ֖ה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֽוֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Zimri’s seven days in Tirtzah

16:15In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Yehudah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirtzah. And the people were encamped against Gibeton (Gibbethon), which belonged to the Pelishtim (Philistines).

טובִּשְׁנַת֩ עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע שָׁנָ֗ה לְאָסָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה מָלַ֥ךְ זִמְרִ֛י שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בְּתִרְצָ֑ה וְהָעָ֣ם חֹנִ֔ים עַֽל־גִּבְּת֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר לַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

16:16And the people that were encamped heard say, “Zimri has conspired, and has also slain the king”: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.

טזוַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע הָעָם֙ הַחֹנִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר קָשַׁ֣ר זִמְרִ֔י וְגַ֖ם הִכָּ֣ה אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיַּמְלִ֣כוּ כָֽל־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל אֶת־עָמְרִ֨י שַׂר־צָבָ֧א עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

16:17And Omri went up from Gibeton, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirtzah.

יזוַיַּעֲלֶ֥ה עָמְרִ֛י וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עִמּ֖וֹ מִֽגִּבְּת֑וֹן וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ עַל־תִּרְצָֽה׃

16:18And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died,

יחוַיְהִ֞י כִּרְא֤וֹת זִמְרִי֙ כִּֽי־נִלְכְּדָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־אַרְמ֣וֹן בֵּית־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשְׂרֹ֨ף עָלָ֧יו אֶת־בֵּֽית־מֶ֛לֶךְ בָּאֵ֖שׁ וַיָּמֹֽת׃

16:19For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of Hashem, in walking in the way of Yarov’am, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.

יטעַל־חַטֹּאתָיו֙ (כתיב חטאתו) אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לָלֶ֨כֶת֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֔ם וּבְחַטָּאתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה לְהַחֲטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

16:20Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

כוְיֶ֨תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י זִמְרִ֔י וְקִשְׁר֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָשָׁ֑ר הֲלֹֽא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Tivni and Omri

16:21Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tivni (Tibni) the son of Ginat (Ginath), to make him king; and half followed Omri.

כאאָ֧ז יֵחָלֵ֛ק הָעָ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַחֵ֑צִי חֲצִ֨י הָעָ֜ם הָ֠יָה אַחֲרֵ֨י תִבְנִ֤י בֶן־גִּינַת֙ לְהַמְלִיכ֔וֹ וְהַחֲצִ֖י אַחֲרֵ֥י עָמְרִֽי׃

16:22But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tivni the son of Ginat: so Tivni died, and Omri reigned.

כבוַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַחֲרֵ֣י עָמְרִ֔י אֶת־הָעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַחֲרֵ֖י תִּבְנִ֣י בֶן־גִּינַ֑ת וַיָּ֣מָת תִּבְנִ֔י וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ עָמְרִֽי׃

Omri builds Shomron

16:23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Yehudah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirtzah.

כגבִּשְׁנַת֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וְאַחַ֜ת שָׁנָ֗ה לְאָסָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה מָלַ֤ךְ עָמְרִי֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה בְּתִרְצָ֖ה מָלַ֥ךְ שֵׁשׁ־שָׁנִֽים׃

16:24And he bought the hill Shomron (Samaria) of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Shomron.

כדוַיִּ֜קֶן אֶת־הָהָ֥ר שֹׁמְר֛וֹן מֵ֥אֶת שֶׁ֖מֶר בְּכִכְּרַ֣יִם כָּ֑סֶף וַיִּ֨בֶן֙ אֶת־הָהָ֔ר וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶת־שֵׁ֤ם הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּנָ֔ה עַ֣ל שֶׁם־שֶׁ֔מֶר אֲדֹנֵ֖י הָהָ֥ר שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

16:25But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of Hashem, and did worse than all that were before him.

כהוַיַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה עָמְרִ֛י הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּ֕רַע מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְפָנָֽיו׃

16:26For he walked in all the way of Yarov’am the son of Nevat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke Hashem God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

כווַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֔ט וּבְחַטָּאת֔וֹ (כתיב ובחטאתיו) אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהַכְעִ֗יס אֶת־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּהַבְלֵיהֶֽם׃

16:27Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

כזוְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֤י עָמְרִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וּגְבוּרָת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹֽא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

16:28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Shomron: and Achav (Ahab) his son reigned in his stead.

כחוַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב עָמְרִי֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אַחְאָ֥ב בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

Achav and Izevel

16:29And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Yehudah began Achav the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Achav the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Shomron twenty and two years.

כטוְאַחְאָ֣ב בֶּן־עָמְרִ֗י מָלַךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בִּשְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּשְׁמֹנֶה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְאָסָ֖א מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַ֠יִּמְלֹךְ אַחְאָ֨ב בֶּן־עָמְרִ֤י עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם שָׁנָֽה׃

16:30And Achav the son of Omri did evil in the sight of Hashem above all that were before him.

לוַיַּ֨עַשׂ אַחְאָ֧ב בֶּן־עָמְרִ֛י הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְפָנָֽיו׃

16:31And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Yarov’am the son of Nevat, that he took to wife Izevel (Jezebel) the daughter of Etba’al (Ethbaal) king of the Tzidonim (Zidonians), and went and served Ba’al (Baal), and worshipped him.

לאוַיְהִי֙ הֲנָקֵ֣ל לֶכְתּ֔וֹ בְּחַטֹּ֖אות יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֑ט וַיִּקַּ֨ח אִשָּׁ֜ה אֶת־אִיזֶ֗בֶל בַּת־אֶתְבַּ֨עַל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ צִידֹנִ֔ים וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־הַבַּ֔עַל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לֽוֹ׃

16:32And he reared up an altar for Ba’al in the house of Ba’al, which he had built in Shomron.

לבוַיָּ֥קֶם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַבָּ֑עַל בֵּ֣ית הַבַּ֔עַל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָ֖ה בְּשֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

16:33And Achav made a grove; and Achav did more to provoke Hashem God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

לגוַיַּ֥עַשׂ אַחְאָ֖ב אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה וַיּ֨וֹסֶף אַחְאָ֜ב לַעֲשׂ֗וֹת לְהַכְעִיס֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִכֹּ֨ל מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃

Yericho rebuilt

16:34In his days did Chi’el (Hiel) the Beit-Eli (Bethelite) build Yericho (Jericho): he laid the foundation thereof in Aviram (Abiram) his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Seguv (Segub), according to the word of Hashem, which He spoke by Yehoshua (Joshua) the son of Nun.

לדבְּיָמָ֞יו בָּנָ֥ה חִיאֵ֛ל בֵּ֥ית הָאֱלִ֖י אֶת־יְרִיחֹ֑ה בַּאֲבִירָ֨ם בְּכֹר֜וֹ יִסְּדָ֗הּ וּבִשְׂג֤וּב (כתיב ובשגיב) צְעִירוֹ֙ הִצִּ֣יב דְּלָתֶ֔יהָ כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַ֖ד יְהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃

Sources & method

Hebrew text
The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation
The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Kings they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 4–5 (4:21–34 there is 5:1–14 here), 18 and 20 (where a sentence is divided at a different place) and 22; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
Hebrew font
SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.