Ahab (1 Kings 16:29–33; 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:5–6; 1 Kings 18:17–20; 1 Kings 18:41–46; 1 Kings 19:1–3; 1 Kings 20:11; 1 Kings 20:31–34; 1 Kings 20:42–43; 1 Kings 21:1–16; 1 Kings 21:17–29; 1 Kings 22:6–8; 1 Kings 22:26–28; 1 Kings 22:29–40; 2 Kings 9:7–10; 2 Kings 10:10–11; 2 Chronicles 18:1–3; Micah 6:16)

Son of Omri, King of Israel

The son of Omri who reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years, took Jezebel to wife, served Baal, was met by Elijah in the drought and in Naboth's vineyard, twice defeated Ben-hadad of Syria, humbled himself under judgment, and died at Ramoth-gilead.

“And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years” (1 Kings 16:29). The narrator's verdict follows at once: “And Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah above all that were before him” (1 Kings 16:30). He took Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, “and went and served Baal, and worshipped him” (1 Kings 16:31), and “Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him” (1 Kings 16:33).

Elijah the Tishbite told him there would be neither dew nor rain but according to his word (1 Kings 17:1); in the third year of the famine Ahab searched the land for water with Obadiah, met Elijah, and gathered Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). He twice defeated Ben-hadad king of Syria at the word of a prophet, and then made a covenant with him and let him go; a son of the prophets told him, “thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people” (1 Kings 20:42). When Naboth the Jezreelite would not give him his vineyard, Ahab lay down and would eat no bread, and Jezebel wrote letters in his name; Elijah met him in the vineyard with the word of the LORD. Of him the narrator says, “there was none like unto Ahab, who did sell himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up” (1 Kings 21:25). Yet “when Ahab heard those words, … he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted” (1 Kings 21:27), and the LORD said, “Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me?” (1 Kings 21:29).

At Ramoth-gilead he went into battle disguised, and “a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor” (1 Kings 22:34). He died at even, and “the dogs licked up his blood … according unto the word of Jehovah which he spake” (1 Kings 22:38). “So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead” (1 Kings 22:40). Later Scripture still speaks of “the house of Ahab” (2 Kings 9:7), and the LORD's charge against Israel through Micah is that “the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab” (Micah 6:16). No New Testament verse names him.

Strengths

• Asked “By whom?” and fought as the prophet said
• Humbled himself

Weaknesses

• Evil above all that were before him
• Followed idols
• Heavy and displeased at Naboth's refusal
• Stirred up by Jezebel
• Took possession of Naboth's vineyard
• Let go the man devoted to destruction
• Hated the prophet who did not prophesy good concerning him

Themes

• Baal worship in Samaria
• The word of the LORD and the prophets
• Naboth's vineyard
• Humbling and postponed judgment
• The house of Ahab

Begins to reign, takes Jezebel, and serves Baal (1 Kings 16:28–34)

Ahab son of Omri reigns in Samaria, does evil above all before him, takes Jezebel, serves Baal, rears up an altar and makes the Asherah.

Begins to reign, takes Jezebel, and serves Baal

“So Omri slept with his fathers, … and Ahab his son reigned in his stead” (1 Kings 16:28). “And Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah above all that were before him” (1 Kings 16:30).

“And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria” (1 Kings 16:31-32).

“And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him” (1 Kings 16:33).

Elijah's word, the famine, and Obadiah (1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:1–18)

Elijah tells Ahab there will be no dew nor rain; in the third year the famine is sore in Samaria, Ahab and Obadiah divide the land to seek grass for the horses and mules, and Ahab meets Elijah and calls him the troubler of Israel.

Carmel and the rain (1 Kings 18:19–46)

At Elijah's word Ahab gathers Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel; the prophets of Baal are slain at Kishon, Elijah tells Ahab to eat and drink, and after the great rain Ahab rides to Jezreel.

Carmel and the rain

Elijah said, “Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel’s table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel” (1 Kings 18:19-20). Scripture records no word of Ahab during the contest itself (1 Kings 18:21-39).

“And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there” (1 Kings 18:40).

“And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink” (1 Kings 18:41-42). Then “the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel: and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel” (1 Kings 18:45-46).

Tells Jezebel what Elijah had done (1 Kings 19:1–3)

Ahab tells Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had slain the prophets with the sword; Jezebel sends Elijah a threat and he goes for his life.

Ben-hadad besieges Samaria (1 Kings 20:1–34)

Ben-hadad of Syria besieges Samaria; Ahab yields to his first demand but refuses the second at the elders' counsel, a prophet promises victory, Israel wins at Samaria and at Aphek, and Ahab calls Ben-hadad his brother and lets him go with a covenant.

The prophet's judgment on the released king (1 Kings 20:35–43)

A son of the prophets, disguised, gets Ahab to decide his own case, then tells him that his life shall go for the life of the man devoted to destruction; Ahab goes home heavy and displeased.

Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21:1–16)

Naboth the Jezreelite will not give Ahab the inheritance of his fathers; Ahab lies down and will not eat, Jezebel writes in his name, Naboth is stoned, and Ahab rises to take possession of the vineyard.

Naboth's vineyard

Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house” (1 Kings 21:2). Naboth answered, “Jehovah forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee” (1 Kings 21:3). “And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased … And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread” (1 Kings 21:4).

Jezebel said, “Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thy heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite” (1 Kings 21:7). “So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal” (1 Kings 21:8). The elders and nobles did as the letters said, and word came to her, “Naboth is stoned, and is dead” (1 Kings 21:14).

“And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it” (1 Kings 21:16). Scripture does not say what Ahab knew of the letters beyond that they were written in his name and sealed with his seal.

Elijah in the vineyard, and Ahab humbles himself (1 Kings 21:17–29)

Elijah meets Ahab in Naboth's vineyard with the word of the LORD; Ahab rends his clothes and humbles himself, and the LORD says he will not bring the evil in Ahab's days.

Elijah in the vineyard, and Ahab humbles himself

The word of the LORD sent Elijah to Ahab in the vineyard of Naboth: “Hast thou killed and also taken possession … In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine” (1 Kings 21:19). “And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee, because thou hast sold thyself to do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah” (1 Kings 21:20).

The narrator adds: “But there was none like unto Ahab, who did sell himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. And he did very abominably in following idols” (1 Kings 21:25-26).

“And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly” (1 Kings 21:27). Then the LORD said to Elijah, “Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house” (1 Kings 21:29).

Micaiah and the four hundred prophets (1 Kings 22:1–28; 2 Chronicles 18:1–27)

Ahab asks Jehoshaphat to go with him to Ramoth-gilead; about four hundred prophets say Go up, but Micaiah tells of Israel scattered and a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets, and Ahab has him put in prison.

Dies at Ramoth-gilead (1 Kings 22:29–40; 2 Chronicles 18:28–34)

Ahab disguises himself and goes into the battle, is wounded by a bow drawn at a venture, dies at even, is buried in Samaria, and the dogs lick up his blood.

Dies at Ramoth-gilead

As Ahab sent him to prison, Micaiah had said, “If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me” (1 Kings 22:28). “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle” (1 Kings 22:30).

“And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even; and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot” (1 Kings 22:34-35).

“So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood (now the harlots washed themselves there); according unto the word of Jehovah which he spake” (1 Kings 22:37-38). Elijah had spoken of dogs licking Ahab's blood “in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth” (1 Kings 21:19), and after Ahab humbled himself the LORD said the evil would come “in his son’s days” (1 Kings 21:29); the narrator here does not say which spoken word he means.

The rest of his acts, “the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built” (1 Kings 22:39), are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel (1 Kings 22:39). “So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead” (1 Kings 22:40).

The house of Ahab after him (2 Kings 1:1; 2 Kings 3:1–3; 2 Kings 9:6–10; 2 Kings 9:25–26; 2 Kings 10:10–11; 2 Kings 10:17)

Moab rebels after Ahab's death; his son Jehoram puts away the pillar of Baal; Jehu is anointed to smite the house of Ahab, has Joram cast into the plot of Naboth, and smites all that remain unto Ahab, as the LORD spoke by Elijah.

Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 21:7–8; 1 Kings 21:23–25)

He took her to wife; she stirred him up, wrote in his name to take Naboth's vineyard, and the LORD spoke of her also.

Omri (1 Kings 16:28–29; Micah 6:16)

His father, whom Ahab succeeded as king in Samaria; Micah joins the statutes of Omri with the works of the house of Ahab.

Elijah (1 Kings 18:17–18; 1 Kings 21:20)

In Ahab's own words he was the troubler of Israel and Ahab's enemy; Elijah answered that Ahab and his father's house troubled Israel by forsaking the commandments of the LORD.

Obadiah (1 Kings 18:3–16)

Over Ahab's household and one who feared the LORD greatly, he searched the land one way while Ahab went another, and feared Ahab would slay him before he carried Elijah's word.

Naboth the Jezreelite (1 Kings 21:1–16; 2 Kings 9:25–26)

He would not give Ahab the inheritance of his fathers and was stoned on the word of Jezebel's letters.

Ben-hadad (1 Kings 20:1–34)

King of Syria who besieged Samaria and was twice beaten; Ahab called him his brother and let him go with a covenant.

Micaiah son of Imlah (1 Kings 22:8; 1 Kings 22:26–28)

A prophet of the LORD whom Ahab said he hated because he did not prophesy good concerning him, and whom Ahab sent to prison.

Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:2–4; 2 Chronicles 18:1–3)

King of Judah who joined affinity with Ahab and went up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

Jehoram (2 Kings 3:1–3)

Son of Ahab who reigned in Samaria and put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.

The LORD (1 Kings 16:30–33; 1 Kings 20:13; 1 Kings 20:28; 1 Kings 21:17–29)

Delivered Syria into Ahab's hand by a prophet's word, spoke judgment by Elijah, and because Ahab humbled himself would not bring the evil in his days.

Major sections

• 1 Kings 16:28–34
• 1 Kings 17–19
• 1 Kings 20
• 1 Kings 21
• 1 Kings 22
• 2 Kings 9–10
• 2 Chronicles 18

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