Read 1 Kings 15 and 16 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions:
1 Kin 15:1-8 {p} The reign of Abijah the son of Rehoboam over Judah/ he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight
1 Kin 15:9-14 {s} Asa the son of Abijah king over Judah/ he did what was right in the Lord’s sight
1 Kin 15:15-24 {p} Asa at war with Baasha/ his treaty with the king of Syria against Baasha
1 Kin 15:25-32 {p} Nadab the son of Jeroboam king over Israel/ Baasha killed him and all the house of Jeroboam
1 Kin 15:33-34 {s} Baasha of the house of Issachar king over Israel/ he did evil in the Lord’s sight
1 Kin 16:1-7 {p} The prophet to Baasha: because you have done evil, your house will be like the house of Jeroboam
1 Kin 16:8-14 {p} Elah the son of Baasha king over Israel/ Zimri killed him and all the house of Baasha
1 Kin 16:15-20 {p} Israel made Omri the commander of the army king, Zimri killed himself before Omri could kill him
1 Kin 16:21-22 {p} Civil war over the kingship of Israel, but Omri prevailed and was established as king
1 Kin 16:23-28 {p} Omri bought the hill of Samaria and made his capital city, Samaria, there
1 Kin 16:29-34 {s} Ahab the son of Omri king over Israel/ he did more evil than all who were before him
The strong themes:
1 Kin 15:1-8 {p} The reign of Abijah the son of Rehoboam over Judah/ he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight
1 Kin 15:9-24 {s+p} The reign of Asa the son of Abijah over Judah/ his acts/ he did what was good in the Lord’s sight
1 Kin 15:25-32 {p} Nadab the son of Jeroboam king over Israel/ Baasha killed him and all the house of Jeroboam
1 Kin 15:33-16:7 {s+p} The reign of Baasha (of Issachar) over Israel/ he did evil/ the prophecy against him
1 Kin 16:8-14 {p} Elah the son of Baasha king over Israel/ Zimri killed him and all the house of Baasha
1 Kin 16:15-20 {p} Israel made Omri the commander of the army king, Zimri killed himself before Omri could kill him
1 Kin 16:21-22 {p} Civil war over the kingship of Israel, but Omri prevailed and was established as king
1 Kin 16:23-28 {p} Omri bought the hill of Samaria and made his capital city, Samaria, there
The chiastic structure is complex, with recurring themes:
1a) 1 Kin 15:25-34 {p+s} Nadab king, but the house of Jeroboam killed for their wickedness + Baasha king of Israel did evil in YHVH’s sight + made Israel sin;
1) 1 Kin 15:25-32 {p} Nadab king, but Baasha killed him + all Jeroboam’s house, because he made Israel sin + provoked YHVH to anger;
1a) 1 Kin 15:25, Nadab, son of Jeroboam, king over Israel in the 2nd year of Asa/ he reigned 2 years;
1b) 1 Kin 15:26, He did evil in YHVH’s sight/ walked in the way of his father in which he made Israel sin;
central axis) 1 Kin 15:27-29, Baasha (of Issachar) killed him + all the house of Jeroboam, as YHVH spoke;
2b) 1 Kin 15:30, Because of the sins of Jeroboam + made Israel sin/ provoked YHVH to anger;
2a) 1 Kin 15:31-32 {p} The acts of Nadab written/ there was war between Asa and Baasha all their days.
2) 1 Kin 15:33-34 {s} In the 3rd year of Asa, Baasha king over Israel/ he reigned 24 years, doing evil in YHVH’s sight/ walked in the way of Jeroboam + made Israel sin;
1b) 1 Kin 16:1-2a, The word of YHVH came to the prophet against Baasha: I made you king over My people Israel;
1c) 1 Kin 16:2b, You walked in the way of Jeroboam + made Israel sin/ provoked Me to anger;
1d) 1 Kin 16:3-4, Surely I will make the house of Baasha like the house of Jeroboam;
central axis) 1 Kin 16:5-6, The acts of Baasha written/ he died, was buried/ his son Elah reigned in his place;
2d) 1 Kin 16:7a, The word of YHVH came by the prophet against Baasha and his house;
2c) 1 Kin 16:7b, Because he did evil in provoking YHVH to anger/ in being like the house of Jeroboam;
2b) 1 Kin 16:7c {p} And because Baasha killed the house of Jeroboam;
2a) 1 Kin 16:8-34 {px5+s} Elah king, but the house of Baasha killed for their wickedness + the kings of Israel did evil in YHVH’s sight + made Israel sin;
1) 1 Kin 15:8-14 {p} Elah king, but Zimri killed him + all Baasha’s house, because he made Israel sin + provoked YHVH to anger;
1a) 1 Kin 16:8, In the 26th year of Asa, Elah son of Baasha king over Israel/ he reigned 2 years;
central axis) 1 Kin 16:9-13, Zimri, his commander, killed him + all the house of Baasha, as YHVH spoke, because they made Israel sin/ provoked YHVH to anger with their idols;
2a) 1 Kin 16:14 {p} The acts of Elah written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel;
2) 1 Kin 16:8-24 {px5+s} The kings of Israel did evil in YHVH’s sight/ walked as Jeroboam + made Israel sin;
1 Kin 16:8-22 {p+p} The chiastic structure of the reign of Zimri:
1a) 1 Kin 16:8-18, Zimri’s treason + his reign/ the people made Omri king, so Zimri died;
1) 1 Kin 16:8-14 {p} The treason that Zimri committed: he conspired against Elah and killed him;
2) 1 Kin 16:15a, In the 27th year of Asa, Zimri reigned in Tirzah 7 days;
3) 1 Kin 16:15b-16, Israel heard it + made Omri the commander of the army king;
4) 1 Kin 16:17-18 Omri + Israel besieged Tirzah/ Zimri burned the king’s house down, and died;
central axis) 1 Kin 16:19, Because he did evil in YHVH’s sight/ walked in the way of Jeroboam + made Israel sin;
2a) 1 Kin 16:20-22 {p} Zimri’s treason + his reign/ the people made Omri king, so Tibni died;
1) 1 Kin 16:20a, The rest of the acts of Zimri + the treason he committed;
2) 1 Kin 16:20b {p} His reign written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel;
3) 1 Kin 16:21-22a, Israel was divided: half wanted Tibni king, half wanted Omri, but the people for Omri prevailed; 4) 1 Kin 16:22b {p} So Tibni died and Omri reigned.
1 Kin 16:23-28 {p} The chiastic structure of the reign of Omri:
1a) 1 Kin 16:23, In the 31st year of Asa, Omri became king over Israel/ he reigned 12 years (6 in Tirzah);
1b) 1 Kin 16:24, His acts: he bought the hill of Samaria + built his capital city, Samaria, there;
1c) 1 Kin 16:25-26, Omri did evil in YHVH’s sight, worse than all before him;
central axis) 1 Kin 16:26a, He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat + made Israel sin;
2c) 1 Kin 16:26b, Provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols;
2b) 1 Kin 16:27, The acts of Omri written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel;
2a) 1 Kin 16:28 {p} Omri died, was buried/ Ahab his son reigned in his place.
1 Kin 16:29-34 {s} The chiastic structure of the beginning of the reign of Ahab:
1a) 1 Kin 16:29, In the 38th year of Asa, Ahab king over Israel/ he reigned 22 years;
1b) 1 Kin 16:30-31a, Ahab did evil in YHVH’s sight, more than all who were before him/ walked as Jeroboam;
central axis) 1 Kin 16:31b-33a, “He took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a wooden image;”
2b) 1 Kin 16:33b, Ahab did more to provoke YHVH to anger than all who were before him;
2a) 1 Kin 16:34 {s} In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho at the cost of his firstborn + youngest sons.
The contrast between the king of Judah, who did good in YHVH’s sight, and removed the idolatry from the land, whose reign was lengthy and peaceful, and in his one war, prevailed; is stark compared to the kings of Israel, who did evil in YHVH’s sight, and caused Israel to sin by leading them into idolatry. Their reigns followed one after another in succession without stability, for there were assassinations, civil war, and peace did not prevail in their days.
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