Synopsis of the Chapter
Jehu the son of Hanani the prophet threatens king Baasha of Israel with destruction, and therefore is killed by his son Elah: hence, at verse 9, Elah is deprived of kingdom and life by Zimri. Then, at verse 16, Zimri besieged by Omri burns himself with his house. Next, at verse 24, Omri made king builds Samaria. Finally, at verse 29, the impious Ahab with his Jezebel succeeds Omri at his death. It is added, at the last verse, that Hiel built Jericho, and therefore lost all his sons.
Verse 2: But You Walked in the Way of Jeroboam ¶
2. But you walked in the way of Jeroboam, — that is, you followed his idolatry, and compelled the people to worship the golden calves erected by Jeroboam as idols.
Verse 3: I Will Make Your House like the House of Jeroboam ¶
3. AND I WILL MAKE YOUR HOUSE LIKE THE HOUSE OF JEROBOAM, — that is, just as through you I utterly destroyed the family of Jeroboam on account of the idolatry of the calves, so on account of the same I will uproot your offspring through Zimri, who rebels against your son Elah at verse 9. Remarkable was the perversity and stupidity of the kings of Israel, that although they saw the families of previous kings being utterly overthrown by God's command on account of the worship of the calves — indeed they themselves overthrew those same families — yet they themselves worshipped those same calves, and proposed them to the people for worship, lest they return to the temple and to king Asa in Jerusalem; although the prophets protested and threatened them with destruction, indeed the devil and the ambition of reigning blinded and demented them. Hence by the just judgment of God it came about that they were all executioners of one another: for Baasha was the executioner of the sons of Jeroboam, Zimri was the executioner of the sons of Baasha, and Omri was the executioner of Zimri: so among the Romans, Julius Caesar destroyed Pompey, Brutus and Cassius destroyed Julius, and Augustus destroyed them. Then the Senate drove Nero to death, Otho killed Galba, Vitellius killed Otho, Vespasian killed Vitellius, Domitian killed Titus, and Nerva and Trajan killed Domitian, as Sextus Aurelius Victor narrates in the Epitome of the Caesars: behold here that true saying of Juvenal:
To the son-in-law of Ceres (Pluto) without slaughter and blood few Kings descend, and tyrants by a dry death.
Whence Tacitus said of Galba: "By universal consent capable of ruling had he never ruled." And of Vespasian: "The only one of those who ruled," he says, "who changed for the better." But on this matter there will be a fuller discussion at verse 31 concerning Ahab.
Verse 5: Written in the Book of the Words of the Days ¶
5. THEY ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE WORDS OF THE DAYS OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL, — that is, in the Diaries and Annals of the kings of Israel, as I said above.
Verse 7: For This Reason He Killed Him ¶
7. FOR THIS REASON HE KILLED HIM, — namely on account of the prophecy, by which he threatened the idolatrous Elah with destruction. Jehu therefore was here truly a prophet as well as a martyr, and the prophecy made him a martyr.
Verse 9: His Servant Zimri Rebelled Against Him ¶
9. AND HIS SERVANT ZIMRI REBELLED AGAINST HIM. — Note here the just judgments of God upon unfaithful and idolatrous kings: for because Elah had rebelled against God the supreme Lord; hence by the just vengeance of God his servant and commander Zimri in turn rebelled against him: just as Elah killed Jehu the prophet of God, so he himself was killed by Zimri at God's bidding.
Verse 18: Zimri Saw the City Was About to Be Taken ¶
18. BUT WHEN ZIMRI SAW THAT THE CITY WAS ABOUT TO BE TAKEN, HE ENTERED THE PALACE AND SET FIRE TO HIMSELF WITH THE ROYAL HOUSE. — Namely, the tyrant Zimri going around the hall found a pyre, and ascending into the palace leaped into the pyre. Sardanapalus, the last king of the Assyrians, did the same; besieged in Nineveh by Arbaces the commander of his army, lest he fall into his hands, he built a huge pyre in the palace, onto which he heaped all his gold and silver and whatever royal furnishings there were. Then, having shut up his concubines and eunuchs in a small building that he had constructed in the middle of the pyre, he consumed himself and the palace with all of them in the fire. So Diodorus, Justin, Strabo, and others passim. So the wife of Hasdrubal, captured by Scipio when Carthage was set on fire, dragging her three sons by the right and left hand who did not refuse death, "threw herself into the fire of her burning homeland," says Valerius Maximus, book II, chapter II. So the Numantines, besieged for 14 years by the Romans, when they were failing from famine, preferred to burn themselves and all their possessions rather than surrender to Scipio. See Florus, book II.
Verse 22: Tibni Died ¶
22. AND TIBNI DIED, killed by the opposing faction of Omri, according to Josephus. The Septuagint add that the brother of Tibni was also killed, named Joram.
Verse 23: In the Thirty-First Year of Asa ¶
23. IN THE THIRTY-FIRST YEAR OF ASA KING OF JUDAH, OMRI REIGNED OVER ISRAEL. For although Omri, when Zimri was killed, was acclaimed king by the people in the 27th year of Asa, as was said at verses 15 and 16, yet he had a rival for the kingdom in Tibni, with whom he struggled for five years, until with his death Omri reigned alone, which happened in the 31st year of Asa, as is said here. So Abulensis, Richard of St. Victor, Torniellus, Salianus, and others. Whence explaining he adds: HE REIGNED OVER ISRAEL TWELVE YEARS: — for he began to reign on the death of Zimri in the 27th year of Asa, as was said at verses 15 and 16; but he died in the 38th year of Asa, as is said at verse 29; now from the 27th year of Asa to the 38th there are 12 years inclusive. See here how God prolongs the reigns of pious kings, but shortens those of the impious. Behold, Asa reigned 41 years in Judah, during which years eight kings successively reigned in Israel, namely Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Tibni, Omri, and Ahab, of whom Asa saw the rise and fall of all (except Ahab).
HE REIGNED IN TIRZAH SIX YEARS. — "Tirzah" before Omri was the capital and royal residence of the kings of Israel. Wherefore Omri reigned in it five years, during which he contended with Tibni for the kingdom; but when he died, in the sixth year of his reign Omri transferred the royal residence from Tirzah to Samaria, which he built, as follows, and there he reigned another six years, that is altogether, both in Tirzah and in Samaria, 12 years, as was said. The cause of the transfer was that Zimri had burned the royal palace in Tirzah with himself, and then the city, having been captured by Omri, had been plundered and devastated, as
was said at verse 18. Furthermore, because Samaria, on account of the mountain on which it was situated, was more strongly fortified. Whence it long afterwards sustained the assaults of enemies besieging it. So Salianus. For these reasons therefore Omri transferred the kingdom and the royal residence from Tirzah to Samaria.
Verse 24: He Bought the Mountain of Samaria from Shemer ¶
24. AND HE BOUGHT THE MOUNTAIN OF SAMARIA FROM SHEMER (this is the name of the man who was the lord of the mountain) FOR TWO TALENTS OF SILVER. — The Hebrew talent contained three thousand shekels, or fifteen hundred ounces (for a shekel is half an ounce), which make 12 thousand drachmas. A silver drachma is a Roman julius, or a Spanish real, wherefore a talent of silver contained three thousand Brabant florins, or French francs, which make twelve hundred Roman gold coins: therefore two talents of silver make 6 thousand Brabant florins, which amount to two thousand four hundred gold coins.
AND HE CALLED THE NAME OF THE CITY WHICH HE HAD BUILT, AFTER THE NAME OF SHEMER (or Shomer) THE LORD OF THE MOUNTAIN, SAMARIA.
Some think Samaria had been built previously, for mention of the name of Samaria was made at chapter XIII, verse 32, but that here only a neighboring mountain had been annexed to the old city by Omri, and the city had been extended that far, and the whole was then called Samaria. So Sanchez. But others think the entire city was originally built by Omri and named Samaria: wherefore at chapter XIII it is called Samaria by anticipation, because later, when the author of the book wrote these things, it was called Samaria. This is that famous capital of the kings of Israel, against which Isaiah and the other prophets thunder.
Verse 31: He Went and Served Baal ¶
31. AND HE WENT AND SERVED BAAL. — "Baal," or "Bal, Bel, and Belus," is Jupiter Belus, namely "Nimrod." For Nimrod is Belus, who was the father of Ninus the first king of the Assyrians, by whom "Nineveh" was founded and named, whose wife was Semiramis. Nimrod therefore was called "Baal," that is, lord, and was the author of idolatry around the three hundredth year after the flood, as I said at Genesis X, 9. Whence from him the other gods and idols of the nations were called or surnamed "Baal" or "Baalim." Whence Abulensis in book IV Kings chapter III, Question III, thinks that this Baal of the Sidonians and Tyrians was Hercules; for he was held in great honor among them. Whence Hiram king of Tyre in the time of Solomon erected a statue to him, according to Josephus, book VIII, chapter II. Hence in Tyre quinquennial games were celebrated in honor of Hercules, as is clear from II Maccabees IV, 18; therefore to the idols and calves of Jeroboam he added the idol of Baal or Jupiter Belus, which Jezebel his wife worshipped after the custom of her Sidonian nation.
Tropologically, learn from this how hateful to God, and therefore how unhappy, is impiety, namely that the life of impious rulers is a continual and most disastrous tragedy; as is evident from what was said in chapters XII, XV, XVI, and book IV, chapters IX, X, XI, XV. Receive these tragic lessons.
After Jeroboam had seized the kingdom of Israel on account of the sin of Solomon, avenged through him upon the person of Rehoboam his son, with ten tribes transferred to Jeroboam, his son also reigned in Israel. Vengeance in the person of the son followed, and he himself with all the seed and house of Nebat was wiped out by the new king Baasha. The power of Baasha the tyrant ended in his son Elah, who was killed with all his seed by Zimri his servant. Zimri reigned only seven days, and besieged by Omri, forced to burn himself in the palace, he destroyed the royal line. Jehu, the servant of Joram the king, who was of the line of Ahab, destroyed the line of Omri and Ahab. But in the fourth generation vengeance came upon the line of Jehu, according to the word of the Lord, and therefore Zechariah, who descended from Jehu, was slain by his servant named Shallum, who reigned in his place in Israel only one month, killed likewise by Menahem the son of Gadi in Tirzah, who reigned in his place ten years in Israel, and after him Pekahiah his son only two years: for Pekah the son of Remaliah his commander killed him; but Hoshea the son of Elah killed him too, and the latter was carried off with the people to Assyria. So Saladin, says Aemilius in book VI, having conquered the East, finally died, and all his sons were killed by their uncle; only one escaping from the hands of Saphadin their uncle. It is an old saying that tyrant rulers very rarely grow old, on account of the various dangers in which they are involved, and can most difficultly escape the common lot of jealousy and danger, and very few indeed were there who perished by their own fate or a natural death. Wherefore Saturninus also, according to Flavius Vopiscus, when he had been clothed in the purple by his followers, said: "You do not know, friends, what an evil thing it is to rule. For swords hang over our necks, spears threaten, darts fly from every side, the very guards are feared, the very companions are dreaded: no food for pleasure, no travel for authority, no wars for judgment, no arms for enthusiasm. Add that every age in power is criticized: if one is old, he seems unfit; if young, there is fury. For in that you desire me as emperor, you drag me into the necessity of death: but I have this consolation of death, that I shall not be able to perish alone." There comes to mind what Aelian wittily reports about tyrants from the writings of Aesop: if anyone catches a pig, it screams, and not without reason. For since it carries neither wool nor anything else of that kind, it immediately conjectures by inference that death is at hand, knowing that it is useful to those who capture it only for food. Tyrants seem similar to pigs; they are always beset with suspicions and fear, since they know, like pigs, that their life alone is owed to everyone. So Aelian, book IX of the Various History.
Verse 34: Hiel of Bethel Built Jericho ¶
34. IN HIS DAYS HIEL OF BETHEL BUILT JERICHO: IN ABIRAM HIS FIRSTBORN HE LAID ITS FOUNDATION, AND IN SEGUB HIS YOUNGEST HE SET UP ITS GATES: ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD, WHICH HE HAD SPOKEN BY THE HAND OF JOSHUA. — Joshua, overthrowing Jericho, made it an anathema, and cursed whoever would rebuild it,
Jericho. In his firstborn let him lay the foundations thereof, and in the last of his children let him set up the gates thereof." Wherefore no one until the times of Ahab dared to rebuild Jericho; but then Hiel dared to do it, enticed by the fertility of the place. For Jericho was most fruitful and most pleasant, and indeed was the only place that produced balsam. Scripture adds this to indicate how great was the forgetfulness of God and the prophets under Ahab the wicked idolater, and how corrupt the morals through avarice: for this stimulated Hiel to rebuild Jericho against the command of Joshua. Again, to terrify Ahab and the idolaters by his punishment. For if Hiel was deprived of all his sons for rebuilding Jericho against the command of Joshua, much more should Ahab have considered that he would be deprived of all his sons by God, who to God's injury wanted his Baal to be worshipped as God.
IN ABIRAM HIS FIRSTBORN HE LAID ITS FOUNDATION, AND IN SEGUB HIS YOUNGEST HE SET UP ITS GATES, — that is, Hiel, when laying the foundations of Jericho, immediately lost his firstborn son, named "Abiram": then continuing to build it, he lost the others in order up to the last, "Segub," whom he lost while he was setting up the gates of the city. Therefore as much as Jericho grew, so much did the family of Hiel diminish, and when Jericho was completed, the family was utterly extinguished — with remarkable obstinacy, says Rupert, sustaining the builder's reputation, so that he lost entirely with effect the honor of a father. Here appears the remarkable blindness, avarice, and ambition of Hiel, who although he saw the threats of Joshua being fulfilled in himself, and his sons gradually all dying, nevertheless did not desist from the building of the city, preferring to complete it with the loss of all his sons, rather than abandon it and keep his sons alive; perhaps he also did this to please the impious Ahab, and to show him that he, like Ahab himself, was a despiser of God and His prophets.
Tropologically Eucherius says: "He who, after he had assumed the habit of religion in the Church, returns to commit the sins which the Lord Jesus had forgiven him on the day of baptism, and repeats by luxurious living the pomps of the devil which he himself had anathematized: when he resuscitates the ruins of Jericho, as if going forth from Bethel, with the dogmas of errors or the fables of the pagans, against the ecclesiastical truth with which he was imbued. And deservedly such a one is cursed before the Lord, and loses the first of his children in the foundation of the accursed city, and the last in the setting up of the gates, because he loses both the foundations of faith, from which good buildings ought to begin, and the enclosures of good action, by which they ought to be completed." Angelomus has the same words verbatim.