1 Kings 15 34

1 Kings 15:34 kjv

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

1 Kings 15:34 nkjv

He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin.

1 Kings 15:34 niv

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

1 Kings 15:34 esv

He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

1 Kings 15:34 nlt

But he did what was evil in the LORD's sight and followed the example of Jeroboam, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

1 Kings 15 verses

1 Kings 15 34 Meaning

King Baasha of Israel is presented as walking in the ways of Jeroboam I, thereby perpetuating the significant sin that Jeroboam had introduced and caused the entire nation of Israel to commit. This indicates a consistent pattern of spiritual unfaithfulness among the Northern Kingdom's rulers, rooted in Jeroboam's initial establishment of idolatrous worship.

1 Kings 15 34 Context

1 Kings 15 outlines the early reigns in both the divided kingdoms. In Judah, King Abijam is evaluated as wicked, while his son Asa begins a period of spiritual reform. However, in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the spiritual decay intensifies. Nadab, Jeroboam's son, reigned briefly but also walked in his father's wicked ways. Baasha of Issachar then orchestrated a coup, murdering Nadab and exterminating Jeroboam's entire household, thus fulfilling Ahijah's prophecy (1 Ki 14:10-11). Despite removing Jeroboam's lineage from power, Baasha immediately fell into the same systemic spiritual error, choosing to perpetuate the state-sanctioned golden calf worship initiated by Jeroboam. This highlights a persistent failure of leadership in the Northern Kingdom, consistently prioritizing political stability over covenant faithfulness, and setting the pattern for nearly all subsequent Israelite kings until their ultimate exile.

1 Kings 15 34 Word analysis

• He walked (וַיֵּלֶךְ, way·yē·leḵ): This verb, from the root hālak, meaning "to walk," is used here metaphorically to describe a pattern of conduct, manner of life, or allegiance. It implies a deliberate and consistent course of action. It's not a mere lapse but a chosen way of living and ruling.
• in the ways of Jeroboam (בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֑ם, bə·ḏe·reḵ yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām):
  • bə·ḏe·reḵ (בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ): "in the way of." Derek (דֶּרֶךְ) denotes a road, path, or, more broadly, a course of life, behavior, or custom. It points to the whole manner of living, ruling, and religious policy adopted.
  • Yārāḇə‘ām (יָרָבְעָ֑ם): Jeroboam I, the first king of the Northern Kingdom, notorious for establishing rival cult centers at Bethel and Dan with golden calves, intended to prevent his subjects from returning to Jerusalem for worship, thus solidifying his political power. This act directly violated the first two commandments and became the quintessential sin for all future kings of Israel.
• and committed the same sin (וּבְחַטָּאתֹו, ū·ḇə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯōw):
  • ū·ḇə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯōw (וּבְחַטָּאתֹו): "and in his sin." Ḥaṭṭāṯ (חַטָּאת) refers to an offense, guilt, or the penalty for sin. The repetition emphasizes not just that Baasha walked in Jeroboam's ways, but that his actions constituted the very same culpable offense.
• Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit (אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶחֱטִיא֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל, ’ă·šer he·ḥĕ·ṭî’ ’eṯ-yiś·rā·’êl):
  • Heḥĕṭî’ (הֶחֱטִיא): Hiphil causative stem of ḥāṭā’ ("to sin"). This powerful verb means "caused to sin," "led astray into sin," or "made guilty." It underlines Jeroboam's profound responsibility: his actions were not merely personal transgression, but a systematic, institutionalized corruption that implicated and led the entire nation into corporate guilt.
  • ’eṯ-yiś·rā·’êl (אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל): "Israel," referring to the Northern Kingdom. The scope of Jeroboam's corrupting influence extended throughout the nation, making idolatry widespread and ingrained in their societal fabric.
• Words-group analysis:
• "He walked in the ways of Jeroboam": This phrase encapsulates the pervasive moral and spiritual failure of the Northern kings. It highlights a recurring pattern where new leaders, despite overthrowing their predecessors, replicated the fundamental spiritual errors. It implies a deliberate adherence to a proven path of apostasy rather than seeking a new, righteous course.
• "committed the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit": This segment stresses the nature and consequence of Jeroboam's leadership. His sin was not just private; it had a public and destructive impact, actively leading the people into idolatry. Baasha's perpetuation of this exact sin underscores the gravity of his own reign—he continued the institutionalized spiritual poison, effectively sealing Israel's fate by confirming its path of disobedience.

1 Kings 15 34 Bonus section

• The phrase "walked in the ways of Jeroboam" becomes a recurring literary motif throughout the Books of Kings, functioning as a narrative summary judgment and theological indictment against virtually every subsequent king of the Northern Kingdom, underlining the continuity and ingrained nature of this specific idolatry.
• The text emphasizes the grave responsibility of leadership, as Jeroboam is portrayed not just as a sinner, but one who caused a whole nation to sin. Baasha's decision to continue this path highlights the devastating ripple effect of leadership's spiritual choices.
• This verse, along with others detailing the Northern kings, stands as a polemic against syncretism and polytheism, implicitly advocating for the sole and pure worship of YHWH as stipulated in the Mosaic Covenant. The failure to return to Jerusalem's legitimate worship site, established by David, signals Israel's rejection of God's chosen place and method of worship.
• Baasha had the unique opportunity, upon consolidating power, to lead Israel back to covenant faithfulness. His choice to cling to Jeroboam's established sin reveals a deep-seated spiritual pathology in the kingdom of Israel, one that ultimately led to its destruction.

1 Kings 15 34 Commentary

Despite brutally seizing the throne and eradicating the entire house of Jeroboam, King Baasha of Israel failed to heed the lessons of divine judgment on his predecessor. Instead, he chose to perpetuate "the sin of Jeroboam," the politically motivated but theologically catastrophic establishment of unauthorized golden calf worship at Bethel and Dan. This was not a minor deviation but a systemic idolatry, a direct affront to YHWH's exclusive covenant demand. The verse reveals Baasha's fundamental spiritual blindness or deliberate rebellion, maintaining a system that actively led the nation astray. This consistent pattern of Northern kings prioritizing political stability over spiritual fidelity sealed the fate of the Northern Kingdom, contributing directly to their eventual exile for their persistent corporate sin against the living God. Baasha, like Jeroboam, leveraged his position to ensure his subjects, Israel, were kept bound to sin, displaying a leadership tragically defined by spiritual decline rather than repentance.