1 Kings 16:16 kjv
And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
1 Kings 16:16 nkjv
Now the people who were encamped heard it said, "Zimri has conspired and also has killed the king." So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
1 Kings 16:16 niv
When the Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and murdered him, they proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day there in the camp.
1 Kings 16:16 esv
and the troops who were encamped heard it said, "Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king." Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
1 Kings 16:16 nlt
When they heard that Zimri had committed treason and had assassinated the king, that very day they chose Omri, commander of the army, as the new king of Israel.
1 Kings 16 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 16:9-10 | And his servant Zimri...conspired against him...Zimri slew him. | Zimri's coup against King Elah. |
| 1 Kgs 16:12 | Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha...according to the word of the Lord. | Fulfillment of prophecy concerning Baasha's house. |
| 1 Kgs 16:15 | Zimri reigned seven days. | The extremely short and tumultuous reign of Zimri. |
| 1 Kgs 15:27-29 | And Baasha...slew him [Nadab]...destroyed all the house of Jeroboam. | Previous similar coup by Baasha against Nadab, Jeroboam's son. |
| 2 Kgs 9:5-6 | Are all well? and Jehu answered...I have an errand to thee...I have anointed thee king over Israel. | An army commander (Jehu) proclaimed king in the camp. |
| 2 Kgs 9:14 | So Jehu the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. | Jehu's military coup, similar to Zimri's conspiracy. |
| Judg 9:6 | And all the men of Shechem gathered together...and made Abimelech king. | People (or leading men) choosing a leader. |
| 1 Sam 11:15 | And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord. | The people publicly affirming a new king. |
| 1 Kgs 11:26 | And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Ephrathite...even he lifted up his hand against the king. | The beginning of rebellion against established rule. |
| 2 Kgs 15:10 | And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him [Zechariah]...and smote him. | Another instance of a rapid change of power through assassination. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water. | God's ultimate sovereignty over kings and political events. |
| Rom 13:1 | Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God. | All authority, even in human conflicts, originates from God. |
| 1 Sam 15:28 | The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day. | Divine judgment resulting in removal or transfer of kingship. |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee. | Contrast with the stable, divinely-promised Davidic line. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant. Thy seed will I establish for ever. | The enduring covenant with the house of David. |
| Hos 8:4 | They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not. | Critique of Israel's chaotic succession outside God's will. |
| Isa 45:7 | I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. | God's control over all events, including chaos and conflict. |
| Jer 1:10 | See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out...to build, and to plant. | God's authority to establish and uproot kingdoms. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings. | God's absolute sovereignty over the rise and fall of rulers. |
| Rev 1:5 | And from Jesus Christ...the prince of the kings of the earth. | Jesus Christ as the ultimate ruler over all earthly kings. |
1 Kings 16 verses
1 Kings 16 16 Meaning
This verse describes the immediate and unified response of the Israelite army, who were currently in the field, upon hearing about Zimri's conspiracy and the assassination of King Elah. In direct reaction to this usurpation, the entire encamped military quickly made Omri, their commanding general, the new king over Israel on that very day within the camp itself. It signifies a pivotal moment of political upheaval and the transfer of power.
1 Kings 16 16 Context
First Kings chapter 16 depicts a period of extreme political instability and moral decline in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Following the death of King Elah, his chariot commander, Zimri, conspired against him, murdered him, and seized the throne (1 Kgs 16:9-10), thus fulfilling the prophecy of Jehu against the house of Baasha (1 Kgs 16:1-4). King Elah's death occurred while the Israelite army was besieging Gibbethon, a Philistine city. News of Zimri's swift and violent coup reached the military forces encamped at Gibbethon. This verse, 1 Kgs 16:16, describes the immediate response of the army, revealing their strong disapproval of Zimri's treachery and their decision to establish their own leader, Omri, the army commander, as king. This event set the stage for a brief civil war between Zimri and Omri, leading to Zimri's suicide.
1 Kings 16 16 Word analysis
- And the people that were encamped: This refers to the Israelite army currently engaged in military operations at Gibbethon. Their being "encamped" (
הַחֹנִים- ha-chonim, "the encampers/those encamped") signifies their organized military structure and collective authority. It emphasizes the decision coming from a powerful, unified body. - heard say: The news of the coup reached the army. This highlights the speed and importance of information dissemination, especially regarding political power shifts within the kingdom.
- Zimri hath conspired: The Hebrew term for "conspired" is
קָשַׁר(qāshar), meaning "to bind," "to be knit together," and in this context, "to conspire" or "to rebel." It immediately frames Zimri's action as an act of treason and disloyalty against the legitimate king. This term often appears in descriptions of illicit or violent bids for power. - and hath also slain the king: This specifies the nature of Zimri's conspiracy – it resulted in regicide. The term "slain" (
הִכָּה- hikkah, "smote," "struck down") denotes a decisive, violent act, reinforcing the severity and illegitimacy of Zimri's seizure of power in the eyes of the army. - wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king: This clause outlines the army's collective and immediate counter-action. "All Israel" in this context refers to the entire Israelite military force. Their act of making Omri king (
וַיַּמְלִכוּ- vayyamliku, "and they caused to reign" or "and they made king") indicates their assertion of authority to select a new ruler. Omri is explicitly identified by his crucial role asשַׂר־צָבָא(sar-tzāvā', "commander of the army" or "captain of the host"), which explains why he was chosen—he commanded their loyalty and respect. - over Israel that day in the camp: This emphasizes the urgency and immediacy (
בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא- bayyom hahu, "on that day") of their decision and the location (בַּמַּחֲנֶֽה- bammachăneh, "in the camp"). The decision to crown Omri was not made in the capital or by traditional means, but swiftly within the military camp, underscoring the raw power of the military in shaping the unstable political landscape of the Northern Kingdom. It also signals a departure from peaceful succession.
1 Kings 16 16 Bonus section
The speed with which the army acted (that day) illustrates the urgent need for leadership in times of crisis and potential power vacuums. Omri's immediate elevation also highlights the strong bonds and loyalty within the military hierarchy, where a trusted general could be readily recognized as the preferred leader over an assassin. This event serves as a foundational moment for the Omride dynasty, which despite its spiritual failures, brought a period of significant political stability and regional power to Israel, illustrating God's use of even flawed human instruments for His purposes, whether in judgment or the establishment of a new phase of history. The pattern of conspiracy and usurpation so prevalent in the Northern Kingdom stands in stark contrast to the divine promise of an enduring Davidic dynasty in Judah, emphasizing the consequences of breaking God's covenant.
1 Kings 16 16 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the turbulent nature of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during its early existence, often marked by regicide and unstable successions. It demonstrates the direct involvement of the military in power transitions, particularly when there was a perceived void or illegitimate takeover. The army, seeing Zimri's act as both treacherous conspiracy and unjust murder, refused to accept his claim to the throne. Instead, they took immediate and decisive action by elevating their own trusted commander, Omri, to kingship. This spontaneous enthronement in the military camp underscored the military's power as kingmakers and set the stage for further conflict and the establishment of a significant, albeit idolatrous, dynasty under Omri and his son Ahab. The narrative implicitly critiques the chaos that ensues when a nation departs from divine order, leading to human machinations and violence defining its leadership.