1 Kings 16 2

1 Kings 16:2 kjv

Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;

1 Kings 16:2 nkjv

"Inasmuch as I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My people Israel sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins,

1 Kings 16:2 niv

"I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins.

1 Kings 16:2 esv

"Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins,

1 Kings 16:2 nlt

"I lifted you out of the dust to make you ruler of my people Israel, but you have followed the evil example of Jeroboam. You have provoked my anger by causing my people Israel to sin.

1 Kings 16 verses

1 Kings 16 2 Meaning

This verse conveys God's divine judgment against King Baasha of Israel, delivered through the prophet Jehu. It highlights that God, in His sovereign power, was the one who graciously elevated Baasha from a state of obscurity to become ruler over His chosen people, Israel. However, despite this immense divine favor and calling, Baasha deliberately imitated the grave spiritual transgressions initiated by King Jeroboam—primarily the promotion of idolatry—thereby causing God's people to sin. This act of leading Israel into apostasy deeply provoked God's righteous anger, making divine judgment upon Baasha's house a necessary consequence.

1 Kings 16 2 Context

This verse forms the foundational justification for God's impending judgment upon King Baasha and his entire household, as articulated by the prophet Jehu, son of Hanani. Historically, Baasha rose to power by assassinating King Nadab, the son of Jeroboam I, and systematically wiping out all of Jeroboam's lineage, thereby fulfilling a prophecy given earlier (1 Kgs 14:10-11). Despite seemingly acting as God's instrument to execute judgment on Jeroboam's wicked dynasty, Baasha then failed to learn from this very example. Instead of turning Israel back to the worship of the one true God, Baasha perpetuated the same core sins of idolatry and illegitimate worship introduced by Jeroboam I—specifically the golden calves at Dan and Bethel—and continued to lead the nation further into apostasy. The prophet's message emphasizes God's ultimate sovereignty even in the violent transfer of power and holds Baasha accountable for his choices in light of the divine favor shown to him. This sets the stage for God's subsequent decree of judgment on Baasha’s house in the verses that follow (1 Kgs 16:3-4).

1 Kings 16 2 Word analysis

• Forasmuch as I exalted thee:
  • "Forasmuch as" (כִּי יַעַן - ki yaʿan): An introductory phrase, signifying "because" or "on account of." It highlights the direct cause for the divine indictment that follows, emphasizing that the coming judgment is justified by Baasha's prior actions in light of God's favor.
  • "I exalted" (הֲרִימֹתִיךָ - harimôtikha): From the verb רוּם (rum), meaning "to raise, to lift up, to exalt." The form explicitly points to God as the agent who actively initiated and performed Baasha's elevation. This is crucial because it indicates divine orchestration behind Baasha's ascent to power, even if accomplished through violent human means. God is sovereign over all shifts in human leadership.
• out of the dust: (מֵעָפָר - meʿap̄ār): The term עָפָר (ʿap̄ār) means "dust, dry earth, ashes." In this context, it is a powerful metaphor signifying a lowly, insignificant, or humble origin. Baasha was not of royal lineage; his rise from common or obscure status highlights God's power to select and empower whomever He wills, regardless of their background, as seen with figures like David.
• and made thee prince: (וָאֶתְּנְךָ נָגִיד - waʾettənkā nagîd):
  • "and made thee" (וָאֶתְּנְךָ - waʾettənkā): From the verb נָתַן (nātan), "to give, to set, to appoint." Reaffirms God's active, intentional role in establishing Baasha in his position of authority.
  • "prince" (נָגִיד - nagîd): This term denotes a divinely designated leader, chieftain, or commander, often someone not from a traditional royal dynasty but appointed by God for a specific purpose (e.g., Saul and David were initially called nagid). It highlights a spiritual commissioning more than a dynastic inheritance.
• over my people Israel: (עַל עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל - ʿal ʿammî yiśrāʾēl):
  • "my people" (עַמִּי - ʿammî): The possessive pronoun emphasizes God's personal ownership and deep connection to Israel, the nation of His covenant. Baasha was not merely ruling a secular kingdom; he was given authority over God's own treasured possession, underscoring the gravity of his spiritual responsibility.
• and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam: (וַתֵּלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם - wattetēleḵ bədɛ́reḵ Yārābaʿam):
  • "hast walked" (וַתֵּלֵךְ - wattetēleḵ): From הָלַךְ (halak), "to walk." Signifies a pattern of behavior, a chosen course of life or conduct. It indicates a persistent and intentional alignment with the specified path.
  • "the way of Jeroboam" (בְּדֶרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם - bədɛ́reḵ Yārābaʿam): This phrase functions as a fixed, almost formulaic, theological condemnation throughout the books of Kings. It specifically refers to Jeroboam I's institutionalized idolatry in the Northern Kingdom, particularly his establishment of golden calves in Dan and Bethel for worship, his creation of an illegitimate priesthood, and the rejection of the Jerusalem temple (1 Kgs 12:26-33). It represents the quintessential act of national apostasy for the kingdom of Israel.
• and hast made my people Israel to sin: (וַתַּחֲטִיא אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל - wattaḥăṭi ʾet-ʿammî yiśrāʾēl):
  • "hast made... to sin" (וַתַּחֲטִיא - wattaḥăṭiʾ): From חָטָא (ḥaṭaʾ), "to sin." The Hiphil form here means "to cause to sin," "to lead astray," or "to involve in sin." Baasha's sin was not merely personal but became systemic; he leveraged his authority to corrupt an entire nation and turn them from God, magnifying his guilt.
• to provoke me to anger: (לְהַכְעִיסֵנִי - ləhaḵʿîsēni): From the verb כָּעַס (kaʿas), "to vex, to irritate, to make angry, to provoke." This infinitive clause articulates the direct consequence of Baasha's and Israel's actions: they ignited God's holy, righteous anger. This indicates a serious breach of covenant relationship.
• with their sins: (בְּחַטֹּאתָם - bəḥaṭṭōʾtām): From חַטָּאָה (ḥaṭṭāʾāh), "sin, guilt, offense." The plural form emphasizes the multitude, persistence, and egregious nature of the offenses—primarily idolatry, disobedience to covenant law, and the systematic leading of the people into spiritual rebellion.

Words-group analysis

• "Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel": This opening segment sets up the immense contrast between God's gracious and sovereign action towards Baasha and Baasha's subsequent ingratitude and disobedience. It underlines God's authority in placing leaders and the privileged, covenantal status of "My people Israel," whom Baasha was tasked to shepherd righteously.
• "and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin": This highlights Baasha's core offenses. He not only adopted a condemned, idolatrous spiritual path ("the way of Jeroboam") but actively became an agent of corruption for God's own chosen nation ("made my people Israel to sin"). This illustrates the profound and destructive impact of a leader's unrighteous example.
• "to provoke me to anger with their sins": This phrase succinctly states the ultimate outcome of Baasha's rebellion: a righteous outpouring of divine wrath. The phrase "their sins" suggests both Baasha's instigation and the people's participation in the pervasive idolatry, collectively drawing God's intense displeasure.

1 Kings 16 2 Bonus section

• The "way of Jeroboam" became a theological "shorthand" throughout the book of Kings to identify and condemn the pervasive, systematic idolatry of the Northern Kingdom, serving as a constant reminder of the fundamental reason for Israel's eventual exile. Every king after Jeroboam in the North is evaluated by this spiritual metric.
• Despite Baasha fulfilling a prophecy by eradicating Jeroboam's line, he did not grasp the spiritual lesson behind the judgment. His failure was not about securing his throne but about abandoning the one who gave him the throne. He judged the dynasty, but not the sin pattern.
• The prophetic encounter with Jehu, son of Hanani, reinforces the theme that God continuously sent His messengers to warn the kings of both Israel and Judah, demonstrating His patience and desire for repentance before executing judgment. Jehu's father, Hanani, had previously confronted King Asa of Judah, showing a prophetic lineage of confronting kings (2 Chr 16:7-10).

1 Kings 16 2 Commentary

First Kings 16:2 serves as a pivotal theological declaration, revealing God's absolute sovereignty over human kingdoms and His profound displeasure at human disobedience, especially by leaders. Baasha's ascension to the throne, though seemingly a result of his own violent ambition in overthrowing Nadab, is unequivocally stated to be God's doing. God "exalted" him "out of the dust," indicating His power to raise up even the lowliest individual to high office. This divine prerogative makes Baasha's subsequent actions a severe act of betrayal. Despite being given authority over "My people Israel"—a clear reminder of their sacred covenant relationship—Baasha deliberately chose to replicate "the way of Jeroboam," the archetype of apostasy in the Northern Kingdom. This involved institutionalizing the false worship of golden calves, actively leading the people into sin. The profound impact of Baasha's actions, leading an entire nation into spiritual rebellion, "provoked" God to righteous anger. The verse establishes the critical link between divine favor, human responsibility, and the inevitable consequences of leadership that actively disobeys and corrupts God's people. This divine indictment directly precedes and explains the sweeping judgment about to fall upon Baasha's own dynasty.