1 Kings 16:25 kjv
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
1 Kings 16:25 nkjv
Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all who were before him.
1 Kings 16:25 niv
But Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD and sinned more than all those before him.
1 Kings 16:25 esv
Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him.
1 Kings 16:25 nlt
But Omri did what was evil in the LORD's sight, even more than any of the kings before him.
1 Kings 16 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 11:38 | If you keep my commandments... then I will be with you... and build you an enduring house, as I built for David. | Contrast: God's blessing for obedience. |
| 1 Ki 12:28-30 | Jeroboam made two calves of gold... and it became a sin. | Foundation of Israel's idolatry. |
| 1 Ki 15:26 | Nadab did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father... Jeroboam. | Earlier king follows Jeroboam's sin. |
| 1 Ki 15:34 | Baasha did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam. | Another king follows pattern of sin. |
| 1 Ki 16:2 | Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust... and made thee prince over my people Israel... | Divine appointment vs. human rebellion. |
| 1 Ki 16:7 | Moreover, because he destroyed the house of Jeroboam, and because he did evil in the sight of the Lord... | Judgment on Baasha for his own sins. |
| 1 Ki 16:13 | For all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son... | Sins lead to destruction of dynasties. |
| 1 Ki 16:30 | Ahab the son of Omri did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him. | Ahab surpasses even Omri's wickedness. |
| 1 Ki 16:33 | Ahab also made an Asherah pole, and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord... than all the kings. | Height of idolatry under Ahab (Omri's son). |
| 2 Ki 17:7-12 | Because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God... and feared other gods... | Explains reasons for Israel's exile. |
| Mic 6:16 | For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. | Prophetic indictment of Omri's legacy. |
| Deut 4:15-19 | Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol... | Warning against idolatry. |
| Deut 6:14 | You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you. | Command against following other gods. |
| Deut 12:29-31 | Be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods... you must not worship the Lord your God in their way. | Do not imitate foreign idolatrous practices. |
| Lev 18:24-30 | Do not defile yourselves by any of these things... for by all these the nations whom I am driving out... were defiled. | Sin pollutes the land. |
| Is 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil... | Moral inversion. |
| Prov 14:34 | Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. | Principle of national decline due to sin. |
| Rom 1:21-25 | For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him... | General principle of human turning from God. |
| Neh 9:26-27 | They were disobedient and rebelled against You... but in their distress they cried to You... | Pattern of disobedience and consequence. |
| Judg 2:19 | Whenever the judge died, they turned back and behaved worse than their fathers... | Recurring cycle of deepening apostasy. |
| Hos 8:4 | They set up kings, but not by me. They made princes, but I knew it not. | God's disapproval of kings chosen without Him. |
| Ex 34:15-16 | Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land... and worship their gods. | Warning against alliances leading to idolatry. |
1 Kings 16 verses
1 Kings 16 25 Meaning
1 Kings 16:25 describes Omri, king of Israel, as having committed profound evil in the judgment of God, surpassing the wickedness of all previous kings who reigned before him. This verse highlights his actions as not only displeasing to the Lord but as setting a new, lower standard of apostasy and disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant for the Northern Kingdom. It marks a significant moral decline, establishing the foundation for future unprecedented wickedness, especially under his son Ahab.
1 Kings 16 25 Context
1 Kings chapter 16 details a turbulent period for the Northern Kingdom of Israel, characterized by rapid succession of kings, assassinations, and pervasive idolatry following the split from Judah. Before Omri, kings like Nadab, Baasha, Elah, and Zimri reigned, often for short periods and marked by unfaithfulness to God, continuing the sin pattern established by Jeroboam. Omri came to power as a military commander after a civil war, overthrowing Zimri, and establishing a new dynasty. His reign (1 Kings 16:23-28) was notable for its political strength and the founding of Samaria as the new capital, showcasing secular acumen. However, 1 Kings 16:25 presents a crucial theological evaluation, framing his entire reign and accomplishments through the lens of God's judgment on his spiritual rebellion and increased wickedness compared to his predecessors. This sets the immediate stage for the reign of his son Ahab, whose spiritual degradation was even more severe, greatly influencing prophetic messages and future historical narratives.
Word Analysis
- But: This conjunction signifies a strong contrast, immediately pivoting from a description of events (like Zimri's short reign or Omri's rise) to the divine assessment of Omri's character and actions.
- Omri (Hebrew: עָמְרִי, Omri): A powerful and influential military leader who established a new dynasty. Historically, Omri's name is found in non-biblical texts (e.g., the Mesha Stele from Moab) as a significant ruler whose kingdom was referred to as "the land of Omri." This Biblical verse acknowledges his secular power while critiquing his spiritual life.
- did evil (Hebrew: עָשָׂה רַע, 'asah ra'; literally, "made evil" or "did wickedness"): A standard evaluative phrase in Kings to describe actions that violate God's moral and cultic laws. "Evil" (ra') in this context implies rebellion against God's covenant, promoting or tolerating idolatry, and failing to uphold divine righteousness.
- in the eyes of the Lord (Hebrew: בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה, b'einei Yahweh): This phrase indicates divine judgment and perception. It stresses that God is the ultimate moral arbiter, and human actions, especially those of rulers, are subject to His scrutiny and evaluation. It contrasts sharply with how human society might view Omri (as a successful statesman or military leader).
- and did worse (Hebrew: וַיָּרַע, vayara'; literally, "and he worsened" or "he did more evil"): This is a strong comparative phrase, emphasizing an escalation in moral depravity. The root ra' (evil) is used again, but now in a comparative degree, underscoring that Omri's reign reached a new low point of sinfulness. This goes beyond mere repetition of previous sins; it implies a deeper, more entrenched form of rebellion.
- than all who were before him: This specifies the unparalleled nature of Omri's wickedness. Kings like Jeroboam, Nadab, and Baasha had already introduced and perpetuated idolatry. Omri's evil surpassed even theirs, implying either a greater intensity of idol worship, the formalization of practices contrary to Yahweh, or the systematic entrenchment of sin throughout the kingdom.
Words-group Analysis
- "But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord": This segment establishes the core divine assessment. It sets the narrative perspective squarely on God's view, indicating that despite any worldly successes Omri might have achieved (like building Samaria or securing alliances), his ultimate judgment before God was negative due to his unrighteous actions and promotion of idolatry. This highlights the primary importance of obedience to Yahweh above all else.
- "and did worse than all who were before him": This phrase functions as a climax in the sequence of negative evaluations of Israel's kings. It highlights the progressive spiritual decline of the Northern Kingdom, with each successive ruler, on average, contributing to a worsening state of apostasy. Omri's unprecedented wickedness effectively set the stage for even greater evils under his immediate successors, most notably Ahab. It underscores the destructive, cumulative impact of sin.
1 Kings 16 25 Commentary
1 Kings 16:25 serves as a concise yet powerful theological indictment of King Omri. While secular history, including non-biblical inscriptions, testifies to Omri's significant geopolitical and military achievements, the Biblical narrative completely bypasses these, focusing exclusively on his spiritual degeneracy. The statement that he "did worse than all who were before him" is profoundly damning, implying that his actions did not merely replicate Jeroboam's initial sins of instituting calf worship, but rather deepened Israel's spiritual alienation from Yahweh, possibly by institutionalizing idol worship more broadly or by fostering greater religious syncretism. This escalating wickedness laid the spiritual groundwork for the abominable Baal worship that would flourish openly under his son Ahab, heavily influenced by Jezebel. Thus, Omri's reign, despite its outward strength and stability, represented a severe spiritual regression and established a legacy of systemic rebellion against God that prophets would later condemn.
Bonus SectionThe phrase "worse than all who were before him" becomes a chilling standard against which future kings would be measured, most notably exceeded by Omri's own son, Ahab (1 Ki 16:30), creating a trajectory of worsening evil. Omri's move of the capital to Samaria, though strategically brilliant and militarily effective, became the seat of idolatry, often associated in later prophecy with the "statutes of Omri" and the "works of the house of Ahab" (Mic 6:16), showing the lasting and destructive nature of his spiritual legacy beyond his personal reign. The passage underscores that worldly success, even in creating stability and building cities, is irrelevant to God's ultimate assessment when spiritual allegiance is compromised.