1 Kings 16:26 kjv
For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
1 Kings 16:26 nkjv
For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols.
1 Kings 16:26 niv
He followed completely the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.
1 Kings 16:26 esv
For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols.
1 Kings 16:26 nlt
He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit. The people provoked the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols.
1 Kings 16 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 12:28-30 | ...Jeroboam made two calves of gold... and said, "It is too much for you... these are your gods, O Israel!" | Jeroboam establishes calf worship at Dan and Bethel. |
| 1 Ki 12:31 | He made houses on high places, and made priests from all sorts of people who were not of the sons of Levi. | Jeroboam institutes an illegitimate priesthood. |
| 1 Ki 13:33-34 | After this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way... this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off... | Jeroboam's sin became foundational to the kingdom's downfall. |
| 1 Ki 14:15-16 | ...the LORD will strike Israel... because they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger. He will give up Israel... because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and which he made Israel sin. | Israel's future judgment linked directly to Jeroboam's sin. |
| 1 Ki 15:26 | He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin by which he made Israel sin. | Nadab, Jeroboam's son, continued the apostasy. |
| 1 Ki 15:34 | He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he made Israel sin. | Baasha, Nadab's successor, followed Jeroboam's ways. |
| 1 Ki 16:13 | ...because of all the sins of Baasha... which they made Israel sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger... | Elah, Baasha's son, inherits and continues the sin pattern. |
| 1 Ki 16:19 | ...because of his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he did... | Zimri is also condemned for following Jeroboam's idolatry. |
| 1 Ki 16:31 | ...as if it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he even took as wife Jezebel... | Ahab's sins, exceeding Jeroboam's, are highlighted. |
| 2 Ki 3:3 | Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them. | Jehoram also continued Jeroboam's idolatrous legacy. |
| 2 Ki 13:2 | He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin; he did not depart from them. | Jehoahaz, another king of Israel, continues Jeroboam's path. |
| 2 Ki 17:2 | And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel who were before him. Nevertheless he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he had made Israel sin. | Hoshea, the last king of Israel, maintains the Jeroboam idolatry. |
| Ex 20:4-5 | You shall not make for yourself any carved image... you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God... | The foundational command against idolatry and God's jealousy. |
| Deut 32:16 | They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. | God's righteous anger is kindled by idolatry. |
| Judg 2:12-14 | They forsook the LORD God of their fathers... and followed other gods... And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel... | God's repeated anger against Israel for abandoning Him for idols. |
| Ps 78:58 | For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images. | Psalm echoes the theme of provoking God with idolatry. |
| Jer 7:18-19 | The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger? says the LORD. Do they not provoke themselves... to their own shame? | Prophet condemns widespread idolatry that provokes God. |
| Ezek 8:17 | Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed, they put the branch to their nose. | Idolatry described as a direct provocation to God. |
| 1 Cor 10:20-22 | Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons... Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? | New Testament warning against participation in idol worship. |
| Deut 17:18-20 | ...he shall write for himself a copy of this law... that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, lest his heart be lifted above his brethren, lest he turn aside... | Instructions for future kings to uphold the law and lead righteously. |
| 2 Ki 17:7-18 | For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God... and feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of the nations... And they rejected His statutes... and made for themselves molded images... they sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. | Summary of Israel's widespread apostasy and reasons for exile, with Jeroboam's sin being foundational. |
1 Kings 16 verses
1 Kings 16 26 Meaning
This verse describes King Omri's egregious spiritual failures during his reign over Israel. It states that Omri adhered to the same pattern of apostasy established by Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom. Omri not only participated in Jeroboam's initial sin of idolatry but actively perpetuated it, thereby causing the entire nation of Israel to continue in rebellion against God. This persistent and leading role in idolatry severely provoked the Lord, the unique God of Israel, to righteous anger due to the worship of worthless idols.
1 Kings 16 26 Context
Chapter 16 of 1 Kings provides a stark account of the continuous spiritual decline in the Northern Kingdom of Israel following its split from Judah. It narrates the succession of short-lived, wicked kings – Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and ultimately Omri, each worse than the last, culminating in Omri's ascent to power. Amidst political turmoil, assassinations, and civil war, Omri's reign stands out as he consolidates power, founds a significant dynasty, and builds the new capital city of Samaria. While historically noted for his political astuteness and establishing Israel's influence on the international stage, the biblical narrative bypasses these worldly achievements, focusing intently and solely on his profound religious failing. His adoption of Jeroboam's idolatrous system signals a deeper entrenchment of sin, laying the groundwork for the extreme apostasy under his son Ahab and queen Jezebel.
1 Kings 16 26 Word analysis
- He walked: Hebrew: הָלַךְ (halakh). This term, often used metaphorically, signifies a manner of life, conduct, or consistent course of action. It suggests Omri's full and deliberate adherence to a lifestyle defined by Jeroboam's patterns, not merely accidental involvement but an intentional and comprehensive following.
- in all the ways: Hebrew: דְּרָכִים (d'rakhim). Refers to the paths or customs; here, it encapsulates Jeroboam's entire system of worship, including the golden calves, the illegitimate priesthood, and the altered feast days. It implies a thorough adoption of the corrupt religious practices.
- of Jeroboam the son of Nebat: This recurring phrase functions as a canonical theological judgment. Jeroboam is portrayed as the quintessential sinful king who fundamentally led Israel astray from their covenant God, establishing an idolatrous religious system designed to sever the spiritual ties with Jerusalem and its divinely appointed worship. Omri’s continuation of these 'ways' solidified Israel's spiritual decline.
- and in his sin by which he made Israel sin: This highlights two critical aspects: first, that Jeroboam's idolatry was a direct personal "sin"; second, and more gravely, it was a stumbling block by which he caused the entire nation ("Israel") to partake in idolatry. The king, as a leader, held significant responsibility for the spiritual direction of the people. Omri is equally culpable for perpetuating this national sin.
- provoking the Lord... to anger: Hebrew: הִכְעִיס (hikh'is), a causative verb meaning "to cause to be angry." Idolatry is portrayed not merely as a breaking of rules, but as an act of profound disrespect and betrayal that deeply offends the covenant God of Israel, provoking His righteous indignation. It speaks to God's personal nature and His demand for exclusive worship.
- the God of Israel: This emphasizes the unique covenant relationship YHWH had with Israel. Their apostasy was particularly egregious because it was a betrayal of the one God who had redeemed them, set them apart, and given them His exclusive commandments. It distinguishes Him from the impotent pagan deities they chose to worship.
- with their idols: Hebrew: בְּאֵלִילֵיהֶם (be'elileihem), specifically "worthless things" or "nothingness." This term underscores the futility and emptiness of the objects of their worship. Despite being "nothing," these idols were effective instruments of divine offense because they usurped the place of the true God and fostered spiritual rebellion. It predominantly refers to Jeroboam's golden calves but extends to any form of pagan worship they embraced.
1 Kings 16 26 Bonus section
The consistent repetition of the phrase "walked in the ways of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he made Israel sin" for successive kings of the Northern Kingdom functions as a powerful theological indictment and a literary device. It signals a cycle of apostasy that defined the kingdom's trajectory and ultimately led to its destruction and exile (2 Ki 17:7-18). This repeated judgment reveals that for the biblical author, Jeroboam's sin was not just a sin, but the foundational spiritual corruption of Israel, one that no succeeding king adequately repented of or turned from. Even politically stable reigns like Omri's were deemed failures because their leadership did not conform to God's covenant demands. The Bible consistently judges kings not by their political achievements, military victories, or dynastic stability, but by their faithfulness to the Lord. Omri’s flourishing as a monarch despite his wickedness further demonstrates God’s patience but also foreshadows the eventual severity of judgment.
1 Kings 16 26 Commentary
1 Kings 16:26 provides a profound spiritual indictment against King Omri, contrasting his great geopolitical success, as known from external records, with the Bible's singular focus on his catastrophic religious failure. By explicitly stating that Omri "walked in all the ways of Jeroboam," the verse immediately positions his reign within a pattern of systematic apostasy that had plagued the Northern Kingdom from its inception. Jeroboam's sin was not merely erecting golden calves, but establishing a whole system that subtly substituted authentic Yahweh worship with a syncretistic, man-made alternative, leading Israel into idolatry and breaking the First and Second Commandments. Omri's adoption of this legacy meant perpetuating a foundational lie and spiritual compromise. The king's leadership was critical, and Omri, like Jeroboam, used his authority to actively "make Israel sin," thereby incurring not just personal guilt but corporate condemnation. This persistent idolatry directly "provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger," showcasing God's righteous character, His exclusivity, and His abhorrence of anything that usurps His rightful place in His people's lives. The mention of "their idols" underscores the worthlessness of these created objects, further magnifying Israel's betrayal in exchanging the glory of the living God for inanimate abominations. The verse, therefore, is not merely a historical record but a theological condemnation, highlighting that worldly achievement holds no value when fidelity to God is abandoned.