1 Kings 16:4 kjv
Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
1 Kings 16:4 nkjv
The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Baasha and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the fields."
1 Kings 16:4 niv
Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country."
1 Kings 16:4 esv
Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat."
1 Kings 16:4 nlt
The members of Baasha's family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures."
1 Kings 16 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 14:11 | "Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city... dogs..." | Prophecy for Jeroboam's house; parallel. |
| 1 Ki 15:29 | "...destroyed the whole house of Jeroboam... according to... Ahijah" | Fulfillment of similar judgment. |
| 1 Ki 16:2 | "I lifted you from the dust... but you have walked in the way..." | Baasha's sin explained. |
| 1 Ki 16:11-12 | "...Zimri struck down all the house of Baasha..." | Fulfillment of 1 Ki 16:4. |
| 2 Ki 9:10 | "Dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel..." | Similar specific judgment for Jezebel. |
| 2 Ki 9:36 | "...This is the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Elijah..." | Fulfillment concerning Jezebel's body. |
| Deut 28:26 | "Your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air..." | Curse for disobedience, loss of burial. |
| Ps 79:2-3 | "They have given the bodies of your servants... food for birds..." | Lament over desecrated bodies in judgment. |
| Jer 7:33 | "The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds..." | Prophecy of desecration during judgment. |
| Jer 8:2 | "spread them... for the sun... they shall not be gathered..." | No burial for idolatrous ones. |
| Jer 16:4 | "They shall die of deadly diseases... and not be buried..." | Similar severe judgment: no burial. |
| Jer 19:7 | "I will make their dead bodies food for the birds..." | Judgment on Judah: bodies consumed. |
| Jer 34:20 | "...dead bodies as food for the birds of the air..." | Breaking covenant leads to unburied dead. |
| Isa 14:19 | "...cast out of your tomb like a loathed branch..." | Denial of proper burial as utter disgrace. |
| Ez 39:17 | "Speak to every winged creature and to every beast of the field..." | Judgment leading to feast for scavengers. |
| Ex 22:31 | "...you shall throw it to the dogs." | Dogs associated with unclean things. |
| 1 Sam 17:44 | "I will give your flesh to the birds of the air..." | Goliath's threat, showing disgrace of no burial. |
| Rev 19:17-18 | "Come, gather for the great supper of God... flesh of all men..." | NT echo: final judgment, bodies eaten by birds. |
| Lev 26:33 | "...I will send the sword after you, and your land shall become..." | Covenant curse of scattering. |
| Mal 2:3 | "I will rebuke your offspring... I will spread dung on your faces..." | Shame and dishonor as part of judgment. |
| Am 3:7 | "For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret..." | God reveals judgments through prophets. |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all..." | God's wrath against ungodliness. |
1 Kings 16 verses
1 Kings 16 4 Meaning
1 Kings 16:4 pronounces a severe divine judgment upon the house of Baasha, king of Israel. It declares that any of Baasha's family or descendants who die within the city will become food for dogs, and those who die in the open country will be consumed by birds of the heavens. This signifies an utterly disgraceful and unburied death, reflecting God's ultimate contempt and curse for Baasha's grave sin and idolatry, thus eradicating his lineage with extreme dishonor.
1 Kings 16 4 Context
1 Kings chapter 16 begins with the divine word to King Baasha of Israel through Jehu, the prophet. Baasha had been lifted by God from insignificance to rule Israel, yet he followed in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam I, particularly by maintaining the calf worship at Dan and Bethel (1 Ki 12:28-30). This rebellion against God provoked the Lord's anger. The immediate verses (1 Ki 16:1-3) announce that God will utterly sweep away Baasha's house, just as He did with Jeroboam's, due to his persistent evil. Verse 4 then details the horrific consequence: his lineage will face an ignominious end without proper burial. Historically, the denial of burial was considered the ultimate curse and disgrace in the ancient Near East, signifying a complete loss of honor and exclusion from the ancestral resting place, often meaning spiritual judgment as well. The prophecy finds its immediate fulfillment in 1 Kings 16:9-12, where Zimri, a chariot commander, conspires against Baasha's son Elah and wipes out the entire house of Baasha shortly after Elah takes the throne.
1 Kings 16 4 Word analysis
- Anyone belonging to Baasha: The Hebrew phrase refers to the household and descendants of King Baasha. In ancient thought, the entire lineage and extended family were held accountable for the king's actions. This is a judgment against the continuity and legacy of the royal line.
- who dies in the city: Indicates any family member who perishes within the populated, walled settlements. For those within the city, death typically occurred from natural causes or disease.
- the dogs shall eat: In the ancient world, dogs were often scavenging animals, especially street dogs (Hebrew: kelavim). To have one's body devoured by dogs was the epitome of defilement, dishonor, and the denial of a proper, respectful burial. This image conveys a public spectacle of disgrace and utter rejection. Dogs were considered unclean (Ex 22:31).
- and anyone of his belonging who dies in the open country: This refers to those who might die outside city walls, perhaps in battle, while traveling, or fleeing. "Open country" (Hebrew: sadeh, "field") signifies areas outside human settlement.
- the birds of the heavens shall eat: "Birds of the heavens" (Hebrew: ʿôph haššāmayim) specifically denotes carrion-eating birds like vultures or ravens. Their consumption of unburied bodies likewise signified extreme divine judgment and desecration, leaving no remains for dignified interment. Both fates, being eaten by dogs or birds, denote a complete absence of the crucial burial rites, which were essential for honor and peace in death. This pointed to an absolute, unsparing destruction of the family name and legacy by divine judgment.
1 Kings 16 4 Bonus section
The repeated motif of "cutting off" or annihilating entire royal houses (Jeroboam, Baasha, Omri, Ahab) highlights the Northern Kingdom's chronic spiritual sickness and cyclical nature of judgment. Each new dynasty often ascended by violence and quickly succumbed to the same spiritual rebellion that brought down its predecessor, indicating a deep-seated rejection of the covenant God. This specific judgment (unburied bodies eaten by scavengers) serves as a potent theological statement: it contrasts the biblical concept of honorable burial as a sign of respect and peace, often symbolizing God's faithfulness even in death, with the shame reserved for those under His direct wrath. The absence of burial rites meant perpetual wandering for the soul in some ancient beliefs, a deep fear that God exploited to convey the gravity of their apostasy. It also implicitly highlights the sanctity of human life and body, where defilement in death symbolized profound spiritual defilement in life.
1 Kings 16 4 Commentary
1 Kings 16:4 is a vivid prophetic decree underscoring God's unwavering judgment against idolatry and persistent wickedness, particularly within leadership. The specified mode of death – bodies consumed by dogs and birds – is not merely a detail; it's a profound cultural curse, stripping the deceased of dignity, familial remembrance, and any hope of a respectful afterlife as understood by ancient cultures. This "cutting off" was worse than mere physical death; it annihilated identity, name, and legacy, signaling a complete removal from the community, both earthly and ancestrally. It powerfully illustrates that rebellion against God, despite initial divine favor, incurs severe consequences that affect generations. The immediate fulfillment in 1 Kings 16:11-12 highlights the swift and precise execution of God's Word, demonstrating His sovereignty over human kingdoms and His covenant faithfulness in upholding justice. This judgment parallels the curse upon Jeroboam, revealing a consistent divine response to the repeated sin patterns in the Northern Kingdom, particularly their persistence in syncretism and idol worship initiated by Jeroboam.