1 Kings 21 22

1 Kings 21:22 kjv

And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

1 Kings 21:22 nkjv

I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made Israel sin.'

1 Kings 21:22 niv

I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.'

1 Kings 21:22 esv

And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin.

1 Kings 21:22 nlt

I am going to destroy your family as I did the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and the family of Baasha son of Ahijah, for you have made me very angry and have led Israel into sin.'

1 Kings 21 verses

1 Kings 21 22 Meaning

This verse pronounces God's severe judgment upon King Ahab's dynasty, declaring its utter destruction. It states that Ahab's royal line will be completely cut off, mirroring the divine eradication of the houses of Jeroboam and Baasha. This judgment is rendered due to Ahab's grave offenses of provoking God to anger and actively leading the nation of Israel into widespread sin through idolatry and unrighteousness.

1 Kings 21 22 Context

This verse appears as the core of God's prophetic judgment against King Ahab, delivered by the prophet Elijah. The immediate context of 1 Kings chapter 21 details Ahab's coveting of Naboth's vineyard, followed by Jezebel's treacherous plot leading to Naboth's false accusation, stoning, and death. Once Ahab takes possession of the vineyard, God dispatches Elijah to confront him directly. The pronouncement in verse 22 outlines the comprehensive scope of God's punishment, rooted in Ahab's persistent idolatry and his enabling, if not outright leading, of the nation into severe sin. Historically, Ahab reigned as one of the most wicked kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (1 Ki 16:30), surpassing even his unrighteous predecessors. The comparisons to Jeroboam and Baasha serve as crucial historical precedents of kings who established or continued severe idolatry in Israel, leading to the eradication of their respective dynasties, underscoring the severity and certainty of Ahab's impending doom.

1 Kings 21 22 Word analysis

• And I will make: וְעָשִׂיתִי (ve'asiti) - From the Hebrew root עָשָׂה ('asah), meaning "to make," "to do," "to act." The grammatical form signifies a decisive, direct, and certain action by God Himself. This is not merely a prediction, but a divine decree, emphasizing God's active involvement in judgment.

• thine house: בֵיתְךָ (beit'kha) - "Your house" (referring to Ahab). This term encompasses more than just Ahab as an individual; it refers to his entire dynasty, his lineage, descendants, and his royal family's authority and continuity. It signifies the complete eradication of his ruling line from the throne.

• like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat: כְּבֵית יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט (k'veit Yarov'am ben-Nevat) - "Like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat." כְּבֵית (k'veit) is a comparative particle, drawing a direct parallel. Jeroboam I was the first king of the Northern Kingdom, responsible for establishing calf worship and institutionalizing idolatry (1 Ki 12:28-30), which brought about the complete destruction of his house (1 Ki 15:29-30). This reference serves as a clear historical template for the judgment to fall upon Ahab.

• and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: וְכְּבֵית בַּעְשָׁא בֶּן־אֲחִיָּה (ve'kh'veit Ba'sha ben-Achiyyah) - "And like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah." Baasha violently seized the throne, annihilating Jeroboam's house, but he continued the same sinful religious practices (1 Ki 16:2). Consequently, his own dynasty was also utterly wiped out (1 Ki 16:11-13). This second comparison reinforces the pattern of divine judgment against kings who persisted in or intensified the idolatry that corrupted Israel.

• for the provocation: אֶל־הַכַּעַס (el-haKka'as) - "To the anger," or "because of the provocation." The Hebrew word כַּעַס (ka'as) denotes profound vexation, grief, or anger. It indicates God's intense indignation at being personally offended and dishonored by Ahab's actions.

• wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger: אֲשֶׁר הִכְעַסְתָּה אֹתִי (asher hik'asta oti) - "Which you have made me angry," or "whereby you have bitterly provoked me." The use of the Hiphil causative stem (הִכְעַסְתָּה) emphasizes that Ahab directly caused God's anger. It highlights the deliberate nature of his offensive acts.

• and made Israel to sin: וַתַּחְטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל (vattaḥ'ti et-Yisrael) - "And you have caused Israel to sin," or "you have led Israel into sin." The Hiphil causative stem of חָטָא (ḥata) is again used here. This phrase is critical, distinguishing Ahab's guilt beyond personal transgression. His actions as king, including his state-sponsored promotion of Baal worship (1 Ki 16:31-33) and persecution of Yahweh's prophets (1 Ki 18:4, 13), directly caused the entire nation, God's chosen people, to deviate from their covenant obligations and engage in sin and idolatry. This corporate influence greatly amplifies his offense.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And I will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam... and like the house of Baasha": This segment highlights God's consistency in judgment and the pattern of retribution against dynastic leadership that leads Israel into idolatry. It signifies a total end to the reigning line, drawing a prophetic historical parallel to well-known examples of complete divine overthrow due to severe religious rebellion.
  • "for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin": This section defines the two principal grounds for divine judgment: 1) Ahab's direct and intense affront to God's holiness and personal authority ("provoked me to anger"), and 2) the detrimental spiritual impact of his leadership on the nation, causing a collective turning away from God ("made Israel to sin"). The combination of personal affront and public corruption forms the basis for this severe and encompassing judgment.

1 Kings 21 22 Bonus section

The "provocation" of God (כַּעַס, ka'as) in this context signifies more than a casual annoyance; it speaks of deep offense against God's holy character and His established covenant with Israel. It carries connotations of vexation, grief, and strong indignation, demonstrating God's emotional reaction to the persistent idolatry and injustice perpetrated by Ahab. This is not arbitrary anger, but a righteous response to the repeated rejection of His love and law. The fulfillment of this prophecy in 2 Kings 9-10, where Jehu annihilates Ahab's entire house, including his seventy sons and Jezebel, serves as a powerful biblical illustration of the unfailing truth of God's prophetic word and the certainty of His promised judgment against covenant infidelity and sin in high places. This demonstrates that God's authority extends to the earthly powers and historical unfolding of nations, bringing His word to pass without fail.

1 Kings 21 22 Commentary

1 Kings 21:22 is a poignant articulation of divine justice, encapsulating God's judgment upon King Ahab. The reference to the "house" of Jeroboam and Baasha is more than a mere historical comparison; it functions as a solemn, divine precedent, declaring that Ahab's complete dynastic destruction is as certain and absolute as theirs was. God is not arbitrary; His judgment follows a consistent pattern against rulers who initiate or propagate gross idolatry. Ahab's sin transcended personal transgression; through his wickedness, magnified by Jezebel's influence, he fundamentally corrupted the nation, directly leading God's covenant people astray. The twin charges—provoking God's anger and making Israel sin—underscore the gravity. "Provoking God" implies a deliberate affront to His divine character and covenant relationship, while "making Israel to sin" highlights the severe pastoral and national consequence of his actions, violating his role as a shepherd of God's flock. This verse serves as a profound warning that a leader's actions carry immense spiritual weight, influencing entire communities for either good or devastating evil, and divine justice will inevitably call such leadership to account.