1 Kings 22:39 kjv
Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1 Kings 22:39 nkjv
Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1 Kings 22:39 niv
As for the other events of Ahab's reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
1 Kings 22:39 esv
Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
1 Kings 22:39 nlt
The rest of the events in Ahab's reign and everything he did, including the story of the ivory palace and the towns he built, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
1 Kings 22 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 16:33 | Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. | Ahab's unsurpassed wickedness |
| 1 Ki 21:19 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Have you murdered and also taken possession?'" | Injustice related to property acquisition |
| Amos 3:15 | "And I will strike the winter house along with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish," | Prophetic judgment on luxury and injustice |
| Amos 6:4 | "Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches," | Condemnation of excessive wealth and ease |
| Jer 22:13-17 | "Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his upper rooms by injustice," | Warning against wealth gained unjustly |
| Mic 6:16 | "For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab," | Ahab's enduring negative spiritual influence |
| Zeph 1:13 | "Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them." | Futility of material pursuits for the unrighteous |
| Jas 5:1-3 | "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted," | Warning to those trusting in worldly riches |
| Lk 12:15-21 | Parable of the rich fool who stored up treasures but was not rich toward God. | Vanity of worldly possessions |
| Isa 5:8 | "Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field," | Greed for land and property |
| 1 Ki 9:15 | "The account of the forced labor which King Solomon levied to build the house of the LORD and his own house..." | Righteous king's significant building projects |
| 2 Chr 8:3-6 | Details of King Solomon's fortification and city-building efforts. | Positive example of royal building activity |
| 1 Ki 16:24 | Omri, Ahab's father, bought and fortified Samaria as his capital. | Royal establishment of capital cities |
| Esth 6:1 | "On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles..." | King's official records |
| Dan 7:10 | "A stream of fire issued and came out from before Him; thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened." | Divine record-keeping and judgment |
| Lk 10:20 | "Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." | Heavenly registers of believers' names |
| Phil 4:3 | "whose names are in the book of life." | Names recorded in God's eternal book |
| Rev 20:12 | "And books were opened... and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged..." | Divine judgment based on eternal records |
1 Kings 22 verses
1 Kings 22 39 Meaning
1 Kings 22:39 functions as a standard concluding summary for King Ahab's reign in the Deuteronomistic history. It briefly records his notable secular accomplishments: his extensive construction projects, most famously the extravagant "ivory house" in Samaria, and the building of various cities, before referring readers to external official records for a fuller account. This concise statement highlights Ahab's material prosperity and power, providing a stark contrast to his spiritual depravity and unfaithfulness to God, which is the primary focus of the surrounding biblical narrative.
1 Kings 22 39 Context
1 Kings chapter 22 recounts the dramatic final phase of King Ahab's reign in Israel (the Northern Kingdom, c. 874-853 BC). After three years of peace with Aram, Ahab decides to reclaim Ramoth-gilead and seeks King Jehoshaphat of Judah's aid. The narrative contrasts 400 false prophets, who unanimously predict victory for Ahab, with the single true prophet Micaiah, whom Ahab despises because he only prophesies doom. Micaiah's prophetic vision of Israel scattered like sheep and Ahab's specific death details prove accurate when Ahab, despite disguising himself, is mortally wounded by an archer. Verse 39 serves as the standard, formulaic epilogue for a monarch's reign in the book of Kings. It focuses on the worldly aspects of Ahab's rule, reminding the reader of his material power and infrastructure development that occurred alongside his severe spiritual decline. Historically, Ahab's era was militarily and economically strong due to strategic alliances and control over trade routes, making extensive building projects like the famed ivory palace and city fortifications possible. This external prosperity, however, was accompanied by severe moral and religious corruption, particularly the promotion of Baal worship and the infamous injustice in the matter of Naboth's vineyard, setting him in constant opposition to God's prophets like Elijah and Micaiah.
1 Kings 22 39 Word analysis
- Now the rest of the acts of Ahab: This phrase, typical in the Books of Kings, marks the conclusion of a king's narrative. It signifies that the biblical text offers a select, divinely purposed account of his reign, rather than a full, chronological state record. It directs the reader to further details preserved elsewhere.
- and all that he did: A comprehensive expression indicating the entirety of King Ahab's activities beyond what is specifically narrated in Kings, encompassing administrative, economic, and political endeavors. It assures the audience that his significant actions were duly noted.
- and the ivory house (Hebrew: beit ha-shen, "house of the tooth/ivory"): Refers to a prominent palace or a significant section of his royal palace in Samaria, lavishly adorned with elaborate ivory carvings and inlays. Archaeological discoveries at Samaria confirm the existence of such structures with extensive ivory artifacts dating to Ahab's time. This detail symbolizes his immense wealth, royal power, and indulgent lifestyle. It stands as a physical manifestation of his worldly achievements.
- which he built: Attributes direct responsibility for the construction of the ivory house to Ahab. This highlights his role as a patron of monumental architecture and public works, a common hallmark of powerful rulers in the ancient Near East.
- and all the cities that he built: Suggests significant urban development and fortification throughout Israel during Ahab's reign. This demonstrates his military and administrative strength, indicating expansion or strengthening of existing urban centers for strategic or economic purposes. These construction projects further illustrate his material achievements and the relative peace and prosperity of his time.
- are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?: This rhetorical question is a formulaic citation. It refers to non-biblical royal archives or annals—likely state records—that served as historical sources for the author of Kings. This indicates the biblical account's claim of historicity, referencing records accessible to the original audience for verification of facts pertaining to the secular aspects of the king's rule.
1 Kings 22 39 Bonus section
The "Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel" was a collection of official state documents and royal annals that would have contained detailed information about military campaigns, administrative decrees, treaties, and public works like those of King Ahab. While this specific book is lost to us, its frequent mention underscores the biblical author's historical methodology and the existence of written records in ancient Israel. The practice of kings building grand palaces and fortifying cities was common across the ancient Near East, symbolizing national strength, wealth, and royal authority. For Ahab, the opulent "ivory house" may have been an intentional display of wealth to rival the splendors of other empires, yet it also foreshadowed prophetic condemnation of material excess and social injustice often associated with it, particularly in later prophetic books like Amos.
1 Kings 22 39 Commentary
1 Kings 22:39 encapsulates the duality of King Ahab's reign: worldly prosperity contrasting with spiritual wickedness. While the book of Kings emphasizes his profound apostasy, specifically his promotion of Baal worship and instances of injustice, this concluding verse acknowledges his significant material accomplishments. The mention of the "ivory house," confirmed by archaeology as an exceptionally luxurious palace adorned with elaborate ivory, along with his extensive city-building, illustrates the physical legacy of his rule. These achievements underscored his power and the economic stability of his kingdom during his time. However, within the biblical framework, such earthly glories are weighed against his unfaithfulness to God, ultimately deeming his reign a spiritual failure. The verse serves to formally conclude Ahab's account, referencing external royal chronicles that recorded these material details, thereby distinguishing the biblically selective, theologically driven narrative from comprehensive historical annals.