Ahab Ahab, Israel’s eighth king, inherited the northern kingdom from his powerful father, Omri (1 Kgs 16:27-28), and reigned in Israel from 874 to 853 BC. Ahab married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Under her influence, Ahab began worshiping Baal instead of the Lord (16:29-33). Ahab had several military successes. He achieved victories over the Arameans (20:1-34), and in 853 BC he led a coalition of kings against the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III and defeated him at the battle of Qarqar. However, the Old Testament reports little positive news about Ahab, who was a traitor to God. God raised up the prophet Elijah to confront Ahab, Jezebel, and their prophets and to reassert the supremacy of the true God (17:1; 18:1-46). Ahab not only betrayed the Lord; he also exploited his people, as in the matter of Naboth and his vineyard (21:1-29). In Israel, the people had absolute title to the land as a gift from God. When Ahab wanted to annex a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth and Naboth refused, he was frustrated. Jezebel was familiar with another type of kingship back home: When kings wanted something, they just took it. So she helped Ahab frame Naboth, who was execut...

Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3). Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son...

Jeroboam I Jeroboam I, son of Nebat from the tribe of Ephraim, was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel (931–910 BC). He led the northern ten tribes into the sins that brought about the destruction of the northern kingdom. Jeroboam began his political career by supervising Solomon’s labor forces in the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Kgs 11:26-28). Because Solomon had drifted away from the Lord, God determined to remove the ten northern tribes from the rule of David’s descendants. The prophet Ahijah told Jeroboam that the Lord had chosen him to lead those tribes and to give him a lasting dynasty if he was faithful (11:29-39). Solomon apparently caught wind of what had happened and tried to kill Jeroboam, who sought refuge in Egypt (11:40; cp. Saul and David, 1 Sam 18:5–20:42). When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam was immediately proclaimed king in Judah, but the northern tribes had to affirm his kingship separately. Seizing the opportunity, Jeroboam took the northern leaders to Rehoboam to seek relief from the harsh labor Solomon had forced on them (1 Kgs 12:1-4). Rehoboam foolishly spurned their request (12:5-14), so the north rebelled and appointed Jerobo...