1 Kings 16:33
New International Version
Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.

New Living Translation
Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.

English Standard Version
And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

Berean Standard Bible
Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.

King James Bible
And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

New King James Version
And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

New American Standard Bible
Ahab also made the Asherah. So Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

NASB 1995
Ahab also made the Asherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

NASB 1977
And Ahab also made the Asherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Ahab also made the Asherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

Amplified Bible
Ahab also made the Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

Christian Standard Bible
Ahab also made an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to anger the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ahab also made an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

American Standard Version
And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

Contemporary English Version
and set up a sacred pole for worshiping the goddess Asherah. Ahab did more to make the LORD God of Israel angry than any king of Israel before him.

English Revised Version
And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Ahab made poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. He did more to make the LORD God of Israel furious than all the kings of Israel who came before him.

Good News Translation
He also put up an image of the goddess Asherah. He did more to arouse the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel before him.

International Standard Version
Ahab also erected an Asherah, doing more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all of the kings of Israel who had reigned before him.

Majority Standard Bible
Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.

NET Bible
Ahab also made an Asherah pole; he did more to anger the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

New Heart English Bible
Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

World English Bible
Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did more yet to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Ahab makes the Asherah, and Ahab adds to do so as to provoke YHWH, God of Israel, above all the kings of Israel who have been before him.

Young's Literal Translation
and Ahab maketh the shrine, and Ahab addeth to do so as to provoke Jehovah, God of Israel, above all the kings of Israel who have been before him.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Ahab will make a statue; and Ahab will add to do to irritate Jehovah the God of Israel above all the kings of Israel which were before him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he planted a grove: and Achab did more to provoke the Lord the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he planted a sacred grove. And Ahab added to his works, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, beyond all the kings of Israel who had been before him.

New American Bible
and also made an asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than any of the kings of Israel before him.

New Revised Standard Version
Ahab also made a sacred pole. Ahab did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Ahab served idols; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Akhab served dreaded things, and Akhab increased to cultivate and to provoke anger before LORD JEHOVAH, God of Israel, more than all Kings of Israel who were before him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Achaab made a grove; and Achaab did yet more abominably, to provoke the Lord God of Israel, and to sin against his own life so that he should be destroyed: he did evil above all the kings of Israel that were before him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ahab Reigns in Israel, Marries Jezebel
32First, Ahab set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. 33Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him. 34In Ahab’s days, Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest he set up its gates, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.…

Cross References
Exodus 20:3-5
You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Deuteronomy 4:23-24
Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you. / For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 12:31
You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Judges 2:11-13
And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. / Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger, / for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

1 Kings 18:18-21
“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. / Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.” / So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. ...

2 Kings 17:16-17
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. / They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

2 Kings 21:3-6
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. / Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My Name.” / In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven. ...

Jeremiah 7:9-10
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, / and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’?

Jeremiah 19:4-5
because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. / They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.

Hosea 13:1-2
When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal, and he died. / Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”

Romans 1:21-23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

1 Corinthians 10:20-22
No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. / You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too. / Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

2 Corinthians 6:16-17
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” / “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:5-6
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. / Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.


Treasury of Scripture

And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

made a grove

Exodus 34:13
But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

2 Kings 13:6
Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)

2 Kings 17:16
And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

did more to provoke

1 Kings 16:30
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

1 Kings 21:19,25
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine…

1 Kings 22:6,8
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king…

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Ahab Anger Angry Asherah Ashe'rah Grove Image Israel Kings Maketh Pole Provoke Shrine
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1 Kings 16
1. Jehu's prophecy against Baasha
5. Elah succeeds him
8. Zimri, conspiring against Elah, succeeds him
11. Zimri executes Jehu's prophecy
15. Omri, made king by the soldiers, forces Zimri desperately to burn himself
21. The kingdom being divided, Omri prevails against Tibni
23. Omri builds Samaria
25. His wicked reign
27. Ahab succeeds him
29. Ahab's most wicked reign
34. Joshua's curse upon Hiel the builder of Jericho














So Ahab made
The name "Ahab" is derived from the Hebrew "אַחְאָב" (Ach'av), meaning "brother of the father" or "uncle." Ahab was the son of Omri and became the seventh king of Israel. His reign is marked by significant apostasy and idolatry, largely influenced by his marriage to Jezebel, a Phoenician princess. The phrase "made" indicates a deliberate action, suggesting Ahab's active role in leading Israel into idolatry, rather than merely allowing it to happen.

an Asherah pole
The "Asherah pole" refers to a wooden object associated with the worship of Asherah, a Canaanite goddess of fertility and motherhood. The Hebrew word "אֲשֵׁרָה" (Asherah) is often linked to sacred trees or poles set up near altars. Archaeological findings have uncovered numerous artifacts and inscriptions that reference Asherah, indicating her widespread worship in the ancient Near East. The erection of such a pole by Ahab signifies a direct violation of the first commandment, as it represents the introduction of foreign deities into the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Ahab did more to provoke
The word "provoke" comes from the Hebrew "כָּעַס" (ka'as), meaning to anger or irritate. This phrase underscores the severity of Ahab's actions, as he not only engaged in idolatry but did so in a manner that was particularly offensive to God. The use of "more" suggests a comparison with previous kings, highlighting Ahab's exceptional level of disobedience and rebellion against God's commandments.

the LORD, the God of Israel
The term "LORD" is the English representation of the Tetragrammaton, "יהוה" (YHWH), the sacred and personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible. "The God of Israel" emphasizes the covenant relationship between Yahweh and the nation of Israel. This phrase serves as a reminder of the unique identity and calling of Israel as God's chosen people, set apart to worship Him alone. Ahab's actions are thus seen as a betrayal of this covenant relationship.

to anger
The Hebrew word "אַף" (aph) is often translated as "anger" or "wrath." In the context of the Old Testament, God's anger is not capricious but is a response to covenant unfaithfulness and idolatry. It reflects His righteous indignation against sin and His desire for His people to return to Him. Ahab's idolatry is portrayed as a direct affront to God's holiness and justice.

than all the kings of Israel before him
This phrase places Ahab's actions in historical context, comparing his reign to those of his predecessors. The kings of Israel, starting with Jeroboam, had a history of leading the nation into idolatry, but Ahab's actions are depicted as surpassing them all in terms of provoking God's anger. This comparison serves as a warning and a call to repentance, emphasizing the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of faithful leadership.

Verse 33. - And Ahab made a grove [Heb. an Asherah, i.e., image of Astarte, a female figure corresponding to the male effigy just described. See note on 1 Kings 14:23]; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then [he]
אַחְאָ֖ב (’aḥ·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 256: Ahab -- 'father's brother', a king of Israel, also a false prophet

set up
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

an Asherah pole.
הָאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה (hā·’ă·šê·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same

Thus Ahab
אַחְאָ֜ב (’aḥ·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 256: Ahab -- 'father's brother', a king of Israel, also a false prophet

did
לַעֲשׂ֗וֹת (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

more
וַיּ֨וֹסֶף (way·yō·w·sep̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3254: To add, augment

to provoke
לְהַכְעִיס֙ (lə·haḵ·‘îs)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3707: To trouble, to grieve, rage, be indignant

the LORD,
יְהֹוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֣י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel, {to anger}
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

than all
מִכֹּ֨ל (mik·kōl)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the kings
מַלְכֵ֣י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

before him.
לְפָנָֽיו׃ (lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face


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OT History: 1 Kings 16:33 Ahab made the Asherah (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 16:32
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