Verse (Click for Chapter) 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. Berean Literal Bible And Ahab made an Asherah pole, and Ahab added to act to provoke to anger YHWH, God of Israel, more than all the kings of Israel who were 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. Berean Annotated Bible Then he (father's brother) set up an Asherah pole (goddess). Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel, to anger (he wrestles with God) than all the kings of Israel 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. 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen 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. 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 Versionand 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. Berean Literal Bible And Ahab made an Asherah pole, and Ahab added to act to provoke to anger YHWH, God of Israel, more than all the kings of Israel who were 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 BibleAnd 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 BibleAnd 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 1917And 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 Then he set up an Asherah pole. Deuteronomy 16:21 Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God, 2 Kings 21:7 Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever. 2 Chronicles 33:3 For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger 1 Kings 14:9-10 You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back. / Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone! 2 Kings 21:6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Deuteronomy 32:16-21 They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations. / They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear. / You ignored the Rock who brought you forth; you forgot the God who gave you birth. … than all the kings of Israel before him. 1 Kings 21:25-26 (Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel. / He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.) 2 Kings 21:11 “Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin, 2 Kings 23:19 Just as Josiah had done at Bethel, so also in the cities of Samaria he removed all the shrines of the high places set up by the kings of Israel who had provoked the LORD to anger. 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. … 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… Jump to Previous Ahab Anger Angry Asherah Ashe'rah Grove Image Israel Kings Maketh Pole Provoke ShrineJump to Next Ahab Anger Angry Asherah Ashe'rah Grove Image Israel Kings Maketh Pole Provoke Shrine1 Kings 16 1. Jehu's prophecy against Baasha5. 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 Then he set up an Asherah pole. The Asherah pole was a wooden symbol associated with the Canaanite goddess Asherah, often placed near altars dedicated to Baal. This act by Ahab signifies a deepening of Israel's apostasy, as it directly violated the first two commandments (Exodus 20:3-4). The pole's presence indicates the syncretism that plagued Israel, blending Yahweh worship with pagan practices. Archaeological findings in ancient Israelite sites have uncovered similar poles, confirming the biblical narrative of idolatry. The Asherah pole's erection highlights the spiritual decline under Ahab's reign, contrasting with the reforms of kings like Josiah (2 Kings 23:4-7), who later destroyed such symbols. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him. Persons / Places / Events 1. AhabThe seventh king of Israel, known for his idolatry and marriage to Jezebel, which led Israel into deeper sin. 2. Asherah Pole A wooden symbol associated with the Canaanite goddess Asherah, often used in idol worship. 3. The LORD, the God of Israel The one true God, who is provoked by Ahab's idolatry and disobedience. 4. Israel The northern kingdom, which under Ahab's rule, strayed further from God's commandments. 5. Jezebel Ahab's wife, a Phoenician princess who promoted the worship of Baal and Asherah in Israel. Teaching Points The Danger of IdolatryAhab's actions serve as a warning against the subtle and overt forms of idolatry that can creep into our lives. We must guard our hearts and remain faithful to God alone. Leadership and Influence Ahab's reign shows the profound impact a leader can have on a nation. As Christians, we are called to lead by example, influencing others towards righteousness rather than sin. Provoking God’s Anger The scripture highlights that certain actions can provoke God's anger. We should strive to live in a way that pleases God, avoiding behaviors that lead to His displeasure. The Role of Spouses Ahab's marriage to Jezebel had significant spiritual consequences. This underscores the importance of choosing a spouse who shares and supports one's faith and values. Repentance and Restoration Despite Ahab's sins, the Bible shows that God is always ready to forgive those who genuinely repent. We should never hesitate to turn back to God, no matter how far we have strayed. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Kings 16:33?2. How did Ahab's actions in 1 Kings 16:33 provoke God's anger against Israel? 3. What lessons can we learn from Ahab's idolatry in our lives today? 4. How does Ahab's behavior contrast with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 5. In what ways can we guard against modern forms of idolatry? 6. How can we ensure our worship aligns with God's expectations in Scripture? 7. Why did Ahab provoke the LORD more than all kings before him in 1 Kings 16:33? 8. How does Ahab's idolatry in 1 Kings 16:33 reflect on leadership and responsibility? 9. What historical evidence supports the events described in 1 Kings 16:33? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Kings 16? 11. How did Ahab and Jezebel's actions lead to their downfall? 12. In 1 Kings 15:13, is there any archeological corroboration for Asa deposing his grandmother Maachah over idol worship? 13. In what year of King Asa's reign did Baasha, King of Israel die? Twenty-sixth year (I Kings 15:33 - 16:8) Still alive in the thirty-sixth year (2 Chronicles 16:1) 14. How can 2 Chronicles 16:1 claim Baasha attacked Judah in Asa's thirty-sixth year if 1 Kings 15:33 indicates Baasha died years earlier? What Does 1 Kings 16:33 Mean Then he set up an Asherah pole“Ahab also made an Asherah pole” (1 Kings 16:33). • The Asherah pole was a carved wooden image linked to Canaanite fertility worship. God had already forbidden such objects: “You must not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you will build for the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 16:21). • Ahab’s action wasn’t ignorance; it was defiance. Earlier kings sinned by tolerating high places (1 Kings 15:14), but Ahab actively sponsored idolatry, following the pattern of “Jeroboam son of Nebat” (1 Kings 16:31) and going further by marrying Jezebel and building a temple for Baal (1 Kings 16:32). • Israel had fallen into this sin before—“The Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they served the Baals and the Asherahs” (Judges 3:7)—yet God’s warnings were clear (Exodus 20:3–5). Ahab chose to ignore them. Thus Ahab did more “So Ahab did more…” (1 Kings 16:33). • The narrator measures sin cumulatively. Each king had added layers of rebellion—Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri (1 Kings 16:25–26)—but Ahab’s record now tops them all. • 1 Kings 21:25 sums it up: “There was none who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab.” • His “more” included: – Official state sponsorship of Baal and Asherah worship (1 Kings 18:19). – Persecution of prophets (1 Kings 18:4). – Personal moral corruption such as the seizure of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21:1–16). to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger “…to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger” (1 Kings 16:33). • “Provoke” pictures deliberate agitation of a righteous, personal God. He is “a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14) who guards His covenant with zeal. • Idolatry strikes at the heart of covenant love: “They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; they sacrificed to demons” (Deuteronomy 32:16–17). • Ahab’s acts challenged the LORD’s exclusive claim on Israel (Hosea 2:13) and stirred divine wrath that would soon appear through drought (1 Kings 17:1) and later judgment on Ahab’s dynasty (2 Kings 9–10). • God’s anger is neither petty nor uncontrolled; it is the measured response of holiness violated (Psalm 78:58–59). than all the kings of Israel before him “…than all the kings of Israel before him” (1 Kings 16:33). • The northern kingdom’s line began with Jeroboam around 930 BC; by Ahab’s reign only fifty years had passed, yet spiritual decay had accelerated. Earlier summaries note each king “walked in the way of Jeroboam” (1 Kings 15:34; 16:26), but now the inspired writer singles out Ahab as the worst to date. • This comparison serves as a moral gauge: sin compounds when leaders model rebellion (Proverbs 29:12). Israel would eventually go into exile for doing “as the kings of Israel had done” (2 Kings 17:8), a path paved chiefly by Ahab. • Even Judah, usually more faithful, was later influenced by this northern idolatry through Ahab’s daughter Athaliah (2 Kings 8:18, 26), illustrating how one leader’s sin can corrupt many generations. summary • Ahab’s installation of an Asherah pole marks a conscious, state-level rejection of the LORD’s covenant, not a lapse in ignorance. • By going beyond previous kings in promoting idolatry, persecuting prophets, and enshrining Baal worship, Ahab “did more” evil than all his predecessors. • Such rebellion “provoked the LORD…to anger,” a just and holy response consistent with His warnings throughout the Law and the earlier history of Israel. • The verse stands as a cautionary benchmark: unchecked sin escalates, leadership matters, and the LORD’s exclusive claim on His people will not be ignored without consequence. 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 Links 1 Kings 16:33 NIV1 Kings 16:33 NLT 1 Kings 16:33 ESV 1 Kings 16:33 NASB 1 Kings 16:33 KJV 1 Kings 16:33 BibleApps.com 1 Kings 16:33 Biblia Paralela 1 Kings 16:33 Chinese Bible 1 Kings 16:33 French Bible 1 Kings 16:33 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Kings 16:33 Ahab made the Asherah (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg) |
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