King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Worshiper of Baal
Även känd som: Ahab
Det delade kungariketKingMilitary leaderBuilderIdolaterc. 885–853 BC
Ahab, son of Omri, reigned as the seventh king over the Northern Kingdom of Israel for about 22 years (c. 874–853 BC). By marrying Jezebel, a Phoenician princess and daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon, he paved the way for the systematic introduction of Baal worship into the kingdom and had a temple to Baal built in the capital city of Samaria. Scripture states that he provoked the Lord's anger more than any of Israel's kings before him (1 Kings 16:33). Despite the prophet Elijah's powerful confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, where the Lord's fire fell and the people confessed the God of Israel, Ahab held fast to idolatry. At the same time, he was a politically and militarily capable ruler who carried out extensive building projects – including the famous ivory palace in Samaria – and met Assyria's expansion by fielding the largest chariot force in an international coalition at Qarqar in 853 BC. The incident with Naboth's vineyard reveals the moral corruption of his reign: Jezebel arranged the murder of the innocent Naboth through false accusations, and Elijah proclaimed God's judgment over Ahab's entire dynastic line. When the king humbled himself before the Lord, the fulfillment was postponed to the next generation – a striking testimony that God's mercy reaches even the most stubborn. Ahab fell in battle at Ramoth Gilead, struck by what seemed like a random arrow, just as the prophet Micaiah had predicted, and dogs licked his blood by the pool of Samaria in fulfillment of God's word.
Ahab took the Phoenician princess Jezebel as his wife and built a temple to Baal in Samaria. Scripture states that he did more to provoke the Lord's anger than all the kings of Israel before him.
31As if it were a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he took as his wife Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.
Elijah challenged Ahab and the 450 prophets of Ba'al to a sacrifice test on Mount Carmel. The Lord answered with fire from heaven and demonstrated His sovereignty over Ba'al. The people fell down and confessed that the Lord is God.
19Now send word and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table."
21Elijah came before all the people and said, "How long will you keep limping between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." The people said nothing.
36At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet stepped forward and prayed: "LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
40Elijah ordered them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Don't let a single one escape." They seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.
Ahab fought against King Ben-Hadad of Aram and won twice with God's help, but he let Ben-Hadad go free in defiance of God's will. A prophet declared judgment on Ahab because he had released a man whom God had devoted to destruction.
1Ben-hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Thirty-two kings were with him, along with horses and chariots. He marched up, laid siege to Samaria, and attacked it.
13Meanwhile a prophet came up to Ahab king of Israel and said, "This is what the LORD says: Do you see this vast horde? Today I am giving it into your hand, and you will know that I am the LORD."
14"By whom?" Ahab asked. He answered, "This is what the LORD says: By the young officers of the provincial commanders." "And who will begin the battle?" he asked. "You will," he replied.
28The man of God came and said to the king of Israel, "This is what the LORD says: Because the Arameans have said, 'The LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys,' I will give this vast horde into your hand, and you will all know that I am the LORD."
29For seven days they camped facing each other, and on the seventh day the battle was joined. The Israelites struck down a hundred thousand Aramean foot soldiers in one day.
30The rest fled to the city of Aphek, and the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
34Ben-hadad said, "I will return the cities my father took from your father, and you may set up your own market districts in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." Ahab said, "On the basis of a treaty I will let you go." So he made a treaty with him and let him go.
42He said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: Because you set free from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life shall stand in place of his life, and your people in place of his people."
Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard in Jezreel, and Jezebel arranged for Naboth's execution through false witnesses and accusations. The prophet Elijah proclaimed God's judgment on Ahab and his entire household. When Ahab humbled himself, God postponed the full judgment to the next generation.
2Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard. I want it for a vegetable garden, since it lies so close to my house. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard than this one—or, if you prefer, I will pay you its full value in silver."
4So Ahab went home sullen and angry over what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him: "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay down on his bed, turned his face to the wall, and refused to eat.
15As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to sell you for silver. Naboth is no longer alive; he is dead."
19Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered, and also taken possession?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth's blood, the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours.'"
20Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the eyes of the LORD.
29"Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."
Ahab went to war against Ramoth in Gilead together with Jehoshaphat of Judah, despite the prophet Micaiah's warning of defeat. Disguised as a common soldier, he was struck by a random arrow and died at sunset. Dogs licked his blood at the pool in Samaria, fulfilling God's word.
17Then Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each one go home in peace.'"
34But someone drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king said to his charioteer, "Turn around and get me out of the fighting, for I am wounded."
35The battle grew fierce that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. That evening he died, and the blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot.