1 Kings 16:15
in 1 Kings 16In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah for seven days. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
KJV
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
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This verse in 1 Kings 16
Commentary
7 notes on this verseGibbethon - Which had been besieged before, but, it seems, was then relieved, or afterwards recovered by the Philistines; taking the advantage of the disorders and contentions which were among their enemies.
This site's exposition
the rest of the acts of Elah
on 1 Kings 16:14-15
The chronicle formula closes Elah's short reign, and verse 15 opens Zimri's seven days in Tirzah while the army still besieges Gibbethon. Four kings have now died by the same violence they used to rise, and the text tells each fall without pausing to moralize over it.
This site's exposition
encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines
Gibbethon was already under siege at 15:27, when Baasha killed Nadab there. John Wesley reads the second siege as a sign that the Philistines had retaken the town while Israel quarrelled. Both coups came while the army sat before Gibbethon.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
) and Elah should have been with them to command in chief, but he loved his own ease and safety better than his honour or duty, or the public good, and therefore staid behind to take his pleasure; and, when he was drinking himself drunk in his servant's house, Zimri killed him,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
), so long before Omri was proclaimed king and himself proclaimed traitor; but we may suppose it was a longer time before he died, for he continued long enough to show his inclination to the way of Jeroboam, and to make himself obnoxious to the justice of God by supporting his idolatry,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah, &c. Until the army under Omri came and took the palace, and destroyed him: and the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belongeth to the Philistines; it was besieged in Nadab's time, but upon his death, by Baasha, the siege was raised; or however, if then taken, it was recovered by the Philistines, and now besieged again by the Israelites, see 1Ki 15:27.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The people were encamped against Gibbethon - It appears that, at this time, the Israelites had war with the Philistines, and were now besieging Gibbethon, one of their cities. This army, hearing that Zimri had rebelled and killed Elah, made Omri, their general, king, who immediately raised the siege of Gibbethon, and went to attack Zimri in the royal city of Tirzah; who, finding his affairs desperate, chose rather to consume himself in his palace than to fall into the hands of his enemies.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּשְׁנַת֩ | bishnat | in year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| עֶשְׂרִ֨ים | ʾesrim | twenty | H6242 → | 315 times |
| וָשֶׁ֜בַע | vasheva' | and seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| שָׁנָ֗ה | shanah | year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| לְאָסָא֙ | leasa' | of Asa | H609 → | 57 times |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָ֔ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| מָלַ֥ךְ | malakh | he became king | H4427 → | 348 times |
| זִמְרִ֛י | zimri | Zimri | H2174 → | 15 times |
| שִׁבְעַ֥ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִ֖ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| בְּתִרְצָ֑ה | betirtzah | in Tirzah | H8656 → | 18 times |
| וְהָעָ֣ם | vehaam | and the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| חֹנִ֔ים | chonim | [were] encamped | H2583 → | 143 times |
| עַֽל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| גִּבְּת֖וֹן | gibeton | Gibbethon | H1405 → | 6 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ | lapelishtim | [belonged] to the Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
בִּשְׁנַת֩in year
bishnatH8141 →877 times
עֶשְׂרִ֨יםtwenty
ʾesrimH6242 →315 times
וָשֶׁ֜בַעand seven
vasheva'H7651 →394 times
שָׁנָ֗הyear
shanahH8141 →877 times
לְאָסָא֙of Asa
leasa'H609 →57 times
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָ֔הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
מָלַ֥ךְhe became king
malakhH4427 →348 times
זִמְרִ֛יZimri
zimriH2174 →15 times
שִׁבְעַ֥תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִ֖יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
בְּתִרְצָ֑הin Tirzah
betirtzahH8656 →18 times
וְהָעָ֣םand the people
vehaamH5971 →1873 times
חֹנִ֔ים[were] encamped
chonimH2583 →143 times
עַֽל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
גִּבְּת֖וֹןGibbethon
gibetonH1405 →6 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃[belonged] to the Philistines
lapelishtimH6430 →287 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Kings 15:27Then Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon of the Philistines while Nadab and all Israel were besieging the city.
it leads to
- Joshua 21:23
From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 19:44
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
- 1 Kings 14:14
Moreover, the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day—yes, even today!
- Joshua 21:23
Through
Psalms 37:35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,
it leads to
- Job 5:3
I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
- Job 21:7–17
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
- Job 5:3
Through
Job 20:5the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
it leads to
- Psalms 37:35–36
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,
- Job 18:5–6
Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.
- Psalms 37:35–36
Through
2 Kings 9:31And as Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, O Zimri, murderer of your master?”
it leads to
- 1 Kings 16:9–20
However, while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza the steward of his household there, Elah’s servant Zimri, the commander of half his chariots, conspired against him.
- 1 Kings 16:9–20
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.