Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Made thee prince over my people - That is, in the course of my providence, I suffered thee to become king; for it is impossible that God should make a rebel, a traitor, and a murderer, king over his people, or over any people. God is ever represented in Scripture as doing those things which, in the course of his providence, he permits to be done.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust,.... From a very low estate, and mean family:

and made thee prince over my people Israel; as they were of right, and ought to have been; and though Baasha got the kingdom by treachery and murder, yet the translation of the kingdom to him was according to the appointment of God, and by his overruling providence; and even his act of killing Nadab was a fulfilment of a prophecy of his; and had he done it in obedience to the will of God, and in vengeance for his sin, would not have been blameworthy, since then he would have been an executioner of the, justice of God:

and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; committing and encouraging the same idolatrous practices, so very provoking to God.

Geneva Study Bible

(a) Thus spoke Jehu to Baasha in the Name of the Lord.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Forasmuch as I exalted thee — The doom he pronounced on Baasha was exactly the same as denounced against Jeroboam and his posterity. Though he had waded through slaughter to his throne, he owed his elevation to the appointment or permission of Him “by whom kings reign.”

over my people Israel — With all their errors and lapses into idolatry, they were not wholly abandoned by God. He still showed His interest in them by sending prophets and working miracles in their favor, and possessed a multitude of faithful worshippers in the kingdom of Israel.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;

I made thee — Though that invading the kingdom was from himself, and his own wicked heart; yet the translation of the kingdom from Nadab to Baasha simply considered, was from God, who by his providence disposed of all occasions, and of the hearts of the soldiers and people, so that Baasha should have opportunity of executing God's judgment upon Nadab; nay, the very act of Baasha, the killing his master Nadab, was an act of divine justice. And if Baasha had done this in obedience to God's command, and with a single design, to execute God's vengeance threatened against him, it had been no more a sin, than Jehu's act in killing his master king Jehoram, upon the same account, 2 Kings 9:24. But Baasha did this, merely to gratify his own pride, or covetousness, or malice, verse7.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Kings 16:2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;

Ver. 2. Forasmuch as I exalted thee.] See 1 Kings 14:7. Ingentia beneficia, flagitia, supplicia, say the Centurists.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

1 Kings 16:2. Forasmuch as I exalted thee— It may be asked, how Baasha's exaltation to the kingdom of Israel can be ascribed to God, when it is manifest that he gained it by his own treachery and cruelty? To which it may be replied, that though the manner of invading the kingdom was from himself and his own wicked heart, yet the translation of the kingdom from Nadab to Baasha, simply considered, was from God, who by his decree and Providence ordered it, and so disposed of all occasions, and of the hearts of all the soldiers and the people, that Baasha should have opportunity to execute his judgments upon Nadab, and such success thereupon, as should procure him an immediate and quiet possession of the kingdom. So that his accession to the kingdom was from the divine decree, though the form and manner of his accession was from himself, from his own ambition and covetousness; and, as it was wicked and cruel, is therefore charged upon him, 1 Kings 16:7 as a wilful murder.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Out of the dust; out of a low and mean estate. See 1 Samuel 2:8 Psalms 113:7.

Quest: How is Baasha’s exaltation to the kingdom ascribed to God, when he got it by treachery and cruelty? Answ. Though that way or manner of invading the kingdom was from himself, and his own wicked heart; yet the translation of the kingdom from Nadab to Baasha, simply considered, was from God, who by his decree and providence ordered it, and disposed of all occasions, and of the hearts of all the soldiers and people, so that Baasha should have opportunity of executing God’s judgment upon Nadab; and such success thereupon, that he should get a present and quiet possession of the kingdom. Nay, the very act of Baasha, to wit, the killing of his master Nadab, was an act of Divine justice, foretold and appointed by God, 1 Kings 14:10. And if Baasha had done this in obedience to God’s command, and with a single design to execute God’s vengeance threatened against him, it had been no more a sin than Jehu’s act in killing his master king Jehoram, upon the same account, 2Ki 9. But that Baasha did this merely to gratify his own pride, or covetousness, or malice, this was not from God, but from himself, and therefore is charged upon him as murder here, 1 Kings 16:7.

To provoke me to anger: See Poole "1 Kings 14:9".

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 16:2. Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust — Probably from a mean family in the tribe of Issachar. Perhaps he was but a common soldier, or some very inferior officer in the army which besieged Gibbethon; but, being bold and daring, he formed a conspiracy against Nadab. The message which this prophet brought to Baasha is much the same with that which Ahijah sent to Jeroboam by his wife. 1st, He reminds him of the great things God had done for him: 2d, He charges him with high crimes and misdemeanours; and, 3d, He fore-tels the same destruction to come upon his family which he himself had been employed to bring on the family of Jeroboam. And made thee prince over my people Israel — But it may be asked, how Baasha’s exaltation to the kingdom can he ascribed to God, when it is manifest he obtained it by his own treachery and cruelty? To this Mr. Poole replies, that “though the manner of invading the kingdom was from himself and his own wicked heart, yet, the translation of the kingdom from Nadab to Baasha, simply considered, was from God, who by his decree and providence ordered it, and disposed of all occasions, and of the hearts of all the soldiers, and the people so, that Baasha should have the opportunity of executing God’s judgment upon Nadab, and such success thereon, as should procure him a present and quiet possession of the kingdom.” So that his accession to the kingdom was from the divine decree; but the form and manner of his accession was from himself, from his own ambition and covetousness, which induced him to kill Nadab; and as it was wicked and cruel, it is therefore charged upon him as a wilful murder, 1 Kings 16:7.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

I have. All power comes from God, though he frequently disapproves of the means by which people obtain it. (Haydock) --- Baasa was a traitorous usurper. --- My people. Many had abandoned the Lord: (Haydock) yet he still regards Israel as his people, sending prophets to reclaim them, and preserving many from bending the knee before Baal.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

prince: or captain = one raised up. Hebrew. nagid.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;

Forasmuch as I exalted thee. The doom he pronounced on Baasha was exactly the same as denounced against Jeroboam and his posterity. Though he had waded through slaughter to his throne, he owed his elevation to the appointment or permission of Him "by whom kings reign."

Over my people Israel. With all their errors and lapses into idolatry, they were not wholly abandoned by God. He still showed His interest in them, by seeding prophets and working miracles in their favour, and possessed a multitude of faithful worshippers in the kingdom of Israel.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Forasmuch as I exalted thee . . .—The prophecy—closely resembling that of Ahijah against Jeroboam—clearly shows that Baasha had a probation, which he neglected; and it seems to be implied in 1 Kings 16:7 that his guilt was enhanced by perseverance in the very sins for which, by his hand, so terrible a vengeance had been inflicted.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I exalted thee

14:7; 1 Samuel 2:8,27,28; 15:17-19; 2 Samuel 12:7-11; Psalms 113:7,8; Luke 1:52

thou has walked

13:33,34; 15:34

has made my people

14:16; 15:26; Exodus 32:21; 1 Samuel 2:24; 26:19; Matthew 5:19