Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 9
The crimes of Ahab’s family were especially wicked. Murder is always a terrible crime – but it is even worse to murder a prophet, someone whom God has sent to you. It is very evil to kill someone simply because that person serves the true God. Ahab’s family were guilty of very many murders in such circumstances (1 Kings 18:4, 19:10 and 21:1-14).
In these acts of cruelty, Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, was especially guilty. She introduced into Israel the evil religions that approved of these crimes. She persuaded Ahab and the rest of the royal family to imitate her behaviour. She actually gave the orders to those men who carried out many of these murders. She approved of evil acts; she hated the people who obeyed God and his law.
God had given Ahab, his sons, and his family many opportunities to turn back to him. In fact, when Ahab briefly became humble in front of God, God delayed the punishment for about 15 years (1 Kings 21:27-29). God often sent his prophets to warn Ahab’s family about their evil acts, and to urge them to change their behaviour. However, this wicked family did not change. Even as the time for the judgment approached, Joram, Ahab’s son, was still trying to murder the prophet Elisha (6:31-32).
Jeroboam and Baasha were two previous kings of Israel. Those kings had brought God’s judgments against their families by their evil deeds. The behaviour of Ahab’s family was even worse than their behaviour. Now the time had come for God’s judgment against Ahab’s family at last to happen.
Next part: Jehu's secret message (2 Kings 9:11)
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