1 Kings 16:34

1 Kings 16:34

In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

a. ASV: In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof with the loss of Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

b. YLT: In his days hath Hiel the Beth-Elite built Jericho; in Abiram his first-born he laid its foundation, and in Segub his youngest he set up its doors, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake by the hand of Joshua son of Nun.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: In his days, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of the life of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Joshua son of Nun.

d. Septuagint: And in his days Achiel the Baethelite built Jericho: he laid the foundation of it in Abiron his first-born, and he set up the doors of it in Segub his younger son, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by Joshua the son of Naue.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: In his days, Hiel the Beth-elite built [up] Jericho; with the death of] Abriam his firstborn, he laid its foundations; and with [the death of] Segub, his youngest, he installed its doors; like the word of HASHEM that he had spoken through the hand of Joshua son of Nun. 

1. “In his days…”

a. [In his] days [Strong: 3117 yôwm, yome; from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):—age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, ×required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.]

1). In Ahab’s days.

2). The Scripture said previously that King Ahab descended into evil farther than any king of Israel before him. 

a). 1 Kings 16:29-30 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

b). 1 Kings 16:33 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.

2. “…did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub…”

a. [did] Hiel [Strong: 2419  Chîyʼêl, khee-ale'; from H2416 and H410; living of God; Chiel, an Israelite:—Hiel.]

b. [the] Bethelite [Strong: 1017 Bêyth hâ-ʼĔlîy, bayth haw-el-ee'; patrial from H1008 with the article interposed; a Beth-elite, or inhabitant of Bethel:—Bethelite.]

c. build [Strong: 1129 bânâh, baw-naw'; a primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively):—(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), × surely.]

d. Jericho [Strong: 3405 Yᵉrîychôw, yer-ee-kho'; or יְרֵחוֹ Yᵉrêchôw; or variation (1 Kings 16:34) יְרִיחֹה Yᵉrîychôh; perhaps from H3394; its month; or else from H7306; fragrant; Jericho or Jerecho, a place in Palestine:—Jericho.]

e. [he] laid the foundation [Strong: 3245 yâçad, yaw-sad'; a primitive root; to set (literally or figuratively); intensively, to found; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e. settle, consult:—appoint, take counsel, establish, (lay the, lay for a) found(-ation), instruct, lay, ordain, set, × sure.]

f. [thereof in] Abiram [Strong: 48 ʼĂbîyrâm, ab-ee-rawm'; from H1 and H7311; father of height (i.e. lofty); Abiram, the name of two Israelites:—Abiram.]

g. [his] firstborn [Strong: 1060 bᵉkôwr, bek-ore'; from H1069; first-born; hence, chief:—eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).]

h. [and] set up [Strong: 5324 nâtsab, naw-tsab'; a primitive root; to station, in various applications (literally or figuratively):—appointed, deputy, erect, establish, × Huzzah (by mistake for a proper name), lay, officer, pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, establish, (make to) stand(-ing, still, up, upright), best state.]

i. [the] gates [Strong: 1817 deleth, deh'-leth; from H1802; something swinging, i.e. the valve of a door:—door (two-leaved), gate, leaf, lid.] 

j. [thereof in his] youngest [Strong: 6810  tsâʻîyr, tsaw-eer'; or צָעוֹר tsâʻôwr; from H6819; little; (in number) few; (in age) young, (in value) ignoble:—least, little (one), small (one), young(-er, -est).]

k. [son] Segub [Strong: 7687 Sᵉgûwb, seg-oob'; from H7682; aloft; Segub, the name of two Israelites:—Segub.]

3. “...according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.”

a. [according to the] word [Strong: 1697 dâbâr, daw-baw'; from H1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:—act, advice, affair, answer, × any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, chronicles, commandment, × commune(-ication), concern(-ing), confer, counsel, dearth, decree, deed, × disease, due, duty, effect, eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, glory, harm, hurt, iniquity, judgment, language, lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, × ought, × parts, pertaining, please, portion, power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, × (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, sign, so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, song, speech, × spoken, talk, task, that, × there done, thing (concerning), thought, thus, tidings, what(-soever), wherewith, which, word, work.]

b. [of the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

c. which [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

d. [he] spake [Strong: 1696 dâbar, daw-bar'; a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue:—answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, × well, × work.]

e. by [Strong: 3027 yâd, yawd; a primitive word; a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote [as follows]:—( be) able, × about, armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, × bounty, broad, (broken-) handed, × by, charge, coast, consecrate, creditor, custody, debt, dominion, × enough, fellowship, force, × from, hand(-staves, -y work), × he, himself, × in, labour, large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, × mine, ministry, near, × of, × order, ordinance, × our, parts, pain, power, ×presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, swear, terror, × thee, × by them, × themselves, × thine own, × thou, through, × throwing, thumb, times, × to, × under, × us, × wait on, (way-) side, where, wide, × with (him, me, you), work, yield, × yourselves.]

f. Joshua [Strong: 3091 Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ, yeh-ho-shoo'-ah; or יְהוֹשֻׁעַ Yᵉhôwshuʻa; from H3068 and H3467; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader:—Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua.]

g. [the] son [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, +mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, +spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

h. [of] Nun [Strong: 5126 Nûwn, noon; or נוֹן Nôwn; (1 Chronicles 7:27), from H5125; perpetuity, Nun or Non, the father of Joshua:—Non, Nun.

1). This was a fulfillment of a prophetic utterance that Joshua gave after Jericho was destroyed.

a). Joshua 6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

2). This is the last verse in Chapter 16, but there is an interesting Jewish tradition mentioned by Alfred Edersheim in his book, Bible History Old Testament, concerning 1 Kings 16:34 and 1 Kings 17:1.

a).  Bible History Old Testament, p.670, Note 6. “Both he [Elijah] and King Ahab are supposed to have come on a visit of condolence to Heil, after the death of his children (I Kings 16:34). Elijah explains that this terrible calamity was the consequence of the neglect of Joshua’s warning, to which Ahab objects that it was incredible the disciple’s word should become true, if the master’s were not. But since the threatening of Moses in regard to idolatry had not been fulfilled, he could not believe in the warning of Joshua. Upon this Elijah bursts into the words mentioned in the text.” (1 Kings 17:1).