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King Ahab photo by Gustave Dor茅- 

Top 10 Interesting Facts about King Ahab

King Ahab was the seventh king of Israel, the son, and successor of King Omri, and the husband of Jezebel of Sidon, according to the Hebrew Bible.

The Bible presents Ahab as a wicked king, particularly for condoning Jezebel’s influence on religious policies and his principal role in Naboth’s execution.

He became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah and he reigned for twenty-two years according to the Hebrew Bible.

In his final battle, according to the Hebrew Bible, a random arrow shot Ahab and he died out of loss of blood. As it was prophesied the dogs licked his blood in the same place where they licked Naboth鈥檚 blood.

1. His Reign

King Ahab photo by Crispijn van de Passe (I)-

King Omri, Ahab’s father was a successful military leader. During Ahab’s reign, Moab had been conquered by his father who remained a branch.

Ahab was unified by marriage with Jehoshaphat, who was the king of Judah. Only with Aram of Damascus is he believed to have had strained relations, though the two kingdoms also shared an alliance for some years.

Ahab married Jezebel, the daughter of the King of Tyre. Jezebel was a dominant influence on Ahab, persuading him to abandon Yahweh and establish the religion of Baal in Israel.

 Ahab lived in Samaria, the royal capital established by Omri, and built a temple and altar to Baal there.

 These actions were said to have led to severe consequences for Israel, including a drought that lasted for several years and Jezebel’s fanatical religious persecution of the prophets of Yahweh, which Ahab condoned.

2. Battle of Qarqar

King Ahab photo by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld-

Ahab’s contribution to the battle is estimated at 2000 chariots and 10,000 men. However, the number of chariots in Ahab’s forces was probably closer to a number in the hundreds.

Therefore, the numbers in accordance with his forces are referring to allies from Tyre, Judah, Edom, and Moab.

The Assyrian king claimed a victory, but his immediate return and subsequent expeditions in 849 BC and 846 BC against a similar but unspecified coalition seem to show that he met with no lasting success.

3. He was Challenged by The Prophet Elijah

King Ahab photo by Sir Francis Dicksee-

 At Jezebel’s command, Ahab ordered the execution of the prophets of Israel replacing them with Baal’s false prophets. But Elijah, filled with the power of the true God directly challenged Ahab and Jezebel.

He pronounced God’s curse. ” No rain will fall on Israel until the people reject Baal and return to God. As the God of Israel lives no rain shall fall until I call on the Lord to deliver it.” 

Elijah escaped to the desert where God provided water and food from Heaven for His Prophet. Elijah longed to return to Israel to save his people.

God commanded Elijah to go and show himself to Ahab. Elijah told Ahab to gather the prophets of Baal and meet him on Mount Carmel, where sacrifices were to be placed on two altars. Elijah said, 鈥�Let us call on our Gods鈥�. ” The God that answers with fire is the true God.”

The prophets of Baal cried out in vain to their idol. When Elijah prayed humbly to God, God sent down fire, accepting Elijah’s offering. The people realized at last that there is only one true God who sends rain again ending his people’s despair.

4. He Coveted Naboth鈥檚 Vineyard

King Ahab photo by Jim Padgett-

Naboth owned a vineyard, that was close to King Ahab’s palace in the city of Jezreel. Because of this, Ahab desired to acquire the vineyard so that he could use it for a vegetable garden.

Since Naboth inherited the land from his ancestors he refused to sell it to Ahab according to the Mosaic law; the law forbade the permanent selling of land.

Frustrated at not being able to procure the vineyard, Ahab returned to his palace and went to bed without eating anything.

His wife, Jezebel, after learning the reason for him being upset plotted against Naboth by falsely accusing him and he was stoned to death. After Naboth was executed, the Queen told Ahab to take possession of the vineyard.

As punishment for this incident, the prophet Elijah visited Ahab and prophesied his death and the extermination of the Omride line. Elijah also predicted the death of Jezebel.

Ahab humbled himself at Elijah’s words, and God spared the king accordingly, instead of postponing the prophesied destruction of Ahab’s house to his son’s reign.

5. Ahab was an Idolater

He worshiped the false gods of his wife Jezebel and built temples for them. Only God deserves worship but Ahab ignored God鈥檚 commandments and sought protection from the idols. More so he promoted idolatry across the country.

6. He was Religious on Occasions

He was only religious when it suited him because when the followers of the false god Baal had an influence he worshiped Baal but when Elijah defeated and killed all of Baal鈥檚 prophets, Ahab did nothing to interfere.

He only followed God鈥檚 orders to defeat the king of Syria but when he won he rejected God鈥檚 warnings.

7. He was Disobedient to God

Ahab was an Israelite and he knew the commandments of God but had no respect for them. Against God鈥檚 commands, he committed idolatry.

He married an idolatrous foreign woman who planned the murder and persecution of God鈥檚 prophets. He also spared an enemy whose death God commanded and even arrested a prophet who warned him about the danger of going to war.

8. Ahab was the Enemy of the Men of God

The majority of God’s prophets rebuked Ahab for his sins and warned of the coming punishment.

Instead of listening and repenting he was angry with the prophets and persecuted them alongside his wife. He even considered the prophet Elijah to be a public enemy who threatened the kingdom.

9. His weakness and Greatest Sin

Ahab was an opportunist who will follow whoever leads him whether good or bad. But finally confronted with a clear decisive choice in the battle to follow God or despise him but his choice came at a cost and he died for it.

10. He was Prideful

He never listened to any of the prophets that also came to him to deliver messages or warnings.

He saw that whatever works for him was his way. And out of this, his sons went on their destructive ways and they were all killed.

In conclusion, Ahab had inherited a prosperous kingdom from his father, and for a while, he enjoyed that prosperity but, in the end, God punished him for all his sins.

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