Lexical Summary
Achab: Ahab
Original Word:אַחְאָב
Part of Speech:proper name, masculine
Transliteration:Ach'ab
Pronunciation:ah-KHAHV
Phonetic Spelling:(akh-awb')
KJV: Ahab
NASB:Ahab, Ahab's
Word Origin:[fromH251 (אָח - brother) andH1 (אָב - father)]
1. brother (i.e. friend) of (his) father
2. Achab, the name of a king of Israel and of a prophet at Babylon
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Ahab
Once (by contraction) oechab (Jer. 29:22) {ekh- awb'}; from'ach and'ab; brother (i.e. Friend) of (his) father; Achab, the name of a king of Israel and of a prophet at Babylon -- Ahab.
see HEBREW'ach
see HEBREW'ab
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
ach and
abDefinition"father's brother," a king of Isr., also a false prophet
NASB TranslationAhab (91), Ahab's (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
91 (
father's brother; = Nö
ZMG 1886, 172, was a nephew of Herod; compare like name in Syriac, given
ob maximum cum parte suo similitudinem, BarHebr
Chron.Ecclesiastes 2.23 compare LCB
1879, 1339. In many cases, however, the meaning of proper names compared with is dubious, & perfect consistency, especially in comparison with compounds of , seems impossible; compare remark below and further We
Skizzen, iii. 1 f, Dl
Pr. cap. vi) — 1Kings 16:28 +;
Jeremiah 29:22 —
.1 Kings 16:28,29;1 Kings 18:1,2,3;1 Kings 20:2,13,14 41t. 1Kings, 27 t. 2Kings, 14 t. 2 Chronicles;Micah 6:16.
.Jeremiah 29:21,22.
see .
Topical Lexicon
Historical BackgroundAhab ascended the throne of the northern kingdom of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah and reigned twenty-two years in Samaria (1 Kings 16:29). His rule falls within the ninth century B.C., during a period of political consolidation begun by his father Omri. Strategically positioned between Aram-Damascus to the north and Judah to the south, Ahab pursued an expansive foreign policy, fortified cities, and developed Samaria into a cosmopolitan capital.
Family and Dynasty
Ahab was the son of Omri and the husband of Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of Sidon. Their marriage forged an alliance with Phoenicia, but it also imported Baalistic religion into Israel. His sons Ahaziah and Jehoram (Joram) succeeded him in turn, while his daughter Athaliah later usurped the throne of Judah. The prophetic word against the “house of Ahab” (2 Kings 10:17) therefore includes not only the king himself but an extended dynasty that shaped Israel and Judah for a generation.
Religious and Moral Character
The inspired historian offers an unqualified evaluation: “Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him” (1 Kings 16:30). His twin innovations were state-sponsored Baal worship and the erection of an Asherah pole within Samaria (1 Kings 16:32-33). Spiritual syncretism, moral compromise, and political ruthlessness mark the entire record of his reign.
Political Alliances and Military Campaigns
Ahab fought three significant wars with Ben-Hadad of Aram (1 Kings 20; 22). Victories at Aphek and alliances with Jehoshaphat of Judah momentarily strengthened Israel, yet these gains never compensated for covenant disloyalty. Extrabiblical inscriptions (e.g., the Kurkh Monolith) corroborate a coalition including “Ahab the Israelite,” testifying to his military prominence in the region.
Confrontation with Elijah
The apostasy of Ahab provoked the ministry of Elijah the Tishbite. Announcing a drought (1 Kings 17:1), confronting the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18), and denouncing Jezebel’s murderous designs, Elijah personifies the prophetic witness against royal idolatry. When Ahab greeted him with the epithet, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17), the prophet countered that the true troubler was the king who had abandoned the commandments of the LORD.
Naboth’s Vineyard and Divine Verdict
Ahab’s coveting of Naboth’s ancestral land (1 Kings 21) revealed the moral corrosion of his court. Through Jezebel’s manipulation, Naboth was executed on false charges. Elijah’s judgment was swift: “In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, there also dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!” (1 Kings 21:19). Strikingly, when Ahab tore his clothes, fasted, and walked subdued, the LORD delayed full judgment until the next generation (1 Kings 21:27-29), illustrating both divine justice and mercy.
Micaiah and the Battle of Ramoth Gilead
Before Ahab entered his final campaign, the prophet Micaiah warned, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd” (1 Kings 22:17). Rejecting the solitary voice of truth, Ahab disguised himself in battle, only to be struck by an arrow “between the joints of his armor” (1 Kings 22:34). The prophecy was fulfilled when “the dogs licked up his blood” at Samaria (1 Kings 22:38).
Death and Fulfillment of Prophecy
Ahab’s death ended his personal reign but inaugurated the unraveling of his lineage. Ahaziah and Jehoram, lacking covenant fidelity, perpetuated his sins (2 Kings 3:1-2). Eventually Jehu carried out the divine judgment, eradicating the entire house of Ahab (2 Kings 9–10).
Subsequent Fate of Ahab’s House
Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter, introduced Baal worship into Judah and massacred the royal heirs, only to be deposed by the priest Jehoiada (2 Kings 11). Thus the contagion of Ahab’s idolatry briefly crossed national boundaries but was contained by faithful covenant guardians.
Ahab in the Prophets and Writings
Prophetic literature treats Ahab as a paradigm of covenant infidelity. “The statutes of Omri have been kept, and all the practices of the house of Ahab” (Micah 6:16) serves as a sweeping indictment of social injustice and idolatry. His memory becomes a covenant lawsuit exhibit against later generations.
Other Bearers of the Name
Jeremiah 29:21–23 recounts “Ahab son of Kolaiah,” a false prophet among the exiles in Babylon who “committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives” and uttered lies in the LORD’s name. His execution by Nebuchadnezzar parallels the earlier destruction of the king with whom he shares the name, further warning against prophetic deceit.
Occurrences Summary
The name אַחְאָב appears approximately ninety-three times in the Old Testament. The overwhelming majority refer to the king of Israel; a handful designate his progeny or the false prophet in Jeremiah. Each occurrence contributes to a composite portrait of rebellion countered by the steadfast word of God.
Ministry Reflections and Pastoral Applications
• Leadership either guides a people toward covenant faithfulness or accelerates national decline.
• Syncretism often enters through seemingly advantageous alliances; vigilance is mandatory.
• Prophetic ministry must prize truth over popularity; solitary voices like Elijah and Micaiah may stand against multitudes.
• God’s judgments are certain yet tempered by mercy toward genuine humility, as seen in the temporary respite granted to Ahab.
• The legacy of sin outlives the sinner; therefore repentance must be accompanied by enduring obedience lest subsequent generations reap the harvest of unrighteousness.
Forms and Transliterations
אַחְאָ֑ב אַחְאָ֔ב אַחְאָ֕ב אַחְאָ֖ב אַחְאָ֗ב אַחְאָ֛ב אַחְאָ֜ב אַחְאָ֞ב אַחְאָ֣ב אַחְאָ֤ב אַחְאָ֥ב אַחְאָ֧ב אַחְאָ֨ב אַחְאָֽב׃ אַחְאָב֒ אַחְאָב֙ אחאב אחאב׃ וְאַחְאָ֣ב וּכְאֶחָ֔ב וּלְאַחְאָ֛ב ואחאב וכאחב ולאחאב כְאַחְאָ֔ב כאחאב לְאַחְאָ֔ב לְאַחְאָ֖ב לְאַחְאָ֛ב לְאַחְאָֽב׃ לְאַחְאָב֙ לאחאב לאחאב׃ ’aḥ’āḇ ’aḥ·’āḇ achAv cheachAv ḵə’aḥ’āḇ ḵə·’aḥ·’āḇ lə’aḥ’āḇ lə·’aḥ·’āḇ leachAv ū·ḵə·’e·ḥāḇ ū·lə·’aḥ·’āḇ ucheeChav ūḵə’eḥāḇ ūlə’aḥ’āḇ uleachAv veachAv wə’aḥ’āḇ wə·’aḥ·’āḇ
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