1 Kings 16 · Verse 21

1 Kings 16:21

Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
1 Kings 16:21, King James Version

1 Kings 16:21 in other translations

BSBAt that time the people of Israel were divided: Half of the people supported Tibni son of Ginath as king, and half supported Omri.
WEBThen the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.
ASVThen were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
YLTThen are the sons of Israel parted into halves; half of the people hath been after Tibni son of Ginath to cause him to reign, and the half after Omri;
DARBYThen were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
BBEThen there was a division among the people of Israel; half the people were for making Tibni, son of Ginath, king, and half were supporting Omri.
WebsterThen were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.

What does 1 Kings 16:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 16:21-22
21-22. Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts--The factions that ensued occasioned a four years' duration (compare 1Ki 16:15 with 1Ki 16:23), of anarchy or civil war. Whatever might be the public opinion of Omri's merits a large body of the people disapproved of the mode of his election, and declared for Tibni. The army, however, as usual in such circumstances (and they had the will of Providence favoring them), prevailed over all opposition, and Omri became undisputed possessor of the throne.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Divided into two parts - Why this division took place we cannot tell; the people appear to have been for Tibni, the army for Omri; and the latter prevailed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 16:15-28

When men forsake God, they will be left to plague one another. Proud aspiring men ruin one another. Omri struggled with Tibni some years. Though we do not always understand the rules by which God governs nations and individuals in his providence, we may learn useful lessons from the history before us. When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure the Lord has a…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 16:15-28 →

1 Kings 16:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אָ֧ז'azthenH227
יֵחָלֵ֛קye.cha.Lekit was dividedH2505
הָעָ֥םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
לַחֵ֑צִיla.Che.tziinto the halfH2677
חֲצִ֨יcha.Tzi<the> half ofH2677
הָעָ֜םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
הָ֠יָהHa.yahit wasH1961
אַחֲרֵ֨י'a.cha.ReibehindH310
תִבְנִ֤יtiv.NiTibniH8402
בֶן\־ven-[the] son ofH1121
גִּינַת֙gi.NatGinathH1527
לְהַמְלִיכ֔וֹle.ham.li.Khoto make king himH4427
וְהַחֲצִ֖יve.ha.cha.Tziand <the> halfH2677
אַחֲרֵ֥י'a.cha.Rei[was] behindH310
עָמְרִֽי\׃'a.me.RiOmriH6018

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 16:21

  • 1 Kings 15:25

    And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.

  • Isaiah 9:18-21

    For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

  • 1 Kings 15:28

    Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

  • Ephesians 4:3-5

    Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

  • Isaiah 19:2

    And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

  • 1 Kings 16:29

    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.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:12-13

    Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

  • 1 Kings 16:8

    In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.

  • Proverbs 28:2

    For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

  • Matthew 12:25

    And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
divided.
8,29; 15:25,28; Pr 28:2; Isa 9:18-21; 19:2; Mt 12:25
1Co 1:12,13; Eph 4:3-5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 16:20

    Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

  • 1 Kings 16:21

    Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.

  • 1 Kings 16:22

    But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

Read all of 1 Kings 16

1 Kings 16:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces el pueblo de Israel fué dividido en dos partes: la mitad del pueblo seguía á Thibni hijo de Gineth, para hacerlo rey: y la otra mitad seguía á Omri.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors le peuple d’Israël fut divisé par moitiés: la moitié du peuple suivit Thibni, fils de Guinath, pour le faire roi; et la moitié suivit Omri.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Damals teilte sich das Volk Israel in zwei Hälften: die eine Hälfte des Volkes folgte Tibni, dem Sohne Ginaths, um ihn zum König zu machen; und die andere Hälfte folgte Omri.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc divisus est populus Israël in duas partes: media pars populi sequebatur Thebni filium Gineth, ut constitueret eum regem: et media pars Amri.