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.
During Ahab's reign, a man named Hiel from Bethel rebuilt the city of Jericho. When he laid the foundation, his oldest son Abiram died, and when he set up the city gates, his youngest son Segub died. This happened exactly as the LORD had warned through Joshua son of Nun.
This verse shows that God's warnings come true, when Hiel rebuilt Jericho despite God's ancient curse, he lost both his oldest and youngest sons just as God had predicted.
📚 Historical Context
During the time of King Ahab in ancient Israel, Hiel from Bethel attempted to rebuild the city of Jericho, which had been destroyed by Joshua as part of Israel's conquest of the Promised Land. Joshua had pronounced a divine curse on anyone who would rebuild Jericho, stating that it would cost them their firstborn and youngest sons, as recorded in Joshua 6:26. This event in 1 Kings 16:34 serves as a historical fulfillment of that prophecy, highlighting the reliability of God's warnings in the biblical narrative.
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