1 Kings 16:31

“And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, etc.] To worship the golden calves he set up: that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians; who is called Ithobalus and Itobalus king of the Tyrians, by Heathen historians f356; and, by Theophilus of Antioch f357, Juthobalus, priest of Astarte; for Tyre and Zidon were under one king. This woman was not only of another nation, and an idolater, but a very filthy woman, and is made the emblem of the whore of Rome, (<660220>Revelation 2:20) and went and served Baal, and worshipped him that is, went to Zidon and Tyre, and worshipped his wife’s gods, which…”

“As if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam - Idolatries are not exclusive. Ahab, while he detested the pure worship of Yahweh, and allowed Jezebel to put to death every “prophet of the Lord” whom she could find 1 Kings 18:4, readily tolerated the continued worship of the “calves,” which had no doubt tended more and more to lose its symbolic character, and to become a thoroughly idolatrous image-worship. Eth-baal - Identified with the Ithobalus of Menander, who reigned in Tyre, probably over all Phoenicia, within 50 years of the death of Hiram. This Ithobalus, whose name means “With him is Baal,” was originally priest of the great temple of Astarte, in Tyre. At…”

“A light thing - The Hebrew runs, was it a light thing, &c, that is, was this but a small sin, that therefore he needed to add more abominations? Where the question, as is usual among the Hebrews, implies a strong denial; and intimates, that this was no small sin, but a great crime; and might have satisfied his wicked mind, without any additions. Jezebel - A woman infamous for her idolatry, and cruelty, and sorcery, and filthiness. Eth - baal - Called Ithbalus, or Itobalus in heathen writers. So she was of an heathenish and idolatrous race. Such as the kings and people of Israel were expressly forbidden to marry. Baal - The idol which the Sidonians worshipped, which is thought to be Hercules.…”

“16:31-33 The spiritual evaluation of Ahab is the worst yet among the kings of Israel. Later, Ahab’s evil behavior was attributed to his being “under the influence of his wife Jezebel” (21:25). Ahab and Jezebel propagated Canaanite worship rites, leading Israel further from the Lord. Added to Jeroboam’s false worship system, these sins eventually spelled disaster for Israel.”

“as if it had been a light thing: Heb. was it a light thing, Gen 30:15; Num 16:9; Isa 7:13; Eze 8:17, Eze 16:20, Eze 16:47, Eze 34:18 took to wife: Gen 6:2; Deu 7:3, Deu 7:4; Jos 23:12, Jos 23:13; Neh 13:23-29 Jezebel: Kg1 18:4, Kg1 18:19, Kg1 19:1, Kg1 19:2, Kg1 21:5-14, Kg1 21:25; Kg2 9:30-37; Rev 2:20 the Zidonians: Kg1 11:1; Jdg 10:12, Jdg 18:7 and went: Kg1 11:4-8 served Baal: Kg1 21:25, Kg1 21:26; Jdg 2:11, Jdg 3:7, Jdg 10:6; Kg2 10:18, Kg2 17:16 3 Kings (1 Kings) 16:32”