“On the day of our king,
The officials
Became sick
With the heat of wine.
He stretched out his hand
With mockers.
They are kindled
Like an oven.
Their hearts
Burn with intrigue.
All night,
Their anger smolders.
In the morning,
It blazes
Like a flaming fire.
All of them are hot
As an oven.
They devour their rulers.
All their kings have fallen.
None of them calls upon me.”
Yahweh was upset about the northern Israelite kingdom. Even at the enthronement of the king, some conspirators, drunk with wine, were plotting an overthrow of the new king. This intrigue burned in their hearts. Finally, this smoldering anger would blaze into a flaming fire. They devoured their own rulers. Many kings had fallen. Thus, one of the wicked deeds of the northern kingdom of Israel was their various assassination plots that changed kings. At least 7 kings were murdered in this northern territory. King Pekah (737-732 BCE) had murdered King Pekahiah (7378-737 BCE), the son of King Menahem (743-738 BC). However, the worst crime of all was that no one called on Yahweh for help.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 