Hiel the Bethelite (1 Kings 16:34)

2023-09-19

And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. (Joshua 6:26)

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. (1 Kings 16:34)

In the days of Joshua, they saw the glory of the LORD as He miraculously threw down the walls of Jericho. They were told to destroy everything (herem). Achan disobeyed, but the people corrected that, and the Lord was with them again.

Consider this warning from Joshua, who cursed the person who would ever rebuild Jericho. Centuries later, during Ahab’s reign, we see this Hiel building the city in violation of the herem. He lost his sons in doing so.

Imagine being so persistent on doing something that God has forbidden. This was Ahab’s world, where people did the most heinous things regardless of the sacrifice. When a society doesn’t follow the Lord, they will eventually pursue vileness. We are witnessing that today in western society.