I Kings 15-16

“So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria.” (16:33). Israel had had several generations of bad kings, but Ahab rebelled against God in a spectacular way.  The kingdom of Israel was split in two, with Ahab reigning over the north while righteous King Asa reigned over Judah in the south.  Ahab married Jezebel, daughter of a pagan king, and proceeded to lead the northern kingdom into terrible idolatry – including child sacrifice (16:34) and prostitution.

When sin is unresisted in a community, it gets worse.  King Ahab “provoked” God (v33) by celebrating wickedness, bringing suffering to his kingdom.