Omri Reigns in Israel

21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of (A)Samaria from Shemer for two talents[a] of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built (B)Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 (C)Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil (D)than all who were before him. 26 For (E)he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, (F)provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

Omri King of Israel

21 Then the people of Israel were split into two factions; half supported Tibni son of Ginath for king, and the other half supported Omri. 22 But Omri’s followers proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.(A) 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents[a] of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria,(B) after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.

25 But Omri did evil(C) in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him. 26 He followed completely the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused(D) Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.(E)

27 As for the other events of Omri’s reign, what he did and the things he achieved, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 28 Omri rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria.(F) And Ahab his son succeeded him as king.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 16:24 That is, about 150 pounds or about 68 kilograms