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16 Now the word of Yahweh came to (A)Jehu the son of (B)Hanani against Baasha, saying, “Inasmuch as I (C)exalted you from the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, and (D)you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made My people Israel sin, provoking Me to anger with their sins, behold, (E)I am going to sweep away (F)Baasha and his house, and (G)I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. (H)Anyone of Baasha who dies in the city the dogs will eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the sky will eat.”

(I)Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried in (J)Tirzah, and Elah his son became king in his place. Moreover, the word of Yahweh through the hand of (K)the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani also came about against Baasha and his household, both because of all the evil which he did in the sight of Yahweh, provoking Him to anger with (L)the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because (M)he struck [a]it.

Elah Reigns over Israel

In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha became king over Israel at Tirzah, and reigned two years. And his servant (N)Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was at Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, (O)who was over the household at Tirzah. 10 Then Zimri went in and struck him and put him to death in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and became king in his place. 11 Now it happened when he became king, as soon as he sat on his throne, that (P)he struck down all the household of Baasha; he did not leave [b]a single male—not even any of his kinsman redeemers or his friends.

12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the household of Baasha, (Q)according to the word of Yahweh, which He spoke against Baasha by the hand of (R)Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel sin, (S)provoking Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their [c]idols. 14 (T)Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Zimri Reigns over Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days at Tirzah. Now the people were camped against (U)Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. 16 And the people who were camped heard [d]it said, “Zimri has conspired and has also struck down the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. 18 Now it happened that when Zimri saw that the city was captured, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire, and (V)died, 19 because of his sins which he sinned, doing what is evil in the sight of Yahweh, (W)walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, making Israel sin. 20 (X)Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his conspiracy which he [e]carried out, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Omri Reigns over 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; the other half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri prevailed over the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. And Tibni died and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel and reigned twelve years; he reigned six years at (Y)Tirzah. 24 And he bought the hill [f]Samaria from Shemer for two [g]talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and named the city which he built [h](Z)Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 (AA)And Omri did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and (AB)acted more wickedly than all who were before him. 26 For he (AC)walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and in his sins which he made Israel sin, provoking Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their [i]idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did and his might which he [j]showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 So Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son became king in his place.

Ahab Reigns over Israel

29 Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh (AD)more than all who were before him.

31 Now it happened, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that (AE)he took Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the (AF)Sidonians as a wife, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 So he erected an altar for Baal in (AG)the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made (AH)the [k]Asherah. Thus (AI)Ahab did more to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 (AJ)In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of Yahweh, which He spoke by the hand of Joshua the son of Nun.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 16:7 Or him
  2. 1 Kings 16:11 Lit him who urinates against the wall, cf. 1 Sam 25:22, 34; 1 Kin 14:10; 21:21; 2 Kin 9:8
  3. 1 Kings 16:13 Lit vanities
  4. 1 Kings 16:16 Lit saying
  5. 1 Kings 16:20 Lit conspired
  6. 1 Kings 16:24 Heb Shomeron
  7. 1 Kings 16:24 A talent was approx. 75 lb. or 34 kg
  8. 1 Kings 16:24 Heb Shomeron
  9. 1 Kings 16:26 Lit vanities
  10. 1 Kings 16:27 Lit did
  11. 1 Kings 16:33 A wooden symbol of a female deity

16 Now the word of the Lord came to Jehu(A) son of Hanani(B) against Baasha: “Because I raised you up from the dust(C) and made you ruler over My people Israel,(D) but you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have caused My people Israel to sin,(E) provoking Me with their sins, take note: I will sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat:(F)

Anyone who belongs to Baasha and dies in the city,
the dogs will eat,
and anyone who is his and dies in the field,
the birds of the sky will eat.”(G)

The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.(H) Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place. Through the prophet Jehu(I) son of Hanani the word of the Lord also came against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in the Lord’s sight, provoking Him with the work of his hands and being like the house of Jeroboam, and because Baasha had struck down the house of Jeroboam.(J)

Israel’s King Elah

In the twenty-sixth year of Judah’s King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel and reigned in Tirzah(K) two years.

His servant Zimri,(L) commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk(M) in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household(N) at Tirzah. 10 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri went in, struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place.(O)

11 When he became king, as soon as he was seated on his throne, Zimri struck down the entire house of Baasha. He did not leave a single male,[a](P) including his kinsmen and his friends. 12 So Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken against Baasha through Jehu the prophet.(Q) 13 This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and those of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord God of Israel(R) with their worthless idols.(S)

14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.(T)

Israel’s King Zimri

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah.(U) Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.(V) 16 When these troops heard that Zimri had not only conspired but had also struck down the king, then all Israel made Omri, the army commander, king over Israel that very day in the camp. 17 Omri along with all Israel marched up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.(W) 18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down over himself. He died 19 because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and by following the example of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit.(X)

20 The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, along with the conspiracy that he instigated, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. 21 At that time the people of Israel were divided: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 However, the people who followed Omri proved stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

Israel’s King Omri

23 In the thirty-first year of Judah’s King Asa, Omri became king over Israel and reigned 12 years. He reigned six years in Tirzah,(Y) 24 then he bought the hill of Samaria(Z) from Shemer for 150 pounds[b] of silver, and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria[c] based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him.(AA) 26 He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.(AB) 27 The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, along with his accomplishments and the might he exercised, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. 28 Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.

Israel’s King Ahab

29 Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria 22 years. 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him.(AC) 31 Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were a trivial matter, he married Jezebel,(AD) the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians,(AE) and then proceeded to serve Baal and worship him.(AF) 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal(AG) that he had built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole.(AH) Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.(AI)

34 During his reign, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 16:11 Lit leave him one who urinates against the wall
  2. 1 Kings 16:24 Lit for two talents
  3. 1 Kings 16:24 = Belonging to Shemer’s Clan