Omri Reigns over Israel and Builds Samaria

²¹ The army^[a] of Israel was divided into two parties: half of the army^[b] were loyal to Ginath’s son Tibni and wanted to make him king, and half were loyal to Omri. ²² But the army^[c] that was loyal to Omri was victorious over Ginath’s son Tibni. Tibni later died and Omri became king. ²³ During the thirty-first year of the reign of^[d] King Asa of Judah, Omri became king over Israel. He reigned for twelve years, six of them at Tirzah. ²⁴ He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents^[e] of silver, fortified the hill, and named the city Samaria after Shemer, the former owner of the hill. ²⁵ Omri practiced what the Lord considered to be evil, doing far more evil than anyone who had reigned before him. ²⁶ He lived just like Nebat’s son Jeroboam, and by his sin he led Israel into sin, provoking the Lord God of Israel with their idolatry. ²⁷ Now the rest of Omri’s accomplishments, including the power that he demonstrated, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? ²⁸ So Omri died, as had his ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.