1 Kings 16:15-20

New International Reader's Version

Zimri King of Israel

¹⁵ Zimri ruled in Tirzah for seven days. It was in the 27th year that Asa was king of Judah. The army of Israel had set up camp near Gibbethon. It was a Philistine town. ¹⁶ The Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had made plans against King Elah. They also heard that Zimri had murdered him. So they announced that Omri was king over Israel. He was the commander of the army. They made him king that day in the camp. ¹⁷ Then Omri and all his men pulled back from Gibbethon. They marched to Tirzah and surrounded it. They attacked it and captured it. ¹⁸ Zimri saw that they had taken over the city. So he went into the safest place in the royal palace. He set the palace on fire all around him. He died there ¹⁹ because of the sins he had committed. He had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He had lived the way Jeroboam had lived. He had committed the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

²⁰ The other events of Zimri’s rule are written down. The way he turned against King Elah and killed him is written down. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel.