ZIMRI, OMRI AND AHAB

Passage: 1 Kings 16:15-34

Key verse: 34

NIV

Zimri King of Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah seven days. The army was encamped near Gibbethon,(A) a Philistine town. 16 When the Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and murdered him, they proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day there in the camp. 17 Then Omri and all the Israelites with him withdrew from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him. So he died, 19 because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

20 As for the other events of Zimri’s reign, and the rebellion he carried out, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

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.(B) 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,(C) after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.

25 But Omri did evil(D) 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(E) Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.(F)

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.(G) And Ahab his son succeeded him as king.

Ahab Becomes King of Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more(H) evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married(I) Jezebel daughter(J) of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal(K) and worship him. 32 He set up an altar(L) for Baal in the temple(M) of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole(N) and did more(O) to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.

34 In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.(P)

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Kings 16:24 That is, about 150 pounds or about 68 kilograms
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Zimri Reigns in Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against (A)Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, (B)walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

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 (C)Samaria from Shemer for two talents[a] of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built (D)Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 (E)Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil (F)than all who were before him. 26 For (G)he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, (H)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.

Ahab Reigns in Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, (I)more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, (J)he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the (K)Sidonians, (L)and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in (M)the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an (N)Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger (O)than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 (P)In his days Hiel of Bethel built (Q)Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Kings 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Kings Zimri and Omri (15-28) The death of Elah led to civil war in Israel. Some supported Zimri, who proclaimed himself king after killing Elah. Others supported General Omri. Seven days after he became king, he died in a siege. And Omri became king. Omri reigned 12 years, and built up Samaria. He spent it doing evil in the Lord's eyes. He sinned even more than his fathers had done. 2. King Ahab (29-34) Ahab became king of Israel when his father Omri died. Ahab became the archetype of all the evil kings of Israel. He did more evil than all the other kings before him. He not only thought committing sins was a trivial thing, he also married Jezebel, who led him into the worship of Baal. He set up an Asherah pole, and also rebuilt Jericho, going against the prophesy of Joshua, losing two of his sons in the process. The word of the Lord remained true and faithful.

Prayer: Lord, help us today, in our idol worshipping society, to hold true to your word.

One Word: God is always faithful