1 Kings 16:25–34

²⁵Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him.^{ab 26}He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat in every respect and continued in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, angering the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.^{a 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. ²⁸Omri rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.

ISRAEL’S KING AHAB

²⁹Ahab 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 twenty-two years. ³⁰But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him.^{b 31}Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel,^c the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians,^d and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him.^{e 32}He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal^f that he had built in Samaria. ³³Ahab also made an Asherah pole.^g Ahab did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.^h

³⁴During 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 finished its gates, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.ⁱ