1 Kings 16:8–28

ISRAEL’S KING ELAH

⁸In the twenty-sixth year of Judah’s King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah^l two years.

⁹His servant Zimri,^m commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunkⁿ in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household^o at Tirzah. ¹⁰In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri went in and struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place.^p

¹¹When 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,^Dq including his kinsmen and his friends. ¹²So Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu.^{r 13}This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and those of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, angering the Lord God of Israel^s with their worthless idols.^t

¹⁴The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^u

ISRAEL’S KING ZIMRI

¹⁵In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah.^v Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.^{w 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. ¹⁷Omri along with all Israel marched up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.^{x 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 ¹⁹because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and by walking in the ways of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit.^y

²⁰The 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. ²¹At that time the people of Israel were divided: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. ²²However, 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

²³In the thirty-first year of Judah’s King Asa, Omri became king over Israel, and he reigned twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah,^{z 24}then he bought the hill of Samaria^aa from Shemer for 150 pounds^A of silver, and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria^B based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.

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.