²¹Then the army of Israel was divided into two factions. Half of the army followed Tibni, son of Ginath, and wanted to make him king. The ⸤other⸥ half followed Omri. ²²But the half which followed Omri was stronger than the half which followed Tibni, Ginath’s son. Tibni died, and Omri became king. ²³Omri began to rule Israel in Asa’s thirty-first year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years, 6 of them in Tirzah.

²⁴Omri bought a hill from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver. He fortified the hill and built the city of Samaria on it. He named the city after its former owner, Shemer.

King Omri of Israel

²⁵Omri did what the Lord considered evil. He did more evil things than all ⸤the kings⸥ before him. ²⁶He lived exactly like Jeroboam (Nebat’s son). He sinned and led Israel to sin with worthless idols, and the Israelites made the Lord God of Israel furious.

²⁷Isn’t everything else about Omri—what he did and his heroic acts—written in the official records of the kings of Israel? ²⁸Omri lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab succeeded him as king.

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