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. ^w26He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols. ^x27The 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 fathers 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 22 years. ³⁰But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him. ^y31Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were a trivial matter, he married Jezebel, ^zthe daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, ^aand then proceeded to serve Baal and worship him. ^b32He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal ^cthat he had built in Samaria. ³³Ahab also made an Asherah pole. ^dAhab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him. ^e

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 set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken through Joshua son of Nun. ^f