Zimri rules Israel
15 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah's King Asa, Zimri became king. He ruled in Tirzah for seven days. The army was camped at Gibbethon in Philistia.
16
They heard the news: "Zimri has plotted against the king and killed him." Right then, in the camp, the whole Israelite army made their general Omri king of Israel.
17
Omri and the entire army then went up from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah.
18
When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he went into the fort of the royal palace and burned it down on top of himself. So he died.
19
This happened because of the sins Zimri had committed by doing evil in the LORD's eyes and by walking in Jeroboam's ways and the sin he had done by causing Israel to sin.
20
The rest of Zimri's deeds and the plot he carried out, aren't they written in the official records of Israel's kings?
Omri rules Israel
21 At this time the people of Israel were split in two. One half of the people followed Tibni, Ginath's son, making him king; the other half followed Omri.
22
Omri's side was stronger than those who followed Tibni, Ginath's son. So Tibni died and Omri became king.
23
In the thirty-first year of Judah's King Asa, Omri became king of Israel. He ruled for twelve years, six of which were in Tirzah.
24
He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two kikkars of silver. He fortified the hill and named the town that he built there after Shemer, the previous owner of the hill of Samaria.
25
Omri did evil in the LORD's eyes, more evil than anyone who preceded him.