1 Kings 16:23

23 Omri became king of Israel during the thirty-first year Asa was king of Judah. Omri ruled Israel for twelve years, six of those years in the city of Tirzah.

1 Kings 16:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 16:23

In the thirty first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to
reign over Israel twelve years
Which are to be reckoned not from the thirty first of Asa; for Ahab the son of Omri began to reign in his thirty eighth year, and so his reign would be but seven or eight years; but they are reckoned from the twenty seventh of Asa, the beginning of it, when Elah was slain by Zimri, and he died, which to the end of the thirty eight of Asa make twelve years; for the division, according to the Jewish chronology ^F4, lasted four years; Jarchi says five ^F5; and from the beginning of that his reign is reckoned, though he did not reign over all Israel, or completely, until the thirty first of Asa, when Tibni died:

six years reigned he in Tirzah;
the royal city of the kings of Israel, from Jeroboam to this time, and the other six he reigned in Samaria, built by him, as in the next verse.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F4 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 17. p. 45.
F5 So Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 11. 2.

1 Kings 16:23 In-Context

21 The people of Israel were divided into two groups. Half of the people wanted Tibni son of Ginath to be king, while the other half wanted Omri.

22 Omri's followers were stronger than the followers of Tibni son of Ginath, so Tibni died, and Omri became king.

23 Omri became king of Israel during the thirty-first year Asa was king of Judah. Omri ruled Israel for twelve years, six of those years in the city of Tirzah.

24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for about one hundred fifty pounds of silver. Omri built a city on that hill and called it Samaria after the name of its earlier owner, Shemer.

25 But Omri did what the Lord said was wrong; he did more evil than all the kings who came before him.