1 Kings 16:24

24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver ^[a] and built a city there, calling it Samaria after the name of Shemer, who had owned the hill.

1 Kings 16:24 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 16:24

And he bought the hill of Samaria of Shemer, for two talents
of silver
A talent of silver, according to Brerewood ^F6, was of our money three hundred and seventy five pounds, so that this hill was purchased at seven hundred and fifty pounds:

and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built,
after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria;
its name from him was Shomeron, which is the Hebrew name for Samaria; which, according to Bunting ^F7 was six miles from Tirzah, and ever after the royal seat of the kings of Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 De Ponder. & Pret. c. 4.
F7 Ut supra, (Travels) p. 163.

1 Kings 16:24 In-Context

22 But the followers of Omri proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

23 In the thirty-first year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.

24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city there, calling it Samaria after the name of Shemer, who had owned the hill.

25 But Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD and acted more wickedly than all who were before him.

26 For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins, which he caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 talents is approximately 151 pounds or 68.4 kilograms of silver.