1 Kings 16:22-32

22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king.

23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah.

24 He bought the hill of ¹Samaria from Shemer for two talents^[a] of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built ²Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 ³Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil ⁴than all who were before him.

26 For ⁵he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, ⁶provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols.

27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.

Ahab Reigns in Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, ⁷more than all who were before him.

31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, ⁸he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the ⁹Sidonians, ¹⁰and went and served Baal and worshiped him.

32 He erected an altar for Baal in ¹¹the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria.

1 Kings 16:22-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 16

This chapter contains a prophecy of the ruin of the family of Baasha, and an account of his death, 1Ki 16:1-7, and of his son's reigning in his stead two years, who was slain by Zimri one of his captains, 1Ki 16:8-14, and who reigned but seven days, 1Ki 16:15-20, and the people being divided between Tibni and Omri, the party for the latter prevailed, and he was made king, and reigned twelve years, 1Ki 16:21-28, and was succeeded by his son Ahab, a very wicked prince, 1Ki 16:29-33, and the chapter is concluded with the rebuilding of Jericho, 1Ki 16:34.

Cross References

• 1. 16:24 [ch. 13:32]
• 2. 16:24 ver. 28, 29, 32
• 3. 16:25 Mic. 6:16
• 4. 16:25 ver. 30
• 5. 16:26 [See ver. 19 above]
• 6. 16:26 ver. 13
• 7. 16:30 ch. 21:25; [ver. 25]
• 8. 16:31 [Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:3]
• 9. 16:31 Judg. 18:7
• 10. 16:31 ch. 21:25, 26; [2 Kgs. 3:2; 10:18; 17:16]
• 11. 16:32 2 Kgs. 10:21, 26, 27

Footnotes

• [a] 16:24 A 'talent' was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms