1 Kings 16

The Reign of King Elah

The Reign of King Elah

1And the word of Jehovah came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha , saying , 2Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust , and made thee prince over my people Israel , and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam , and hast made my people Israel to sin , to provoke me to anger with their sins ; 3behold , I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house ; and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat . 4Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the field shall the birds of the heavens eat. 5Now the rest of the acts of Baasha , and what he did , and his might , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ? 6And Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah ; and Elah his son reigned in his stead . 7And moreover by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of Jehovah against Baasha , and against his house , both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Jehovah , to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands , in being like the house of Jeroboam , and because he smote him . 8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah , and reigned two years .

Zimri's Conspiracy and Reign

9And his servant Zimri , captain of half his chariots , conspired against him . Now he was in Tirzah , drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah : 10and Zimri went in and smote him , and killed him , in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah , and reigned in his stead . 11And it came to pass , when he began to reign , as soon as he sat on his throne , that he smote all the house of Baasha : he left him not a single man-child, neither of his kinsfolks , nor of his friends . 12Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha , according to the word of Jehovah , which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet , 13for all the sins of Baasha , and the sins of Elah his son , which they sinned , and wherewith they made Israel to sin , to provoke Jehovah , the God of Israel , to anger with their vanities . 14Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ?

Omri Becomes King

15In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah . Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon , which belonged to the Philistines . 16And the people that were encamped heard say , Zimri hath conspired , and hath also smitten the king : wherefore all Israel made Omri , the captain of the host , king over Israel that day in the camp . 17And Omri went up from Gibbethon , and all Israel with him , and they besieged Tirzah . 18And it came to pass , when Zimri saw that the city was taken , that he went into the castle of the king ’s house , and burnt the king ’s house over him with fire, and died , 19for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah , in walking in the way of Jeroboam , and in his sin which he did , to make Israel to sin . 20Now the rest of the acts of Zimri , and his treason that he wrought , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ? 21Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts : half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath , to make him king ; and half followed Omri . 22But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath : so Tibni died , and Omri reigned . 23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel , and reigned twelve years : six years reigned he in Tirzah .

The Legacy of Omri and Ahab

24And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver ; and he built on the hill , and called the name of the city which he built , after the name of Shemer , the owner of the hill , Samaria . 25And Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah , and dealt wickedly above all that were before him . 26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat , and in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin , to provoke Jehovah , the God of Israel , to anger with their vanities . 27Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did , and his might that he showed , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ? 28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria ; and Ahab his son reigned in his stead . 29And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel : and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years . 30And Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah above all that were before him . 31And it came to pass , as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat , that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians , and went and served Baal , and worshipped him . 32And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal , which he had built in Samaria . 33And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah , the God of Israel , to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him . 34In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho : he laid the foundation thereof with the loss of Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof with the loss of his youngest son Segub , according to the word of Jehovah , which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun .