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1 KIN G S 1 7
son of Hanani. It was delivered because Baasha
had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight (just
as the family of Jeroboam had done), and also
because Baasha had destroyed the family of
Jeroboam. The Lord’s anger was provoked by
Baasha’s sins.
Elah Rules in Israel
8 Elah son of Baasha began to rule over Israel
in the twenty-sixth year of King Asa’s reign in
Judah. He reigned in the city of Tirzah for two
years.
9 Then Zimri, who commanded half of the
royal chariots, made plans to kill him. One day
in Tirzah, Elah was getting drunk at the home of
Arza, the supervisor of the palace. 10 Zimri walked
in and struck him down and killed him. This happened in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa’s
reign in Judah. Then Zimri became the next king.
11 Zimri immediately killed the entire royal
family of Baasha, leaving him not even a single
male child. He even destroyed distant relatives
and friends. 12 So Zimri destroyed the dynasty
of Baasha as the Lord had promised through
the prophet Jehu. 13 This happened because of
all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed, and because of the sins they led Israel to
commit. They provoked the anger of the Lord,
the God of Israel, with their worthless idols.
14 The rest of the events in Elah’s reign and
everything he did are recorded in The Book of
the History of the Kings of Israel.
Zimri Rules in Israel
15 Zimri began to rule over Israel in the twentyseventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, but his
reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. The army
of Israel was then attacking the Philistine town
of Gibbethon. 16 When they heard that Zimri had
committed treason and had assassinated the
king, that very day they chose Omri, commander
of the army, as the new king of Israel. 17 So Omri
led the entire army of Israel up from Gibbethon
to attack Tirzah, Israel’s capital. 18 When Zimri
saw that the city had been taken, he went into
the citadel of the palace and burned it down
over himself and died in the flames. 19 For he,
too, had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight.
He followed the example of Jeroboam in all the
sins he had committed and led Israel to commit.
20 The rest of the events in Zimri’s reign and
his conspiracy are recorded in The Book of the
History of the Kings of Israel.
Omri Rules in Israel
21 But now the people of Israel were split into
two factions. Half the people tried to make
Tibni son of Ginath their king, while the other
half supported Omri. 22 But Omri’s supporters
defeated the supporters of Tibni. So Tibni was
killed, and Omri became the next king.
23 Omri began to rule over Israel in the
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thirty-first year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He
reigned twelve years in all, six of them in Tirzah.
24 Then Omri bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer, for 150 pounds of
silver.* He built a city on it and called the city
Samaria in honor of Shemer.
25 But Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s
sight, even more than any of the kings before
him. 26 He followed the example of Jeroboam son
of Nebat in all the sins he had committed and
led Israel to commit. The people provoked the
anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, with their
worthless idols.
27 The rest of the events in Omri’s reign, the
extent of his power, and everything he did are
recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings
of Israel. 28 When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became the next king.
Ahab Rules in Israel
29 Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in
the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years.
30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the
Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings
before him. 31 And as though it were not enough
to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he
married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal
of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in
worship of Baal. 32 First Ahab built a temple and
an altar for Baal in Samaria. 33 Then he set up an
Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger
of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the
other kings of Israel before him.
34 It was during his reign that Hiel, a man
from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its
foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest
son, Abiram. And when he completed it and set
up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest
son, Segub.* This all happened according to the
message from the Lord concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun.
Elijah Fed by Ravens
Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the
Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—
there will be no dew or rain during the next few
years until I give the word!”
2 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 3 “Go to the
east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it
enters the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the brook
and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have
commanded them to bring you food.”
5 So Elijah did as the Lord told him and
camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan.
6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each
morning and evening, and he drank from the
17
16:24 Hebrew for 2 talents [68 kilograms] of silver. 16:34 An
ancient Hebrew scribal tradition reads He killed his oldest son
when he laid its foundations, and he killed his youngest son
when he set up its gates.