1 Kings 16:23-34

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

²³ In the thirty-first year of King Asa of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel; he reigned for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.^(A)

Samaria the New Capital

²⁴ He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; he fortified the hill and called the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.^(B)

²⁵ Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did more evil than all who were before him. ²⁶ For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in the sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols.^{(C) 27} Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did and the power that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ²⁸ Omri slept with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria; his son Ahab succeeded him.

Ahab Reigns over Israel

²⁹ In the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. ³⁰ Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him.^(D)

Ahab Marries Jezebel and Worships Baal

³¹ And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he took as his wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians and went and served Baal and worshiped him.^{(E) 32} He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal that he built in Samaria.^{(F) 33} Ahab also made a sacred pole.^[a] Ahab did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him.^{(G) 34} In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Joshua son of Nun.^(H)