1 Kings 16

1Yahweh's word came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,

2Because I raised you from the dust and set you as ruler over my people Israel, but you followed Jeroboam's path and led my people Israel into sin, provoking my anger with their sins.

3Look, I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat.

4The dogs will eat the dead of Baasha in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat his dead in the field.

5The rest of Baasha's deeds, what he did, and his power—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

6Baasha lay down with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah, and his son Elah became king after him.

7Moreover, through Jehu son of Hanani the prophet, Yahweh's word came against Baasha and his house because of all the evil he did in Yahweh's sight to provoke his anger through the work of his hands by becoming like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck it.

8In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha reigned over Israel in Tirzah two years.

9His servant Zimri, captain of half the chariots, conspired against him when he was in Tirzah drinking to drunkenness in the house of Arza who was over the house in Tirzah.

10Zimri came and struck him, killing him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

11When he began to reign and sat on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He left him no one who urinates against a wall, neither his kinsmen nor his companions.

12Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of Yahweh spoken against Baasha through Jehu the prophet.

13for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they committed and by which they caused Israel to sin, to anger Yahweh God of Israel with their vanities.

14The rest of Elah's acts and all that he did—are they not written in the book of the records of the days for the kings of Israel?

15In the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Judah, Zimri ruled seven days in Tirzah, while the people camped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.

16The people encamped heard that Zimri had conspired and also struck the king, so all Israel made Omri, captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.

17Omri went up from Gibbethon with all Israel, and they besieged Tirzah.

18When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he entered the palace of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire, and died.

19because of his sins which he committed by doing evil in the sight of Yahweh, by walking in the way of Jeroboam, and by his sin through which he caused Israel to sin.

20The rest of Zimri's acts and his conspiracy that he conspired—are they not written in the book of the acts of the days of the kings of Israel?

21Then the people of Israel were divided in half: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath to make him king, and the other half followed Omri.

22The people who supported Omri overcame the people who supported Tibni son of Ginath; Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

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

24He bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, built on the hill, and named the city he had built there after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill—Samaria.

25Omri did evil in Yahweh's sight and acted worse than all who were before him.

26He followed all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and his sins and his sin by which he caused Israel to sin, angering Yahweh God of Israel by their vanities.

27The rest of Omri's deeds that he accomplished, and his might that he exercised, are they not recorded in the book of the daily records of the kings of Israel?

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

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

30Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of Yahweh than all who were before him.

31As though it were insignificant for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he took Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians as wife, went and served Baal, and bowed down to him.

32He set up an altar to Baal in the house of Baal that he had built in Samaria.

33Ahab made an Asherah, and Ahab did more to anger Yahweh God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

34In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho, founding it with Abiram his firstborn and setting up its gates with Segub his youngest son, according to the word of Yahweh that he spoke through Joshua son of Nun.