The kingdom

Omri Builds Samaria

Omri becomes king of Israel in the thirty-first year of Asa's reign and rules for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. He buys the hill country of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, builds a city there, and names it Samaria after its former owner. Omri does what is evil in the Lord's sight, more than all who came before him, and follows the sins of Jeroboam. After his death, his son Ahab becomes king.

1 Kings 16,23-28

23In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.
בִּשְׁנַת֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וְאַחַ֜ת שָׁנָ֗ה לְאָסָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה מָלַ֤ךְ עָמְרִי֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה בְּתִרְצָ֖ה מָלַ֥ךְ שֵׁשׁ־שָׁנִֽים׃ ‬
24He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he built up the hill and named the city he built Samaria, after Shemer, the owner of the hill.
וַיִּ֜קֶן אֶת־הָהָ֥ר שֹׁמְר֛וֹן מֵ֥אֶת שֶׁ֖מֶר בְּכִכְּרַ֣יִם כָּ֑סֶף וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הָהָ֔ר וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶת־שֵׁ֤ם הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּנָ֔ה עַ֣ל שֶׁם־שֶׁ֔מֶר אֲדֹנֵ֖י הָהָ֥ר שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ ‬
25Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and he acted more wickedly than all who were before him.
וַיַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה עָמְרִ֛י הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּ֕רַע מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְפָנָֽיו׃ ‬
26He followed the whole way of Jeroboam son of Nebat and his sin, which he had led Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.
וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֔ט *ובחטאתיו **וּבְחַטָּאת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהַכְעִ֗יס אֶת־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּהַבְלֵיהֶֽם׃ ‬
27The rest of the acts of Omri, what he did and the exploits he performed—are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֤י עָמְרִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וּגְבוּרָת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹֽא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ‬
28Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and his son Ahab became king in his place.
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב עָמְרִי֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אַחְאָ֥ב בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ ‬