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1 Then this message from the Lord came to the prophet Jehu, son of Hanani, condemning Baasha. 2 “Even though I lifted you out of the dust to make you ruler over my people Israel, you have followed the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel sin, making me angry by their sins. 3 Now I'm going to destroy Baasha and his family. Baasha, I will make your family like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat. 4 Those of Baasha's family who die in the town will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the countryside will be eaten by birds.”
5 The rest of the events of Baasha's reign, everything that he did and what he accomplished, are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 6 Baasha died and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah succeeded him as king.
7 The message from the Lord condemning Baasha and his family came to the prophet Jehu, son of Hanani. It came because Baasha had done what was evil in the Lord's sight, in the same way as the family of Jeroboam had done, and also because Baasha had killed Jeroboam's family. The Lord was angry because of Baasha's sins.
8 Elah, son of Baasha, became king of Israel in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of King Asa of Judah. He reigned in Tirzah for two years.
9 One of Elah's officials called Zimri who was in charge of half his chariots plotted a rebellion against him. One time Elah was in Tirzah, getting himself drunk at the home of Arza, the palace manager at Tirzah. 10 Zimri went up to him, attacked him, and killed him. This was in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of Asa, king of Judah. Then he took over from him as king.
11 As soon as he became king and was installed on his throne, he killed all of Baasha's family. He did not leave a single male alive, whether of his relatives or of his friends. 12 So Zimri destroyed the entire household of Baasha, as the Lord had said in his condemnation of Baasha through Jehu the prophet. 13 This was because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had made Israel to commit. Their worship of their useless idols had angered the Lord, the God of Israel.
14 The rest of what happened in Elah's reign and everything that he did are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
15 Zimri became king of Israel in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Asa of Judah. He reigned in Tirzah seven days. At that time the Israelite army was attacking the Philistine town of Gibbethon. 16 When the troops who were camped there learned that Zimri had plotted rebellion against the king and had murdered him, they made Omri, the army commander, king of Israel that same day in the army camp. 17 Omri and the whole Israelite army left Gibbethon and went and besieged Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city had been taken he went into the fortress of the royal palace and set it on fire around him, and he died, because of the sins he had committed. 19 He did evil in the Lord's sight and followed the way of Jeroboam and his sin which he had made Israel commit.
20 The rest of what happened in Zimri's reign and his rebellion are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
21 After this the people of Israel were divided. Half supported Tibni, son of Ginath, as king, while the other half supported Omri. 22 However, those on Omri's side defeated Tibni's supporters. Tibni was killed and Omri became king.
23 Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-first year of the reign of King Asa of Judah. He reigned for a total of twelve years, (six of them were in Tirzah). 24 He purchased the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver. He fortified the hill, and named the city that he built Samaria, after Shemer, the previous owner of the hill.
25 Omri did what was evil in the Lord's sight—in fact he did more evil than those* Probably referring to previous kings. Also verse 30. who lived before him. 26 For he followed all the ways of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and in his sins which he made Israel commit, worshiping their useless idols which angered the Lord, the God of Israel.
27 The rest of what happened in Omri's reign, what he did, and his achievements are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 28 Omri died and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab succeeded him as king.
29 Ahab, son of Omri, became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of King Asa of Judah. He reigned in Samaria for twenty-two years. 30 Ahab, son of Omri, did evil in the Lord's sight, more than those who lived before him. 31 He didn't see anything to worry about in following the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and he even married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and started to serve and worship Baal. 32 Ahab made an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. 33 Then he put up an Asherah pole. In this way Ahab did more to anger the Lord, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel before him.
34 During Ahab's reign Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He sacrificed Abiram his firstborn son when he laid its foundation, and sacrificed Segub his youngest son when he constructed its gates.† The practice of sacrificing children when constructing a building was a rite carried out by the pagan Canaanites. This fulfilled the message the Lord had given through Joshua, son of Nun.

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*16:25 Probably referring to previous kings. Also verse 30.

†16:34 The practice of sacrificing children when constructing a building was a rite carried out by the pagan Canaanites.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher