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.
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 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.
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.