1 The word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha: 2 “I raised you up from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. But you have walked in Jeroboam’s way and caused my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins. 3 Now I am sweeping away every remnant of Baasha and his house. I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat. 4 Dogs will eat anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat anyone belonging to him who dies in the countryside.” 5 The rest of Baasha’s acts, what he did, and his mighty deeds—are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah reigned in his place. 7 The word of the LORD also came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, because of all the evil he had done in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands and becoming like the house of Jeroboam, and because he had struck down that house.

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel in Tirzah. He reigned two years. 9 His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. Elah was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who managed the palace in Tirzah. 10 Zimri came in, struck him down, and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. He reigned in his place. 11 As soon as he became king and sat on his throne, he struck down the whole house of Baasha. He left no male belonging to him alive, nor any of his relatives or friends. 12 So Zimri destroyed the whole house of Baasha according to the word the LORD had spoken against Baasha through Jehu the prophet, 13 because of all the sins of Baasha and his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols. 14 The rest of Elah’s acts and all he did—are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. The army was encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. 16 The army in the camp heard that Zimri had conspired and killed the king. That very day in the camp, all Israel made Omri, the army commander, king over Israel. 17 Omri went up from Gibbethon with all Israel, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and burned the palace down over himself. So he died, 19 because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in Jeroboam’s way and in the sin he had committed, causing Israel to sin. 20 The rest of Zimri’s acts and the conspiracy he plotted—are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

21 Then the people of Israel divided into two groups. Half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people following Omri prevailed over those following Tibni son of Ginath. Tibni died, and Omri became king.

23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel. He reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for about 150 pounds of silver and built on the hill. He named the city he built Samaria, after Shemer, the owner of the hill. 25 Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, doing more evil than all who were before him. 26 He walked in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in the sin by which Jeroboam had caused Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols. 27 The rest of Omri’s acts, what he did, and the mighty deeds he performed—are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 Omri rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab reigned in his place.

29 Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah. Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of the LORD than all who were before him. 31 As if walking in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat were a trivial thing, he married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and bowed down to him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal he had built in Samaria. 33 Ahab made an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn and set up its gates at the cost of Segub his youngest, according to the word the LORD had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.