Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 16:21

Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.

21 28. Two parties in Israel. Omri’s followers prevail. Reign of Omri, and the building of Samaria (Not in Chronicles)

21. divided into two parts ] Probably it was the civil population, which at first followed Zimri, and after his death, Tibni, while the military strength declared for their commander-in-chief Omri.

half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath ] Of Tibni we have no information but what is to be gathered from this passage. Comparing the date of Omri’s accession in 1Ki 16:23, viz. the 31st year of Asa, with that of Zimri’s death in the 27th year of the same king (see 1Ki 16:15) we find that the struggle between the two parties was continued for four years.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 21. Divided into two parts] Why this division took place we cannot tell; the people appear to have been for Tibni, the army for Omri; and the latter prevailed.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The people of Israel fell into a civil war; yet neither this nor any other of Gods dreadful judgments could win them to repentance; which is an evidence of their prodigious impiety and incorrigibleness, and how ripe they were for ruin.

Half of the people followed Tibni, disdaining that the soldiers should usurp such a power over the whole kingdom.

Half followed Omri, because they approved the person, though not the manner of his election.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

21, 22. Then were the people ofIsrael divided into two partsThe factions that ensuedoccasioned a four years’ duration (compare 1Ki 16:15;1Ki 16:23), of anarchy or civilwar. Whatever might be the public opinion of Omri’s merits a largebody of the people disapproved of the mode of his election, anddeclared for Tibni. The army, however, as usual in such circumstances(and they had the will of Providence favoring them), prevailed overall opposition, and Omri became undisputed possessor of the throne.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts,…. About the succession in the kingdom:

half the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king: these were the friends of Zimri, or however such who did not like that the army should impose a king upon them; who this Tibni was is not said:

and half followed Omri; the general of the army, perhaps the whole of that.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

But Omri did not come into possession of an undisputed sovereignty immediately upon the death of Zimri. The nation divided itself into two halves; one half was behind Tibni, the son of Ginath (i.e., declared in favour of Tibni), to make him king, the other adhered to Omri. Nevertheless Omri’s gained the upper hand over the party of Tibni, and the latter died, whereupon Omri became king after four years, as we may see from a comparison of 1Ki 16:15, 1Ki 16:16 with 1Ki 16:23. The “people of Israel” (1Ki 16:21) are probably the fighting people, so that the succession to the throne was decided by the military. as in 2Sa 2:10. , with an accusative instead of with , in the sense of to overpower, as in Jer 20:7. According to Josephus ( Ant. viii. 12, 5), Tibni was slain by his opponent; but this is not contained in the words; on the contrary, all that is implied in the connection of with / is that he met with his death in the decisive engagement in which the opposing party triumphed.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Omri Triumphs, Verses 21-28

As the sinfulness of Israel increased, their troubles multiplied also. Two dynasties had ruled since the division of the kingdoms at the accession of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Both of them had been violently terminated, by the extinction of all male members of the families of Jeroboam and Baasha. The kingdom of Israel had suffered calamities as a result. There has been war with Judah with disastrous results, religious fornication, political upheaval, regicide, rebellion, and now there is to be civil war following the coup of Omri, the captain of the host.

The fervor for Omri to be their king was by no means unanimous in Israel. The people were about evenly divided, with half of them choosing a man named Tibni in preference. Nothing more is known of Tibni, but he challenged the followers of Omri for about four years (compare verses 15 and 23). Israel must have been in a state of anarchy, with two men claiming to be king and fighting against one another. The Scriptures simply relate, in the settlement of the issue, that the followers of Omri prevailed, “so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.” It is not said how that Tibni died. It could have been a natural death, but the implication is that Omri overcame him and slew him.

Omri continued to rule from Tirzah for six of the twelve years of his reign, but he had no proper palace for a king. Zimri had destroyed the palace by burning it down and perishing in it himself. As soon as Omri could, after consolidating his kingdom, he looked around for a good, strategic place to build a new capital. He picked the hill of Samaria, named after its owner, Shemer, to whom Omri paid two talents of silver (equivalent to about $43,680 today). It was a huge sum for the times. Omri built his capital on the hill he had bought and called it Samaria. It is situated atop a small mountain surrounded by a plain. It would be practically impossible for such a city to be surprised by enemies.

But a very bad thing is recorded of 0mri. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all the kings who had preceeded him in Israel. This means he was worse than Jeroboam, who started Israel on her sinful downgrade. He was also worse than Baasha, who bloodily destroyed all Jeroboam”s kinfolk Omri did all the wicked things these kings had done, and it will be found that he adopted the wicked Baal worship of the Phoenicians, marrying his son to the daughter of Eth-baal, king of Zidon, whose name was Jezebel. Very little can be said for Omri, and his death may have been considered good riddance. But Ahab and Jezebel will be still worse.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

D. THE OMRI DYNASTY 16:2134

The Omri dynasty ruled Israel for forty-four years. The closing verses of chapter 16 contain brief notices concerning (1) Omris rise to power (1Ki. 16:21-22); (2) the reign of Omri (1Ki. 16:23-28); and (3) the early years of Ahab (1Ki. 16:29-34).

Sixth King of Israel
OMRI
885874 B.C.
(Heaping)

1Ki. 16:15-28

Synchronism
Omri 1 = Asa 27

The curse of the Lord is in the bouse of the wicked; but He blesses the habitation of the just. Pro. 3:33

1. OMRIS RISE TO POWER (1Ki. 16:21-22)

TRANSLATION

(21) Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed after Tibni the son of Ginath to make him king, and half followed after Omri. (22) And the people who followed after Omri prevailed over the people who followed after Tibni the son of Ginath; so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

COMMENTS

The entire nation did not rally to the standard of Omris sovereignty. For some reason unexplained[397] in the text, a rival emerged to challenge Omris claim to the throne. Tibni was probably the favorite of that part of the army which was not involved in the encampment at Gibbethon. Once the hereditary principle was overthrown, the crown became a prize to be possessed by the strongest. Tibni determined that Omri would not have the throne uncontested, and a fierce civil war erupted between the two factions (1Ki. 16:21). It appears that the struggle lasted four years. Finally, Omri was able to subdue the forces of Tibni and slay the rival (1Ki. 16:22).

[397] Gray (OTL, p. 366) again indulges in fruitless speculation, suggesting that this countermovement was the protest of the religious community against the power of the army, or perhaps the protest by the more conservative elements against the younger men in the army.

2. THE REIGN OF OMRI (1Ki. 16:23-28)

TRANSLATION

(23) In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, twelve years; in Tirzah he reigned six years. (24) And he acquired the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and called the name of the city which he built after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill of Samaria. (25) And Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than those who were before him. (26) And he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins which he caused Israel to sin by provoking the LORD the God of Israel with their vanities. (27) And the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might which he displayed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? (28) And Omri slept with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son ruled in his place.

COMMENTS

In the thirty-first year of Asa of Judah, Omri won out over Tibni and became sole king in the North. His reign of twelve years is counted however, from the time he was proclaimed king by the army in the twenty-seventh year of Asa. The first six years of his reign he resided in Tirzah (1Ki. 16:23). But since Tirzah had suffered during the siege against Zimri (1Ki. 16:17-18) and possibly in the civil war with Tibni, Omri determined to build a new capital rather than attempt to repair the old one.[398] He selected as the site for his new capital a large oval or oblong mound with level surface adapted for building and with steep sides which rendered assault most difficult. Before the invention of gunpowder, the city must have been almost impregnable. The site also enjoys a strategic location. On the north the hill commands the main road to Jezreel, on the west it dominates the road to the coast, and on the east the road to the Jordan.

[398] Perhaps the ease with which Omri captured Tirzah (1Ki. 16:17) made him realize the strategic weakness of the spot.

Samaria, as the new city was named, was forty-two miles north of Jerusalem and twenty-five miles inland. Subsequent history proves the wisdom of Omris choice of Samaria, for the city remained the capital of Israel until the fall of that kingdom. The site was purchased from its owner, Shemer, for two talents of silver.[399] Probably the sale contract stipulated that the place was to continue to bear the name of the original owner, and hence Omri called the new city Samaria (1Ki. 16:24).

[399] According to the Berkely Version, the two talents of silver would be equivalent to about $4,250.

Omri may also have been moved to purchase this site by dynastic considerations. Samaria became a personal possession of the king just as Jerusalem became a personal possession of David. Omri was free to develop a city-state within a state, and bequeath it to his descendants, so founding a dynasty. Furthermore, the site may have been selected because it was in a Canaanite region and had no Israelite associations. It is significant that the only cult for which provisions were made in Samaria was that of Baal (1Ki. 16:32).

Archaeological excavations confirm the Biblical statement with regard to Omris founding the city of Samaria. Remains of three places have been found there, the earliest of which dates to the time of Omri-Ahab. The site shows no signs of occupation earlier than 900 B.C.

The religious situation continued to deteriorate under Omri (1Ki. 16:25). The prophet Micah (1Ki. 6:16) refers judgmentally to the statutes of Omri, which statement may point to a fresh departure during this reign. Perhaps the calf worship was organized into a formal system at this time, or perhaps additional measures were taken to prevent those living in the North from attending the Temple in the South. In any case the practices of this king angered the Lord no less than did those of his predecessors (1Ki. 16:26).

Much more could have been recorded about the reign of Omri. The Moabite stone, discovered in 1868, mentions Omri as the one who conquered the land of Moab, a feat of no small significance. The Mesopotamian monuments attest to the prominence of Omri in that years after the death of this king the Assyrians referred to this region as the land of Omri. On the Black Obelisk of Shamaneser, king Jehu is called the son of Omri even though he was not related to him at all. A further indication of his might can be seen in the fact that his dynasty lasted to the third generation. Thus the chronicles of the kings of Israel must have contained a great deal more information about Omri (1Ki. 16:27). He may have been the most important king of the Northern Kingdom. Two other significant accomplishments by Omri should be noted: He reinaugurated Davids policy of friendly relations with Tyre, and he brought to an end the era of confrontation with Judah. The old general appears to have been a very able diplomat!

3. THE EARLY YEARS OF AHAB (1Ki. 16:29-34)

TRANSLATION

(29) And Ahab the son of Omri began to role over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah; and Ahab the son of Omri ruled over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. (30) And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD more than all who were before him. (31) And it came to pass if it was a light thing to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,[400] that he took as a wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him. (32) And he raised up an altar to Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. (33) And Ahab made an Asherah. And Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him. (34) In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; at the cost of Abiram, his firstborn he laid the foundation, and at the cost of Segub, his youngest he set its gates, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by the hand of Joshua the son of Nun.

[400] A more literal rendering: and it came to passwas it a light thing his walking in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat?that he took. …

COMMENTS

The religious deterioration in the Northern Kingdom continued in the reign of Ahab. The calf cult introduced by Jeroboam was a counterfeit and corrupt version of worshiping Yahweh. Under Ahab, however, positive idolatry was introduced, and thus the evil of the son exceeded that of the father (1Ki. 16:30).

Ahab married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, who ruled over Sidon in those days. Tradition identifies this Ethbaal with the priest of Astarte who assassinated the king and usurped the throne.[401] If Jezebel were the daughter of this ruthless king, it would help to explain her fierce character, and at the same time would account for her great devotion to the gods of her country and for her determined efforts to establish their impure rites throughout the realm of her husband.

[401] Josephus, Antiquities VIII, 13.1.

From the political and commercial standpoint the alliance between Israel and Sidon was wise and necessary. The rising power of Aram made such an alliance desirable from the military standpoint. The Phoenicians needed the agricultural products of Israel, and land-locked Israel needed the markets available to the wide-ranging fleets of the Phoenician. Thus, to the secular historian the marriage of Ahab to Jezebel would be a brilliant diplomatic coup. However, from the religious standpoint, the alliance and marriage were disastrous. Ahab was led into the sin of idolatry, and apparently served and worshiped Baal[402] as well as Yahweh (1Ki. 16:31).

[402] In the Hebrew text, Baal has the definite article. It is, therefore, a proper name and not the generic term of Canaanite gods. The Baal being referred to is Melkart, king of the underworld.

Baal was the supreme male god of the Canaanites, the possessor and generator of all. For this deity Ahab erected a temple, an altar and a pillar or image in the capital city of Samaria (1Ki. 16:32; cf. 2Ki. 3:2; 2Ki. 10:27). In addition, the king made an Asherah,[403] i.e., a wooden pillar symbolizing the goddess Asherah, who in Canaanite theology was the consort of Baal (1Ki. 16:33). In this Ahab was following the dictates of international courtesy which demanded that a foreign queen should have a sanctuary of her own religion in her adopted land. Solomon, it will be recalled, did the same thing for his wives in Jerusalem (1Ki. 11:7).

[403] On Asherah, see comments on 1Ki. 15:13.

A concrete example of the effects of counterfeit calf worship and Phoenician idolatry is cited at the end of chapter 16. Hiel from the city of Bethel, which so long had been the national shrine of Northern religion, undertook what no one had dared to do for five centuries, viz., to rebuild the walls of Jericho.[404] The rebuilding of these fortifications was very likely part of Ahabs program to provide better protection on his southern border. Hiel may have been superintendent for a royal project. The curse of God pronounced by Joshua rested upon anyone who would undertake this project. The daring impiety of Hiel was punished swiftly and severely. His eldest son died when the foundations of Jericho were laid, and by the time he rebuilt the gates, the last of his sons died[405] (1Ki. 16:34). Even in those dark and troublous times God did not leave Himself without a witness. The swift and exact fulfillment of the prophetic threats made through Joshua was a forceful witness to the fact that the Law of God could not be violated with impunity.

[404] The curse of Joshua seems to have applied only to the walls and fortifications of Jericho. 2Sa. 10:5 and Jdg. 3:13 seem to imply that Jericho was an inhabited city prior to the time of Ahab.

[405] The Hebrew could also be taken to mean that Hiel offered his sons as sacrifices during the course of the building operation. This practice is attested by the discovery at ancient Tirzah of two new-born infants in burial jars within the gate-complex. However, the interpretation that the sons died at the hand of God is superior.

The closing verses of chapter 16 which describe the gross degeneracy of the earlier part of Ahabs reign are an appropriate prelude to the account of the ministry of the great prophet Elijah. The unprecedented corruption of that age necessitated the unprecedented outpouring of divine power.

Seventh King of Israel
AHAB BEN OMRI
874853 B.C.
(Brother of a father)

1Ki. 16:29; 1Ki. 17:1; 1Ki. 18:1 to 1Ki. 22:40; 2 Chronicles 18

Synchronism
Ahab 1 = Asa 38
Contemporary Prophets
Elijah; Micaiah

When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases; but the righteous shall see their fall Pro. 29:16

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(21) Tibni.Of him we know nothing. No doubt he also was a military chiefpossibly Zimris colleague, under the supreme command of Omriand the LXX. speaks of a brother, Joram, who fought and fell with him. There is an ominous significance in the terse description of the alternatives of fortune in this internecine struggle, so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. By comparison of 1Ki. 16:23 with 1Ki. 16:15, it appears that the struggle had lasted four years.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

INTERREGNUM OF FOUR YEARS, 1Ki 16:21-22.

In these two verses we have the spectacle of the northern kingdom existing for some four years in a state of civil war, with two contending chieftains struggling to gain the vacant throne. Bitterly do the seceding tribes reap the fruits of evil sowing; for not only are they given over to idolatry, but from this record appear half swallowed up in anarchy.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

21. Tibni the son of Ginath He was probably set up by the people of Tirzah, which was besieged by Omri. There was a class of people that did not wish a king set up and maintained by a military despotism. According to the Septuagint, Tibni was assisted by his brother Joram, and both died at that time.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Reign Of Omri King of Israel c. 884-872 BC. ( 1Ki 16:21-28 ).

We now come to the reign of one of Israel’s greatest kings humanly speaking, even though from the divine viewpoint he was a disaster. You would not, however, gather his greatness from the narrative (but see note below). For to the prophetic author of Kings Omri was an irrelevance because all he did was deepen the sin of Jeroboam, and take it a step further into pure Baalism. Thus all his greatness counted for nothing in the eyes of YHWH.

His reign began with civil war as Tibni, the son of Ginath, vied with him for the kingship. We are told nothing of Omri’s antecedents, which suggests that he was of humble birth and had worked his way up simply by his abilities. Tibni may well therefore have represented the aristocratic and landed classes of Israel who were seeking to prevent the upstart from taking the throne. Even Omri’s name was possibly not Israelite, although some see it as being a shortening of ‘Omri-yahu’ (YHWH is my life) or ‘Omri-baal (‘Baal gives me life’ – many Israelite names contained the name of Baal seeing it as signifying ‘Lord’ and therefore as referring to YHWH e.g. Ish-baal, Meri-baal the descendants of Saul), and the fact that he was appointed by ‘all Israel’ (i.e. his men) suggests that he himself must have been seen as an Israelite,, He was possibly part Israelite, part Canaanite.

It took a few years for the civil war to be decided, but almost inevitably, because of his superior military skill, Omri was victorious, and the result was that ‘Tibni died’. Omri then proceeded not only to support the false religion of Jeroboam but to ‘deal wickedly above all who were before him’. Indeed he may well have been part Canaanite himself which would explain why he took things to excess. The one noteworthy thing that the author records about him was that he founded Samaria as Israel’s capital city. That was so noteworthy an achievement that it had to be recorded, not only because Samaria became a famous city, but also because it finally gave its name to Israel. But there was a darker side to the picture. For Samaria became a centre for the worship of Baal.

Analysis.

a Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts, half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri, but the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri reigned (1Ki 16:21-22).

b In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah Omri began to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah, and he bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria (1Ki 16:23-24).

c And Omri did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, and dealt wickedly above all who were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins by which he made Israel to sin, to provoke YHWH, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. (1Ki 16:25-26).

b Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? (1Ki 16:27).

a So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned instead of him (1Ki 16:28).

Note that in ‘a’ Omri finally obtained the kingship, and in the parallel he passed it on to his son. In ‘b’ some slight information is given concerning his reign and in the parallel we are referred to the official annals of the kings of Israel for more detail. Centrally in ‘c’ we learn that Omri outdid all who were before him for wickedness.

1Ki 16:21-22

‘ Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts, half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri reigned.’

The record of the civil war is brief but Tibni was successful enough for Omri not to be reckoned as king for three or four years. (He began to reign in the thirty first year of Asa, whilst Elah died in the twenty seventh). In the end, however, superior military ability succeeded and Omri became king. The laconic ‘so Tibni died’ speaks volumes.

1Ki 16:23 a ‘In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah Omri began to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years.’

The twelve years of Omri’s reign (and six years of his ruling in Tirzah) includes the period of the civil war. Thus once that war was over and he had settled into the kingship he began to look around for a new capital.

1Ki 16:23-24 ‘He reigned six years in Tirzah, and he bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria.’

Having finally defeated Tibni Omri settled in Tirzah. But he was not satisfied with Tirzah. He had discovered earlier that it was not easily defendable. So he looked around for a better site for his capital city. This he found in ‘the hill of Samaria’ (Shemer’s hill) which he bought from Shemer for two talents of silver. And he built a fortified city on that hill and called it ‘Samaria’ after the name of the previous owner of the hill (which may well have been part of the sale agreement). Then he transferred to Samaria and rule from there for his final six years.

Omri may have had a number of reasons for his change of city:

1). That he wanted a city which belonged to him (as the city of David belonged to David) and would establish his name. He could then have a new beginning and decide who lived in it.

2). That he wanted a strong and invulnerable city which would stand the test of time. He had cause to know that Tirzah was vulnerable to attack, and as an experienced general recognised the potential of a city built on the hill of Samaria. It would certainly prove a tough nut to crack (1Ki 20:1-21; 2Ki 6:24-25; 2Ki 18:9-10).

3). That he wanted a city where he could introduce his own ideas of worship along Canaanite ideas (compare1Ki 16:32). This would explain why he was seen as wicked above all who were before him.

4). That he wanted a city more open to the trade routes with Tyre and Sidon.

5). That he wanted a city around which all Israel could rally without it reminding them of the past. They would see it as ‘Omri’s city’.

Archaeology confirms that the Samaria built at the time of Omri was on a virgin site, and that it partly succeeded in its purpose comes out in that he was the first king of Israel to establish a dynasty that actually continued.

Note on The Greatness Of Omri.

In some ways it spoils the prophetic author’s purpose to outline the greatness of Omri, for his purpose was to indicate that (religiously speaking) Omri was a disaster. With all his greatness he was a nothing. The book of Kings is not written to man’s glory but to God’s glory, and as far as the author was concerned Omri was a bad lot. He was simply the builder of Samaria and part of the reason for the final destruction of Samaria. But in view of the probable historical interest of the reader we will consider what we know from external sources about Omri.

1). Israel was known in Assyrian annals for centuries as ‘Bit-Humri’. the house of Omri, and their kings as ‘the son of Humri’ (even when they were not). From their spies and political contacts Assyria had clearly been impressed with the power and effectiveness of Omri (although of course his founding of Samaria might have contributed to his fame), and saw him as someone to be reckoned with and treated with respect.

2). We know from the Moabite Stone that he ‘humbled — and occupied the land of Medaba’ and built fortresses at Ataroth and Yahez. As a result northern Moab would be subject to Israel for the next forty years.

And we must remember that these two examples are simply two ‘accidental’ pieces of information. Without the external inscriptions we would never have known of them. We may yet discover more of his exploits if other inscriptions are found in the surrounding nations. And all this, we should note, was after recovering from a cruel and extended civil war.

3). He also married his son Ahab to a princess of the Sidonians, presumably with a view to it sealing a treaty relationship with that important centre.

End of note.

1Ki 16:25-26

‘ And Omri did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, and dealt wickedly above all who were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins by which he made Israel to sin, to provoke YHWH, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.’

This was what was important to the prophetic author, that Omri added to the antagonism towards true Yahwism, and that in this regard he was worse than ‘all who were before him’ including Jeroboam. This might confirm that he was half-Canaanite, for Samaria lacked any pointer to the worship of YHWH, while his son Ahab would build a Temple of Baal there (1Ki 16:32), and would be married to a princess of the Sidonians who would seek to encourage Baalism (1Ki 16:31). In other words just as Jerusalem was the centre for the worship of YHWH, so Samaria became the centre for the worship of Baal. This would shortly lead to Yahwism’s lowest point in Israel, a position from which it would be partially rescued by Elijah and Elisha.

1Ki 16:27

‘ Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?’

As for the remainder of his acts, they were of no interest to the prophetic author, for they were merely concerned with secular affairs and therefore not important. Anyone interested could consult the official annals of the kings of Israel.

1Ki 16:28

‘ So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned instead of him.’

And having lived his evil life Omri died peacefully and was buried in Samaria, having added his contribution towards the downward path of Israel, and Ahab his son reigned instead of him.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

1Ki 16:21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.

Ver. 21. Half of the people followed Tibni, &c. ] Both Tibni and Omri should have refused these offered honours: considering what had befallen the kings that had gone before them. Macro, captain of the guard, and Laco, knight of the watch, men that had been active in ruinating Sejanus, had great honours appointed them by the Senate. They refused them: and Dion attributeth the reason of their refusal to the terror of an example so fresh in their memories. a

a Dion, in Tiberio.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)