15-16. Zimri became king of Israel in Asa's twenty-seventh year as king of Judah, but he ruled only seven days from Tirzah.Israel's army was camped near Gibbethon in Philistia under the command of Omri. The soldiers heard that Zimri had killed Elah, and they made Omri their king that same day.
17. At once, Omri and his army marched to Tirzah and attacked.
18. When Zimri saw that the town was captured, he ran into the strongest part of the palace and killed himself by setting it on fire.
19. Zimri had disobeyed the Lord by following the evil example of Jeroboam, who had caused the Israelites to sin.
20. Everything else Zimri did while he was king, including his rebellion against Elah, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.
21. After Zimri died, some of the Israelites wanted Tibni son of Ginath to be king, but others wanted Omri.
22. Omri's followers were stronger than Tibni's, so Tibni was killed, and Omri became king of Israel
23. in the thirty-first year of Asa's rule in Judah.Omri ruled Israel for twelve years. The first six years he ruled from Tirzah,
24. then he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for six thousand pieces of silver. He built a town there and named it Samaria, after Shemer who had owned the hill.