1 Kings 16:29
New International Version
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

Berean Standard Bible
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twenty-two years.

King James Bible
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

New King James Version
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

New American Standard Bible
Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years.

NASB 1995
Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

NASB 1977
Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

Amplified Bible
Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years.

Christian Standard Bible
Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria 22 years.

American Standard Version
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

Contemporary English Version
Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa's rule in Judah, and he ruled 22 years from Samaria.

English Revised Version
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Ahab, son of Omri, began to rule Israel in Asa's thirty-eighth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 22 years in Samaria.

Good News Translation
In the thirty-eighth year of the reign of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for twenty-two years.

International Standard Version
Omri's son Ahab became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah. He reigned over Israel in Samaria for 22 years.

Majority Standard Bible
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twenty-two years.

NET Bible
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa's reign over Judah, Omri's son Ahab became king over Israel. Ahab son of Omri ruled over Israel for twenty-two years in Samaria.

New Heart English Bible
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

Webster's Bible Translation
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

World English Bible
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Ahab son of Omri has reigned over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab son of Omri reigns over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years,

Young's Literal Translation
And Ahab son of Omri hath reigned over Israel in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab son of Omri reigneth over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Ahab son of Omri, reigned over Israel in the year the thirty and eighth year to Asa king of Judah: and Ahab son of Omri will reign over Israel in Shomeron twenty and two years.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now Achab the son of Amri reigned over Israel in the eight and thirtieth year of Asa king of Juda. And Achab the son of Amri reigned over Israel in Samaria two and twenty years.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Truly, Ahab, the son of Omri, reigned over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa, the king of Judah. And Ahab, the son of Omri, reigned over Israel at Samaria for twenty-two years.

New American Bible
Ahab, son of Omri, became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa, king of Judah. Ahab, son of Omri, reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years.

New Revised Standard Version
In the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Akhab, son of Amri, reigned over Israel. In the thirty eighth year of Asa King of Yehuda, Akhab, son of Amri, became king over Israel in Samaria for twenty and two years.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
In the second year of Josaphat king of Juda, Achaab son of Ambri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ahab Reigns in Israel, Marries Jezebel
29In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twenty-two years. 30However, Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him.…

Cross References
1 Kings 21:25-26
(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel. / He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)

1 Kings 18:17-18
When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” / “I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

1 Kings 21:20-22
When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. / This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. / I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

2 Kings 9:7-9
And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel. / The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, both slave and free, in Israel. / I will make the house of Ahab like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah.

2 Kings 10:18-28
Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. / Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal. / And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it. ...

2 Chronicles 21:6
And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 22:3-4
Ahaziah also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in wickedness. / And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for to his destruction they were his counselors after the death of his father.

Micah 6:16
You have kept the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their counsel. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of the nations.”

Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

Matthew 23:29-32
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. / And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ / So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. ...

Luke 11:47-51
Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. / So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. / Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’ ...

Romans 11:3-4
“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”? / And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

James 5:17-18
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. / Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.


Treasury of Scripture

And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

A.

1 Kings 16:24
And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.

Jump to Previous
Ahab Asa Eighth Israel Judah Omri Reign Reigned Samaria Sama'ria Thirty Thirty-Eighth Twenty Twenty-Two
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Ahab Asa Eighth Israel Judah Omri Reign Reigned Samaria Sama'ria Thirty Thirty-Eighth Twenty Twenty-Two
1 Kings 16
1. Jehu's prophecy against Baasha
5. Elah succeeds him
8. Zimri, conspiring against Elah, succeeds him
11. Zimri executes Jehu's prophecy
15. Omri, made king by the soldiers, forces Zimri desperately to burn himself
21. The kingdom being divided, Omri prevails against Tibni
23. Omri builds Samaria
25. His wicked reign
27. Ahab succeeds him
29. Ahab's most wicked reign
34. Joshua's curse upon Hiel the builder of Jericho














In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah
This phrase situates the events within a specific historical context, providing a chronological anchor. Asa was a king of Judah known for his religious reforms and efforts to rid the land of idolatry. His reign is often seen as a period of relative stability and faithfulness to God in the southern kingdom. The mention of Asa's reign highlights the contrast between the spiritual climate in Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel, where Ahab would soon rule. This juxtaposition sets the stage for understanding the spiritual decline that would occur under Ahab's leadership.

Ahab son of Omri
Ahab is introduced as the son of Omri, who was a significant figure in Israel's history. Omri established a powerful dynasty and moved the capital to Samaria, which became a central location for the northern kingdom. Ahab's lineage is important because it connects him to a line of kings who were politically strong but spiritually wayward. Ahab's reign would be marked by further departure from the worship of Yahweh, influenced heavily by his marriage to Jezebel and the introduction of Baal worship. The name "Ahab" itself, meaning "brother of the father" or "uncle," may suggest familial ties and responsibilities, which Ahab ultimately neglected in his spiritual leadership.

became king of Israel
This phrase marks the beginning of Ahab's rule over the northern kingdom of Israel. The kingdom was divided after Solomon's reign, with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Ahab's ascension to the throne is significant because it marks a period of intense idolatry and moral decline in Israel. His reign is often remembered for the confrontation with the prophet Elijah, who challenged the worship of Baal and called the people back to the worship of the one true God. Ahab's kingship is a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's commandments and the importance of righteous leadership.

and he reigned in Samaria
Samaria, the capital city established by Omri, serves as the political and religious center of Ahab's kingdom. The city's name is derived from Shemer, the owner of the hill on which it was built. Samaria became synonymous with the idolatrous practices that Ahab and Jezebel promoted. The city's strategic location and fortifications made it a significant power center, but its spiritual state was in stark contrast to its physical strength. The mention of Samaria underscores the theme of spiritual apostasy that characterized Ahab's reign and the challenges faced by the prophets who opposed him.

twenty-two years
Ahab's reign lasted for twenty-two years, a relatively long period for a king in the tumultuous history of Israel. This duration indicates a time of both political stability and spiritual decline. Ahab's long reign allowed for the entrenchment of idolatrous practices, which had lasting effects on the nation. The number twenty-two, while not having a specific symbolic meaning in this context, emphasizes the extended period during which Ahab's policies and religious practices influenced Israel. His reign serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of compromising faith for political alliances and the long-term impact of ungodly leadership.

Verse 29. - And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah [see notes on ver. 23] began Ahab ["Father's brother." The name is apposite. He was Omri's alter ego in impiety] the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In the thirty-eighth
שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים (šə·lō·šîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 7970: Thirty, thirtieth

year
בִּשְׁנַ֨ת (biš·naṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8141: A year

of Asa's
לְאָסָ֖א (lə·’ā·sā)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 609: Asa -- perhaps 'healer', an Israelite name

reign
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

over Judah,
יְהוּדָ֑ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

Ahab
וְאַחְאָ֣ב (wə·’aḥ·’āḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 256: Ahab -- 'father's brother', a king of Israel, also a false prophet

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Omri
עָמְרִ֗י (‘ā·mə·rî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6018: Omri -- a king of Israel, also several other Israelites

became king
מָלַךְ֙ (mā·laḵ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

of
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

and he reigned
וַ֠יִּמְלֹךְ (way·yim·lōḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

in Samaria
בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן (bə·šō·mə·rō·wn)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8111: Samaria -- capital of northern kingdom of Israel

twenty-two
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (‘eś·rîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

years.
שָׁנָ֔ה (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year


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OT History: 1 Kings 16:29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 16:28
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