Bible Dictionary: Omri

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Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Omri

sheaf of corn

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Omri

(pupil of Jehovah).

Originally "captain of the host" to Elah, was afterward himself king of Israel, and founder of the third dynasty. (B.C. 926.) Omri was engaged in the siege of Gibbethon situated in the tribe of Dan, which had been occupied by the Philistines. As soon as the army heard of Elah's death they proclaimed Omri king. Thereupon he broke up the siege of Gibbethon and attacked Tirzah, where Zimri was holding his court as king of Israel. The city was taken, and Zimri perished in the flames of the palace, after a reign of seven days. Omri, however, was not allowed to establish his dynasty without a struggle against Tibni, whom "half the people," (1 Kings 16:21) desired to raise to the throne. The civil war lasted four years. Comp. (1 Kings 16:15) with 1Kin 16:23 After the defeat sad death of Tibni, Omri reigned for six years in Tirzah. At Samaria Omri reigned for six years more. He seems to have been a vigorous and unscrupulous ruler, anxious to strengthen his dynasty by intercourse and alliances with foreign states.
One of the sons of Becher the son of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 7:8)
A descendant of Pharez the son of Judah, (1 Chronicles 9:4)
Son of Michael, and chief of the tribe of Issachar in the reign of David. (1 Chronicles 27:18) (B.C. 1030.)

ATS Bible Dictionary

Omri

Was general of the army of Elah king of Israel; but being at the siege of Gibbethon, and hearing that his master Elah was assassinated by Zimri who had usurped his kingdom, he raised the siege, and being elected king by his army, marched against Zimri, attacked him at Tirzah, and forced him to burn himself and all his family in the palace in which he had shut himself up. After his death, half of Israel acknowledged Omri for king, the other half adhered to Tibni, son of Ginath, which division continued four years. When Tebni was dead, the people united in Acknowledging Omri as king of all Israel, who reigned twelve years, six years at Tirzah, and six at Samaria, 1 Kings 16:8-28.

Tirzah had previously been the chief residence of the kings of Israel; but when Omri purchased the hill of Shomeron, 1 Kings 16:24, he built there a new city, which he called Samaria, from the name of the previous possessor, Shemer or Shomer, and here fixed his royal seat. From this time Samaria was the capital of the Kingdom of the ten tribes. It appears, under the name of Beth-Omri, on the stone tablets recently exhumed by Layard from the ruins of Nineveh.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Servant of Jehovah. When Elah was murdered by Zimri at Tirzah (1 Kings 16:15-27), Omri, his captain, was made king (B.C. 931). For four years there was continued opposition to his reign, Tibni, another claimant to the throne, leading the opposing party; but at the close of that period all his rivals were defeated, and he became king of Israel, "Tibni died and Omri reigned" (B.C. 927). By his vigour and power he gained great eminence and consolidated the kingdom. He fixed his dynasty on the throne so firmly that it continued during four succeeding reigns. Tirza was for six years the seat of his government. He then removed the capital to Samaria (q.v.), where he died, and was succeeded by his son Ahab. "He wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him."

Beth-omri, "the house" or "city of Omri," is the name usually found on Assyrian inscriptions for Samaria. In the stele of Mesha (the "Moabite stone"), which was erected in Moab about twenty or thirty years after Omri's death, it is recorded that Omri oppressed Moab till Mesha delivered the land: "Omri, king of Israel, oppressed Moab many days, for Chemosh was angry with his land. His son succeeded him, and he also said, I will oppress Moab" (Comp. 2 Kings 1:1; 3:4, 5). The "Moabite stone" also records that "Omri took the land of Medeba, and occupied it in his day and in the days of his son forty years."

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

OMRI

om'-ri (`omri; Septuagint Ambri; Assyrian "Chumri" and "Chumria"):

(1) The 6th king of Northern Israel, and founder of the IIIrd Dynasty which reigned for nearly 50 years. Omri reigned 12 years, circa 887-876 B.C. The historical sources of his reign are contained in 1 Kings 16:15-28; 1 Kings 20:34, the Moabite Stone, Assyrian inscriptions, and in the published accounts of recent excavations in Samaria. In spite of the brief passage given to Omri in the Old Testament, he was one of the most important of the military kings of Northern Israel.

1. His Accession:

Omri is first mentioned as an officer in the army of Elah, which was engaged in the siege of the Philistine town of Gibbethon. While Omri was thus engaged, Zimri, another officer of Elah's army, conspired against the king, whom he assassinated in a drunken debauch, exterminating at the same time the remnant of the house of Baasha. The conspiracy evidently lacked the support of the people, for the report that Zimri had usurped the throne no sooner reached the army at Gibbethon, than the people proclaimed Omri, the more powerful military leader, king over Israel. Omri lost not a moment, but leaving Gibbethon in the hands of the Philistines, he marched to Tirzah, which he besieged and captured, while Zimri perished in the flames of the palace to which he had set fire with his own hands (1 Kings 16:18). Omri, however, had still another opponent in Tibni the son of Ginath, who laid claim to the throne and who was supported in his claims by his brother Joram (1 Kings 16:22 Septuagint) and by a large number of the people. Civil war-followed this rivalry for the throne, which seems to have lasted for a period of four years (compare 1 Kings 16:15, with 16:23 and 29) before Omri gained full control.

Omri's military ability is seen from his choice of Samaria as the royal residence and capital of the Northern Kingdom. This step may have been suggested to Omri by his own easy conquest of Tirzah, the former capital. Accordingly, he purchased the hill Shomeron of Shemer for two talents of silver, about USD4, 352.00 in American money. The conical hill, which rose from the surrounding plain to the height of 400 ft., and on the top of which there was room for a large city, was capable of easy defense.

2. The Founding of Samaria:

The superior strategic importance of Samaria is evidenced by the sieges it endured repeatedly by the Syrians and Assyrians. It was finally taken by Sargon in 722, after the siege had lasted for 3 years. That the Northern Kingdom endured as long as it did was due largely to the strength of its capital. With the fall of Samaria, the nation fell.

Recent excavations in Samaria under the direction of Harvard University throw new light upon the ancient capital of Israel. The first results were the uncovering of massive foundation walls of a large building, including a stairway 80 ft. wide. This building, which is Roman in architecture, is supposed to have been a temple, the work of Herod. Under this Roman building was recovered a part of a massive Hebrew structure, believed to be the palace of Omri and Ahab. During the year 1910 the explorations revealed a building covering 1 1/2 acres of ground. Four periods of construction were recognized, which, on archaeological grounds, were tentatively assigned to the reigns of Omri, Ahab, Jehu, and Jeroboam II. See SAMAIAS and articles by David G. Lyon in Harvard Theological Review, IV, 1911; JBL, V, xxx, Part I, 1911; PEFS, 1911, 79-83.

3. His Foreign Policy:

Concerning Omri's foreign policy the Old Testament is silent beyond a single hint contained in 1 Kings 20:34. Here we learn that he had to bow before the stronger power of Syria. It is probable that Ben-hadad I besieged Samaria shortly after it was built, for he forced Omri to make "streets" in the city for the Syrians. It is probable, too, that at this time Ramoth-gilead was lost to the Syrians. Evidently Omri, was weakened in his foreign policy at the beginning of his reign by the civil conflict engendered by his accession. However, he showed strength of character in his dealings with foreign powers. At least he regained control over the northern part of Moab, as we learn from the Moabite Stone. Lines 4-8 tell us that "Omri was king of Israel and afflicted Moab many days because Chemosh was angry with his land..... Omri obtained possession of the land of Medeba and dwelt therein during his days and half the days of his son, forty years. "

Omri was the first king of Israel to pay tribute to the Assyrians under their king Asurnacirpal III, in 876 B.C. From the days of Shalmaneser II (860 B.C.) down to the time of Sargon (722 B.C.), Northern Israel was known to the Assyrians as "the land of the house of Omri." On Shalmaneser's black obelisk, Jehu, who overthrew the dynasty of Omri, is called Ja'uaabal Chumri, "Jehu son of Omri."

Omri entered into an alliance with the Phoenicians by the marriage of his son Ahab to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. This may have been done as protection against the powers from the East, and as such would have seemed to be a wise political move, but it was one fraught with evil for Israel.

4. His Religious Influence and Death:

Although Omri laid the foundation of a strong kingdom, he failed to impart to it the vitalizing and rejuvenating force of a healthy spiritual religion. The testimony of 1 Kings 16:25, 26, that he "dealt wickedly above all that were before him," coupled with the reference to "the statutes of Omri" in Micah 6:16, indicates that he may have had a share in substituting foreign religions for the worship of Yahweh, and therefore the unfavorable light in which he is regarded is justified. Upon his death, Omri was succeeded upon the throne by his son Ahab, to whom was left the task of shaking off the Syrian yoke, and who went beyond his father in making the Phoenician influence along with Baalism of prime importance in Israel, thus leading the nation into the paths that hastened its downfall.

(2) A Benjamite, son of Becher (1 Chronicles 7:8).

(3) A Judahite, descendant of Perez, who lived at Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 9:4).

(4) A prince of Issachar in the time of David (1 Chronicles 27:18).

S. K. Mosiman

Strong's Hebrew

6018. Omri -- a king of Isr., also several other Isr.
... 6017, 6018. Omri. 6019 . a king of Isr., also several other Isr. Transliteration:
Omri Phonetic Spelling: (om-ree') Short Definition: Omri. ...
/hebrew/6018.htm - 6k

8402. Tibni -- a rival of Omri
... 8401, 8402. Tibni. 8403 . a rival of Omri. Transliteration: Tibni Phonetic
Spelling: (tib-nee') Short Definition: Tibni. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/8402.htm - 6k

6019. Amram -- the father of Moses, also an Israelite
... Amram. Word Origin from the same as Omri Definition the father of Moses,
also an Isr. NASB Word Usage Amram (12), Amram's (2). Amram. ...
/hebrew/6019.htm - 6k

Library

The Record of Two Kings
... 'In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over
Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.24. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the record of two kings.htm

How Zerah, King of the Ethiopians, was Beaten by Asa; and How Asa ...
... Gibbethon, when they heard what had befallen the king, and that when Zimri had killed
him, he had gained the kingdom, they made Omri their general king, who ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 12 how zerah king.htm

The Kingdom of Samaria.
... and his son Elah and all his house were destroyed in 928, when after the slaughter
of two short-lived usurpers, the captain of the army, Omri, became king. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson viii the kingdom of.htm

The Divided Kingdom.
... 5. Zimri, 1:K.18:11-20. Reigned 7 days and suicided. 6. Omri, 1:K.16:31-28. ... (2) The
removal of the Capital, by Omri, from Tirzah to the hill site of Samaria. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiii the divided kingdom.htm

Kings
... Omri, the father of Ahab, was, we know, a much more important person than the few
verses devoted to him in I Kings xvi.21-28 would lead us to suppose. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/kings.htm

Elijah and the Widow's Son
... THE OLD TESTAMENT ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW'S SON. When Asa had been ruler of Judah for
thirty-one years Omri became ruler over Israel, and he ruled twelve years. ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/elijah and the widows son.htm

National Apostasy
... by him had brought upon the guilty offenders the retributive judgments of Heaven;
and yet the rulers who followed"Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and Omri"during a ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 8 national apostasy.htm

The Old Testament and Archeology
... inscriptions mention or attest, is Shishak's invasion of Judah in the reign of Rehoboam;
and the first Israelites whom they specify by name are Omri and his ...
/.../the christian view of the old testament/chapter iv the old testament.htm

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7
... 849-846 BC) -- Moab delivered from Israel, Mesha; the death of Ben-hadad (Adadidri)
and the accession of Hazael; the fall of the house of Omri-Jehu (843 BC ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 7/title page.htm

The Christian View of the Old Testament
... Omri, 130 f. Opposition to criticism, 74 f., 82, 101. Order of creation, 47 ff.
Patriarchal age, 154; narratives, 238 f. Pekah, 135. Penitential Psalms, 168. ...
/.../eiselen/the christian view of the old testament/index 2.htm

Thesaurus

Omri (16 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Servant of Jehovah. When Elah was murdered by Zimri at
Tirzah (1 Kings 16:15-27), Omri, his captain, was made king (BC 931). ...
/o/omri.htm - 20k

Omri's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Omri's (1 Occurrence). 1 Kings 16:27 Now the
rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that ...
/o/omri's.htm - 6k

Tibni (2 Occurrences)
... For the period of four years he contended for the throne with Omri (1 Kings 16:21,
22), who at length gained the mastery, and became sole monarch of Israel. ...
/t/tibni.htm - 8k

Reigneth (54 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 16:22 and stronger are the people that are after Omri than the people that
are after Tibni son of Ginath, and Tibni dieth, and Omri reigneth. (YLT). ...
/r/reigneth.htm - 22k

Ginath (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia GINATH. gi'-nath (ginath): Father of Tibni, the
unsuccessful rival of Omri (1 Kings 16:21, 22). Multi-Version Concordance ...
/g/ginath.htm - 7k

Twenty-two (26 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 16:29 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 ...
/t/twenty-two.htm - 14k

Zimri (16 Occurrences)
... He reigned only seven days, for Omri, whom the army elected as king, laid siege
to Tirzah, whereupon Zimri set fire to the palace and perished amid its ruins ...
/z/zimri.htm - 18k

Moabite (13 Occurrences)
... his victories. It records (1) Mesha's wars with Omri, (2) his public buildings,
and (3) his wars against Horonaim. This inscription ...
/m/moabite.htm - 23k

Kingdom (409 Occurrences)
... But the kingship was always elective, and the army chose Omri, the commander-in-
chief, who besieged and took Tirzah, Zimri setting the palace on fire by his ...
/k/kingdom.htm - 101k

Sama'ria (102 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). 1 Kings 16:28 And Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in
Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his stead. (See RSV). ...
/s/sama'ria.htm - 34k

Bible Concordance

Omri (16 Occurrences)

1 Kings 16:16 The people who were encamped heard say, Zimri has conspired, and has also struck the king: therefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:17 Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

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.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:22 But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:25 Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and dealt wickedly above all who were before him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:29 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.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 16:30 Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh above all that were before him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 8:26 Twenty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 7:8 The sons of Becher: Zemirah, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jeremoth, and Abijah, and Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 9:4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Perez the son of Judah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 27:18 of Judah, Elihu, one of the brothers of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 22:2 Forty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Micah 6:16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Omri

Omri: A Descendant of Pharez

Omri: A Son of Becher, Grandson of Benjamin

Omri: King of Israel was Commander of the Army of Israel

Omri: King of Israel: Defeats his Rival, Tibni, and Establishes Himself

Omri: King of Israel: Denounced by Micah

Omri: King of Israel: Surrendered Cities to King of Syria

Omri: King of Israel: Wicked Reign and Death of

Omri: Son of Michael, and Ruler of the Tribe of Issachar During the Time of David

Related Terms

Omri's (1 Occurrence)