Omri

of Israel Omri from "Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum " Omri ( Hebrew : עָמְרִי , Modern : Omri , Tiberian : ʻOmrî ; short for Hebrew : עָמְרִיָּה , Modern : Omriyya , Tiberian : ʻOmriyyā , "The Lord is my life") was king of Israel and father of Ahab . He was "commander of the army" of king Elah when Zimri murdered Elah and made himself king. Instead, the troops at Gibbethon chose Omri as king, and he led them to Tirzah where they trapped Zimri in the royal palace. Zimri set fire to the palace and died after a reign of only seven days. ( 1 Kings 16:15–18 ) Although Zimri was eliminated, "half of the people" supported Tibni in opposition to Omri. ( 1 Kings 16:21–22 ) It took Omri four years to subdue Tibni and at last proclaim himself undisputed king of Israel. ( 1 Kings 16:15 and 16:23 ) For the first six years, his capital was in Tirzah, after which he built a new capital of the kingdom in Samaria , on a hill he bought from Shemer . ( 1 Kings 16:23–24 ) Omri became king of Israel in the 31st year of Asa , king of Judah and reigned for 12 years, 6 years of which were in Tirzah. ( 1 Kings 16:23 ) The biblical reference to the period of rivalry with Tibni is from the 27th year of Asa ( 1 Kings 16:15 ) to the 31st year. Albright has dated his reign to 876 – 869 BC , while E. Thiele offers the dates of 888 BC to 880 BC for his rivalry with Tibni and 880 – 874 BC for his sole reign. Some authors, especially Israel Finkelstein , maintain that the Book of Kings minimized Omri's accomplishments. They argue that while the biblical text acknowledges that Omri built his new capital Samaria , the text may have omitted possible widespread public construction both Omri and his son Ahab commissioned during their reigns. Finkelstein and his student Norma Franklin have identified monumental construction at Samaria, Jezreel , Megiddo and Hazor similar in design and build. Most archaeologists in Israel, including Amnon Ben-Tor, Amihai Mazar, and Lawrence Stager, reject this theory, claiming that it is contradicted by scientific understandings of strata formulation and the general development of the region. Omri's rule over Israel was secure enough that he could bequeath his kingdom to Ahab, thus beginning a new dynasty (sometimes called the Omrides ), and his descendants not only ruled over the kingdom of Israel for the next forty years, but also briefly over Judah. He was significant enough that his name is mentioned on a stele erected by Mesha , king of Moab , who records his victory over a son of Omri—but omits the son's name. Thompson ( The Bible in History ), however, interprets the Mesha stele as suggesting that Omri is an eponym, or legendary founder of the kingdom rather than an historical person. Most archaeologists reject this interpretation, seeing Omri as historical. Assyrian kings frequently referred to Omri's successors as belonging to the "House of Omri" ( Bit Hu-um-ri-a ).

Omri ( Hebrew : עמרי , Modern : Omri , Tiberian : ʻOmrî ) (fl. 9th century BC) was the sixth king of Israel after Jeroboam , a successful military campaigner, and the founder of the House of Omri , an Israelite royal house which included other monarchs such as Ahab , Ahaziah , Joram , and Athaliah . Along with his predecessor king Zimri who ruled for only seven days, Omri is the first king mentioned in the Bible without a statement of his tribal origin : although some scholars speculate that Omri was from the tribe of Issachar , this is not confirmed by any biblical account. Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as well as extra-biblical sources such as the Mesha stele and the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III , Omri is also credited with the construction of Samaria and establishing it as his capital.

Omri ( , ‘Omri ; fl. 9th century BC) was, according to the Hebrew Bible , the sixth king of Israel . He was a successful military campaigner who extended the northern kingdom of Israel. Other monarchs from the House of Omri are Ahab , Ahaziah , Joram , and Athaliah . Like his predecessor, king Zimri , who ruled for only seven days, Omri is the second king mentioned in the Bible without a statement of his tribal origin . One possibility, though unproven, is that he was of the tribe of Issachar . Nothing is said in Scripture about the lineage of Omri. His name may be Amorite , Arabic , or Hebrew in origin. Omri is credited with the construction of Samaria and establishing it as his capital. Although the Bible is silent about other actions taken during his reign, he is described as doing more evil than all the kings who preceded him. An alternative modern hypothesis maintains that, as founder of the House of Omri , an Israelite royal house , his kingdom formed the first state in the Land of Israel, and that the Kingdom of Judah only achieved statehood later. Extrabiblical sources such as the Mesha Stele and the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III also mention his name; however, in the case of the Black Obelisk the reference is to the dynasty named for Omri rather than to Omri himself. A minor thesis, argued by Thomas Thompson and Niels Peter Lemche , suggests that Omri may be a dynastic name indicating the apical founder of the Kingdom of Israel rather than one denoting an actual historical king. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah .

Biblical King of Israel For other uses, see Omri (disambiguation) . Omri ( / ˈ ɒ m r aɪ / OM -ry ; , ‘Omrī ; Ḫûmrî [ ḫu-um-ri-i ]; fl. 9th century BC) was, according to the Hebrew Bible , the sixth king of Israel . He was a successful military campaigner who extended the northern kingdom of Israel. Other monarchs from the House of Omri are Ahab , Ahaziah , Joram , and Athaliah . Like his predecessor, king Zimri , who ruled for only seven days, Omri is the second king mentioned in the Bible without a statement of his tribal origin . One possibility, though unproven, is that he was of the tribe of Issachar . Nothing is said in Scripture about the lineage of Omri. His name may be Amorite , Arabic , or Hebrew in origin. Omri is credited with the construction of Samaria and establishing it as his capital. Although the Bible is silent about other actions taken during his reign, he is described as doing more evil than all the kings who preceded him. An alternative modern hypothesis maintains that, as founder of the House of Omri , an Israelite royal house , his kingdom formed the first state in the Land of Israel, and that the Kingdom of Judah only achieved statehood later. Extrabiblical sources such as the Mesha Stele and the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III also mention his name; however, in the case of the Black Obelisk the reference is to the dynasty named for Omri rather than to Omri himself. A minor thesis, argued by Thomas Thompson and Niels Peter Lemche , suggests that Omri may be a dynastic name indicating the apical founder of the Kingdom of Israel rather than one denoting an actual historical king. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah .

Biblical King of Israel For other uses, see Omri (disambiguation) . Omri ( Hebrew : עָמְרִי ‎ , ‘Omrī ; Akkadian : 𒄷𒌝𒊑𒄿 Ḫûmrî [ ḫu-um-ri-i ]; fl. 9th century BCE) was, according to the Hebrew Bible , the sixth king of Israel . He was a successful military campaigner who extended the northern kingdom of Israel. Other monarchs from the House of Omri are Ahab , Ahaziah , Joram , and Athaliah . Like his predecessor, king Zimri , who ruled for only seven days, Omri is the second king mentioned in the Bible without a statement of his tribal origin . One possibility, though unproven, is that he was of the tribe of Issachar . Nothing is said in Scripture about the lineage of Omri. His name may be Amorite , Arabic , or Hebrew in origin. Omri is credited with the construction of Samaria and establishing it as his capital. Although the Bible is silent about other actions taken during his reign, he is described as doing more evil than all the kings who preceded him. An alternative modern hypothesis maintains that, as founder of the House of Omri , an Israelite royal house , his kingdom formed the first state in the Land of Israel, and that the Kingdom of Judah only achieved statehood later. Extrabiblical sources such as the Mesha Stele and the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III also mention his name; however, in the case of the Black Obelisk the reference is to the dynasty named for Omri rather than to Omri himself. It is worth noting that many scholars consider Omri the first truly historical figure in the Bible, though this is debated. Jewish Bible Quarterly . 42 (1): 11– 20. Jewish Bible Quarterly . 42 (1): 11– 20. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah .