Omri
("servant of Jehovah".)
- Elah's captain. Besieged Gibbethon in Dan, the siege had some time before been begun by Nadab (1Ki 15:27). On Elan's murder at Tirzah by Zimri the army made Omri king, 935 B.C. He took Tirzah, and Zimri after a seven days' reign perished in the flames. Half the people desired Tibni (1Ki 16:15-27), who according to the Septuagint was helped by his brother Joram, but died defeated. The civil war was of four years' duration. In 931 B.C. Omri began his sole reign. For six years he reigned at the beautiful Tirzah (Son 6:4). But having proved its inability to resist a siege, he bought for two silver talents from Shemer the hill Shomron or Samaria, six miles from the old capital, Shechem, and distinguished for strength, beauty, and fertility. Here he reigned for six years more, and died in 919 B.C. Determined and unscrupulous he "walked in Jeroboam's sin of the calf worship, provoking Jehovah God of Israel to anger with vanities." His "might which he showed" was celebrated in the royal chronicles. To strengthen his dynasty he allied himself to Benhadad I of Damascus, surrendering cities as the price of the alliance (1Ki 20:34), including Ramoth Gilead (1Ki 22:3). (See AHAB) For the same end his son Ahab married the Sidonian king Ethbaal's daughter Jezebel, which issued in the introduction of Baal worship into Israel. Compare Mic 6:16. "the statutes (a firmly established system) of Omri." His vigour secured the permanence of his dynasty for four reigns, until God by Jehu overthrew it for its guilt. Beth Omri, "the house of Omri," is the regular designation for Samaria in Assyrian monuments, thus confirming 1Ki 16:24. In the black obelisk even Jehu as king of Israel is called "son of Omri" In the Dibon stone Mesha records that Omri subjected and oppressed Moab until Mesha delivered his country. This agrees with the Hebrew date for Omri, and with the "might" attributed to him (1Ki 16:27).
- 1Ch 7:8.
- 1Ch 9:4.
- 1Ch 27:18.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Omri
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 BC. The historical sources of his reign are contained in 1Ki 16:15-28; 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. ⇒See a list of verses on OMRI in the Bible. 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 p…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Omri
4. A king of Israel. See followin article. 2, A descendant of Benjamin, 1 Ch 78 ( "Aueped, A "Auapid). 3. One of the ancestors of a Judahite family living at Jerusalem, 1 Ch 94 (B "Aupel, AAupl). 4. A prince of Issachar in the time of David, 1 Ch 2718 (Β᾿Αμβρεί, A ᾿Αμαρὶ). OMRI (“>y, LXX ᾿Αμβρ(ε)ί, Assyr. Humri or Humria*) was the first king of a ayaa which reigned nearly sixty years, and consisted of four successive rulers (B.C. 900-842). Omri first appears in biblical history as the general of Elah’s army, at that time engaged in conducting siege opera- tions against the Philistine town Gibbethon (1K 16'**-). On the other hand, at this very moment another military commander, Zimri, was carrying on a plot against the besotted and helpless Israelite king, Elah, who suffered assassination in his royal residence in Tirzah. This conspiracy, however, was only partially successful, as it never succeeded in gathering Israel under its standard. The nation preferred to rally round the more powerful as well * The equivalence of Hebrew-Canaanite » with Assyr. A is Mlustrated in Schrader, COT3i…
Smith's Bible Dictionary on 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 Chronicle…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia