1 Kings 16:27
Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
This closing word on Omri's reign points to the fuller annals of the kings of Israel for the rest of his acts and the might he showed. Omri was Israel's sixth king and founder of its third dynasty, reigning twelve years counted from his full possession after contesting the throne with Tibni, building Samaria as the royal capital on the hill bought from Shemer, and leaving the throne to Ahab his son. His rule was strong but wicked, walking in the way of Jeroboam and doing worse than all before him, and with Ahab his reign marks Israel's deepening decline into Baal worship and near-total corruption. The sad historical record was written for the learning of later generations, showing that human grandeur ends in desolation, for Samaria grew in beauty under his wicked reign only to fall in broken walls. The course from Jeroboam through Omri to Ahab shows the natural growth of sin to greater lengths each generation, which is transgression of the law and is remedied only by being uprooted and washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ, so the just live by faith with God's law in the heart and are kept from falling by the power of God through faith.
Omri's Reign and Setting
The verse is the closing formula for Omri's reign, declaring that the rest of his acts and the might that he showed are written in the fuller annals of the kings of Israel. It points to a more complete record of his deeds and power, while the biblical account itself gives only a brief outline of his reign.
The verse belongs to the wholly historical account of the divided kingdom after the ten tribes revolted from Rehoboam to Jeroboam. It is part of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah covering about eighty years to the death of Jehoshaphat. That history tells of the division under Rehoboam and the succeeding kings of Israel and Judah in 1 Kings 3-21 and 1 Kings 12-16. After the division the kingdom stood as Judah with two and a half tribes and Israel with ten tribes, with continuing war and strife between the two divisions.
Omri was Israel's sixth king and founder of its third dynasty, which lasted three generations and included four kings. He was not Jehu's father, but the founder of the dynasty that included Ahab. His twelve-year reign is counted from when he gained possession of the whole kingdom, four years after his first election. During those four years he contested the throne with Tibni, who had been chosen by half the people, while Omri held the capital and the army until Tibni died.
In the succession Nadab reigned two years and ended the house of Jeroboam, and Baasha who slew him reigned twenty-four years. The house of Baasha lasted only two generations, for his son Elah reigned two years and ended the house of Baasha, and Zimri who slew Elah reigned only seven days. Omri, captain of the host, rose against the traitor Zimri, slew him after crushing short opposition, took the throne, and became the strongest influence among the ten tribes. His house followed the house of Baasha.
His might included military power and building work. He left the royal seat at Shechem, bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and built there the city of Samaria as the royal capital of Israel. It stood on a natural stronghold six miles north of Shechem near the eastern border of the plain of Sharon stretching to the Mediterranean Sea. His rule was strong and lasted twelve years.
Omri was Ahab's father and founder of the dynasty that included Ahab, and Ahab succeeded him on the throne. From Omri sprang the wicked Ahab, with whose reign and the work of the prophet Elijah the following history is concerned. The Moabite Stone discovered at Dibon adds light to the Bible's brief narratives of Omri, Ahab, and the king of Moab. Its account of Omri conquering Moab and demanding tribute accords with the biblical record of Israel's relations with Moab.
Wickedness and Growing Apostasy
Omri's rule was strong and lasted twelve years, and he established Samaria as the kingdom's capital and built that city, yet his rule was wicked. He was judged by his walk in the way of Jeroboam, continuing the golden-calf worship Jeroboam had begun. He did worse than all the kings of Israel before him by walking in the way Jeroboam laid out for the people. His reign, along with Ahab's, marks Israel's gradual decline, for both followed Jeroboam's sinful way more fully and each did worse than the kings before him.
Ahab his son did still worse by counting the sins of Jeroboam a light thing. He married a heathen woman whose father was Ethbaal, meaning with Baal, and came under her complete control. His reign was weak and wicked under the dominance of his idolatrous and abominable wife Jezebel. Under Ahab, Israel's apostasy came to a climax through Baal worship and persecution of those faithful to God. That Baal worship and idolatrous apostasy corrupted nearly the whole nation and led the people to transgress God's commandments.
The history of Ahab's reign is given at length in 1 Kings 16-22, saying more about Ahab as a man and as a king than about any other ancient monarch. From Omri sprang the wicked Ahab, with whose reign and the work of the prophet Elijah the following history is concerned. The history of Ahab's reign is given at length because Elijah's ministry unfolded during it, when the people faced a decisive conflict between the Lord and Baal. In that great apostasy in Elijah's time, God found a faithful remnant who responded to the call of His prophet.
Record Purpose and Application
The closing notice of Omri stands in a wholly historical account in 1 Kings 3-21, a sad record that is full of important lessons. The fuller account of Ahab as a man and as a king in 1 Kings 16-22 says more about Ahab than about any other ancient monarch and was written for the learning and profit of men and kings of after generations.
The notice points to Omri's military power and building work as captain of Israel's host who rose against the traitor Zimri and slew him and became the strongest influence among the ten tribes after crushing short opposition. His might included leaving the royal seat at Shechem and buying the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and building there the city of Samaria for the royal capital of Israel on a natural stronghold six miles north of Shechem near the eastern border of the plain of Sharon stretching to the Mediterranean Sea. He reigned wickedly for twelve years while the city kept increasing in grandeur and beauty, a human greatness that ended in broken walls and desolation.
The close of his reign shows that Omri did worse than all the kings of Israel before him by walking in the way Jeroboam laid out for the people, and Ahab his son did still worse by counting the sins of Jeroboam a light thing. Jeroboam started Israel on an evil course more blasphemous and daring than any predecessor, and those after him went to even greater lengths, with Ahab marrying a heathen woman whose father was Ethbaal, meaning with Baal, and coming under her complete control. Such is the natural course of sin, growing luxuriantly like noisome weeds without cultivation even in barren soil. The only remedy is to have sin, which is the transgression of the law, thoroughly uprooted and washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses from all sin. Being justified by faith gives peace with God, and the just then live by faith in covenant relation with God with His law written in the heart so sin shall not have dominion. The carnal fleshly unconverted mind cannot keep the law of God and cannot keep from sinning, and keeping afterward is only through faith in Christ who alone is able to keep from falling, by the power of God through faith, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God.