Zimri's Suicide and Omri's Rise to Power
1 Kings 16:15-20
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1 K.16.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בשנת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,cons
- עשרים: NUM,card,pl
- ושבע: NUM,m,sg,abs
- שנה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לאסא: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- זמרי: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- שבעת: NUM,card,construct
- ימים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בתרצה: PREP+NOUN,prop,f,sg,abs
- והעם: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- חנים: VERB,qal,ptc,mp
- על: PREP
- גבתון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- לפלשתים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,def
Parallels
- 1 Kings 16:8-10 (structural): Narrative lead‑in: these verses describe Zimri's conspiracy and the assassination of King Elah, which makes possible Zimri's subsequent seven‑day reign at Tirzah.
- 1 Kings 16:18-20 (verbal): Immediate aftermath: records Zimri's suicide by burning the king's house after a short reign—direct continuation and verbal parallel to the report that he 'reigned seven days.'
- 1 Kings 16:21-26 (structural): Consequence and succession: recounts Omri's siege of Tirzah, the struggle with Tibni, and Omri's eventual establishment as king—shows the political fallout of Zimri's brief rule and the change of dynasty.
Alternative generated candidates
- In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah; and the army that was encamped was at Gibbethon belonging to the Philistines.
- In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri became king at Tirzah; and he reigned seven days. The people were encamped at Gibbethon, which belongs to the Philistines.
1 K.16.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישמע: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- החנים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- קשר: VERB,qal,impv,2,m,sg
- זמרי: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- וגם: CONJ
- הכה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וימלכו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- כל: DET
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- עמרי: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- שר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- צבא: NOUN,m,sg,const
- על: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ביום: PREP
- ההוא: DEM,ms,sg
- במחנה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1Kgs.16.15 (verbal): Immediate antecedent: reports Zimri's conspiracy against King Elah—this verse leads directly into 16:16's report that the people heard of Zimri's deed.
- 1Kgs.16.20-22 (structural): Immediate continuation: narrates Zimri's brief rule and death and Omri's seizure of power—shows the outcome of the conspiracy and the army's elevation of Omri.
- 2Sam.5.3 (thematic): All Israel assembling to make a leader king (the elders anoint David at Hebron) — parallels the motif of the people/tribes formally affirming a ruler after a change of leadership.
- 2Kgs.9.14-26 (thematic): Jehu's coup: a military commander is anointed, moves against the royal house, and kills the king—a closely parallel pattern of assassination/coup and elevation of a commander to the throne.
Alternative generated candidates
- When the soldiers encamped heard this, they said, “Zimri has conspired and has struck down the king.” So all Israel made Omri, commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
- When the people who were encamped heard of it, they said, “Zimri has conspired and has also struck down the king.” Then all Israel made Omri commander of the army over Israel that day in the camp.
1 K.16.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעלה: VERB,qal,wayyiq,3,m,sg
- עמרי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וכל: CONJ+PRON,indef
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עמו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- מגבתון: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויצרו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- על: PREP
- תרצה: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- 1 Kgs.16:22 (structural): Immediate narrative parallel: the siege of Tirzah leads directly to Omri’s seizure of territory and the founding of Samaria — the same campaign continued.
- 2 Sam.5:6-8 (thematic): David’s capture of Jerusalem after taking the Jebusite stronghold; similar motif of besieging and taking a city to establish a political/kingship center.
- Judg.9:46-49 (thematic): Abimelech’s siege and capture of Thebez (and the violent contest for power among Israelites); parallels the internecine violence and sieges used to secure rulership.
- 2 Kgs.9:30-33 (thematic): Jehu’s assault on Jezreel and the overthrow of the existing royal household — another example of violent seizure of a city to eliminate rivals and consolidate power.
Alternative generated candidates
- Omri and all Israel with him marched from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah.
- So Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah.
1 K.16.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- כראות: VERB,qal,inf_abs
- זמרי: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- נלכדה: VERB,niphal,perf,3,f,sg
- העיר: NOUN,f,sg,def
- ויבא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- ארמון: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וישרף: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עליו: PREP,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- באש: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וימת: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 31:4 (thematic): King Saul, facing defeat by the enemy, takes his own life rather than be captured — similar motif of a ruler dying as his forces are overcome.
- Judges 16:29-30 (thematic): Samson pulls down the temple, destroying the house and killing himself along with his foes — a parallel instance of a leader causing the destruction of a building that results in his own death.
- 2 Kings 9:20-26 (thematic): Jehu's coup against Joram (and the violent overthrow of Israel's royal household) — parallels the sudden usurpation and fatal outcome for the incumbent ruler during a palace coup.
- 2 Kings 9:30-37 (thematic): The death of Jezebel during Jehu's seizure of power (her overthrow and the destruction of Ahab’s house and dynasty) — another instance of a violent change of regime and the demise of the royal household.
Alternative generated candidates
- When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and set the king’s house on fire over himself, and he perished.
- And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the king’s palace of the house of the king and set the king’s house on fire upon himself; so he died.
1 K.16.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- על: PREP
- חטאתיו: NOUN,f,pl,abs+3ms
- אשר: PRON,rel
- חטא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לעשות: VERB,qal,inf
- הרע: ADJ,m,sg,def
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ללכת: VERB,qal,inf
- בדרך: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ירבעם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובחטאתו: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+suf3,m
- אשר: PRON,rel
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- להחטיא: VERB,hif,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Kings 12:26-33 (quotation): Describes Jeroboam's original act of setting up calf‑worship at Bethel and Dan — the origin of the ‘way of Jeroboam’ that later kings followed and which caused Israel to sin.
- 1 Kings 15:25-26 (verbal): Uses the same royal formula — ‘did evil in the sight of the LORD’ and ‘walked in the way of Jeroboam’ — and explicitly links a king’s actions to causing Israel to sin.
- 2 Kings 17:21-23 (thematic): Summarizes Israel’s persistent sinfulness by noting they ‘walked in all the ways of Jeroboam,’ linking the repeated royal practice to the nation’s judgment and exile.
- 2 Chronicles 11:15-17 (allusion): Reports Jeroboam’s appointment of non‑Levitical priests and the establishment of rival cultic structures — an echo of the institutional practices that became the defining ‘sin of Jeroboam’ and led others to cause Israel to sin.
Alternative generated candidates
- For his sins that he sinned in doing evil before the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for the sin by which he caused Israel to sin.
- Because of his sins, by which he sinned to do evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in the sin by which he made Israel to sin.
1 K.16.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויתר: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- דברי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- זמרי: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- וקשרו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- אשר: PRON,rel
- קשר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הלא: PART
- הם: PRON,personal,3,m,pl
- כתובים: VERB,pual,ptcp,m,pl
- על: PREP
- ספר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- דברי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- הימים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- למלכי: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Kings 11:41 (verbal): A very similar closing formula: 'And the rest of the acts of Solomon... are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon'—same practice of referring readers to another written source for the king's deeds.
- 1 Kings 14:29 (structural): Concluding remark for Rehoboam: 'And the rest of the acts of Rehoboam... are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah'—parallel royal‑chronicle motif and documentary referral.
- 2 Chronicles 20:34 (allusion): The Chronicler cites 'the book of Jehu son of Hanani, which is written in the book of the kings of Israel' as the place for the rest of Jehoshaphat's acts—another explicit cross‑reference to external royal records.
- 2 Chronicles 32:32 (structural): Concludes Hezekiah's notice by pointing to other sources ('the vision of Isaiah... and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel') for the remainder of his deeds—same archival/annalistic pattern as 1 Kgs 16:20.
Alternative generated candidates
- As for the rest of the acts of Zimri and the conspiracy that he plotted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
- Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and the conspiracy that he plotted—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri became king at Tirzah, and he reigned seven days; and the people were encamped at Gibbethon, which belongs to the Philistines.
When the people who were encamped heard that Zimri had conspired and also had struck the king, all Israel proclaimed Omri, commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.
When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the house of the king's palace and set the king's house on fire over himself, and died.
Because of his sins—sins he committed in doing evil before the LORD, by walking in the way of Jeroboam—and for the sin by which he made Israel to sin.
As for the rest of the deeds of Zimri and the conspiracy that he conspired, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?