Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 222
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
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| 16:24–17:7
Then Omri bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer,
for 150 pounds of silver. He built a city on it and called the city Samaria
in honor of Shemer.
But Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of
the kings before him. He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat
in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit. The people provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols.
The rest of the events in Omri’s reign, the extent of his power, and every
thing he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became
the next king.
Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the t hirty-eighth year of
King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria t wenty-two years. But
Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than
any of the kings before him. And as though it were not enough to follow
the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King
Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal.
First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. Then he set up
an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God
of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.
It was during his reign that Hiel, a man from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When
he laid its foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest son, Abiram. And
when he completed it and set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son, Segub. This all happened according to the message from the
Lord concerning Jeric ho spoken by Joshua son of Nun.
Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as
the Lord, the God of Israel, l ives—the God I serve—there will be no dew
or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”
Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook,
near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what
the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”
So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook,
east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning
and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook
dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.