Ahab- Moved to Samaria

by Mary Vee
I Kings 16

A Servant's Notes 

Last time I left wrote, I announced Omri had been crowned king after defeating Tibni.

He didn't like the palace in Tirzah, used by the previous kings. He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city there and a palace for himself. He named his city Samaria after Shemer.

Omri proved to be a bad king, even though he had been the favored one to be crowned, and had experience as commander of the army before becoming king. He turned out to be no better than Baasha, Elah, and Zimri, the kings who ruled Israel before him.

Omri not only proved to be a bad king, but he also sinned more than all of the kings before him. He lead the people further away from worshiping God. 

How could anyone living in Israel remember God with the leadership we have had?

After twelve years of ruling Israel, Omri died. His son, Ahab was crowned the next day. He, too, chose to rule Israel from the family palace in Samaria. 

Omri taught his son how to be not only a bad king but  a terribly wicked man. 

Ahab's father gave him Jezebel, a princess from Sidon, as a wife instead of an Israelite woman. 

We who held to our belief in God saw the wickedness in Ahab. While kings before him wanted the attention of the people for themselves, Ahab's only interest seemed to be in the gods from other nations. His wife, Jezebel urged him to do evil, and to please her he did as she asked. 

Ahab brought in the idols from the Amorites. 

He began to serve Baal and worship him. 

He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal built in Samaria.

He made Asherah poles for the Israelites to worship the false god.

We are doomed. King Ahab has brought disgrace upon the Israelite people by forcing the people to worship false gods instead of the one true, living, God of Israel.

Oh, please pray for us. Pray that God will send someone to save us.

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photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1. Where did Omri move the ruling place for Israel?
2. Omri bought a hill from ___________. 
3. He built a city there and named it ____________ after __________
4. After Omri died, his son _____________ became king of Israel.
5. Ahab was considered an evil king. Name four things Ahab did wrong.