Mount Hermon, the great mountain barrier of northern Palestine, rises 9,200 feet above the sea. In the picture the range can be seen dimly, the ravines being filled with snow.
ZIMRI.
(There was wild work in Tirzah for a few days after Zimri killed the king. He followed up his advantage by assassinating all the children of Elah, so the house of Baasha, like the house of Jeroboam, was speedily exterminated. But Zimri's triumph was very short-lived. For just one week he wore the purple. Then the army returned and fell upon him. He went into the palace to defend himself, but finding his cause hopeless, he burned the palace over his own head, and perished in the flames. His name became a synonym for treachery in Israel, so that later, when Jezebel looked from her lattice and saw her foe Jehu below, she called out to him with the taunt, "Is it peace, thou 'Zimri,' thou master's murderer?")
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. And the people that were encamped heard that Zimri had conspired, and had also murdered the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died, for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
OMRI.
(In the confusion which followed the death of Zimri, there were two rival claimants to the throne, Omri and Tibni. Omri quickly prevailed, however, and at once began to show his great genius as a ruler. He established a dynasty so powerful that it lasted for four reigns. He built the city of Samaria, and waged many successful wars against neighboring peoples.)
Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria. And Omri did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and dealt wickedly above all that were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.