1 Kings 16 · a question people ask
When did Omri's twelve years begin?
The chapter dates Israel's kings by the years of Asa king of Judah. "In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah" (16:15), and when the people camped against Gibbethon heard, "all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp" (16:16). Then "the people of Israel were divided into two parts" (16:21), until "Tibni died, and Omri reigned" (16:22). Then: "In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah" (16:23). And "In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel" (16:29). The chapter doesn't say from which of these days Omri's twelve years are counted, or how long the people were divided, so these notes don't add the numbers up.
The verses
“In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. The people who were encamped heard that Zimri had conspired, and had also killed the king. Therefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.”
“Then the people of Israel were 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 who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath; so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah.”
“In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.”