He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer— It is surprising, that when Omri bought this place of Shemer, whereon he intended to build a city, he did not call it by his own name; unless we may suppose, that when Shemer sold it, he let him have the greater bargain of it upon condition that it should be continued in its first owner's name. However this be, it is certain, that as Samaria was situated in the midst of the tribe of Ephraim, on a fruitful and pleasant hill, it soon became the regal and capital city of the kingdom of Israel; nor did its kings omit any thing to make it as strong, as fine, and as rich as possible. What fate it underwent by Ben-hadad king of Syria, by Salmanasar, &c. we shall see in a great measure in the course of this history. It is conjectured by Bochart, who traced the ruins of it, to have been once larger than Jerusalem; but now it comprises nothing but a few cottages and convents inhabited by some Greek monks. See Wells's Geogr. vol. 3:
REFLECTIONS.—We have here,
1. The fall of Zimri. Though seven days terminated his reign, yet in them he shewed his disposition to Jeroboam's sins. Unable to defend himself against the forces under Omri, he rather chose to perish in the flames of his palace, than fall with it into the hands of his envied rival. Note; (1.) The frequent end of ambitious projectors is, to perish in the flames that they have kindled. (2.) Envy and revenge, even in death, forsake not the wicked.
2. The civil war which ensued between Omri and Tibni. The people were divided between these competitors for the crown, and the struggle lasted four years, when Tibni seems to have fallen in battle, and Omri reigned without a rival. Note; Of all inflictions on a nation, none are more terrible than civil wars.
3. Omri, far from taking warning by his predecessor's sufferings, did worse than all who went before him; and, not satisfied with encouraging idolatry, compelled the people to it by penal statutes, Micah 6:16. At last, after a reign of twelve years, he died, and was buried; and left his crown to a son more abandoned to wickedness than his father. Thus, when a people forsake God, they go from worse to worse, till destruction comes upon them to the uttermost.