²³ In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel and reigned for twelve years. He reigned six years at Tirzah. ²⁴ Omri bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he built a city on the hill [and fortified it], and named the city which he built ^[a]Samaria, after the owner of the hill, Shemer.

²⁵ But Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and acted more wickedly than all who came before him.