1 Kings 16:24

_AND HE BOUGHT THE HILL SAMARIA OF SHEMER FOR TWO TALENTS OF SILVER, AND BUILT ON THE HILL, AND CALLED THE NAME OF THE CITY WHICH HE BUILT, AFTER THE NAME OF SHEMER, OWNER OF THE HILL, SAMARIA._ He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer, х_ HAAHAAR_ (H2022) _ SHOMªROWN_ (H8111) the mountain Shomeron (watch-post); Chaldee, Shomªrayin, whence came the Greek Samaria; Septuagint, to oros to Semeroon]. The palace of Tirzah being in ruins, Omri, in selecting the site of his royal residence was naturally influenced by considerations both of pleasure and advantage. In the center of a wide amphitheater of mountains, about six miles from Shechem, rises an oblong hill, with steep yet accessible sides and a long flat top, extending east and west, and rising 500 or 600 feet above the valley. What Omri in all probability built as a mere palatial residence became the capital of th

15-28 When men forsake God, they will be left to plague one another. Proud aspiring men ruin one another. Omri struggled with Tibni some years. Though we do not always understand the rules by which God governs nations and individuals in his providence, we may learn useful lessons from the history before us. When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins; they are loudly called to repent and reform. Omri made himself infamous by his wickedness. Many wicked men have been men of might and renown; have built cities, and their names are found in history; but they have no name in the book of life....

Verse 24. _HE BOUGHT THE HILL SAMARIA OF SHEMER_] This should be read, "He bought the hill of Shomeron from Shomer, and called it Shomeron, (i.e., Little Shomer,) after the name of Shomer, owner of the hill." At first the kings of Israel dwelt at Shechem, and then at Tirzah; but this place having suffered much in the civil broils, and the place having been burnt down by Zimri, Omri purposed to found a new city, to which he might transfer the seat of government. He fixed on a hill that belonged to a person of the name of _Shomer_; and bought it from him for _two talents of silver_, about _£_707 3_s_. 9_d_. Though this was a large sum in those days, yet we cannot suppose that the hill was very large which was purchased for so little; and probably no other building upon it than Shomer's house, if indeed he had one there. _Shomeron_, or, as it is corruptly written, _Samaria_, is situated in...

“Samaria” represents the Greek form of the name Σαμάρεια _Samareia_; the original is שׁמרון _shômerôn_ (margin). The site is marked by the modern “Sebustiyeh,” an Arabic corruption of Sebaste, the name given by Herod to Samaria when he rebuilt it. Sebustiyeh is situated on a very remarkable “hill.” In the heart of the mountains of Israel occurs a deep basin-shaped depression, in the midst of which rises an oblong hill, with steep but not inaccessible sides, and a long flat top. This was the site which Omri chose for his new capital. Politically it was rather more central than Shechem, and probably than Tirzah. In a military point of view it was admirably calculated for defense. The country round it was especially productive. The hill itself possessed abundant springs of water. The result is that we find no further change. Shechem and Tirzah were each tried a

EXPOSITION This division of chapters, immediately after the commencement of the narrative of the reign of Baasha, is somewhat unfortunate, inasmuch as it obscures the close connexion between the sin of Baasha and the prophecy which it provoked. The idea the historian would convey is clearly this—the analogy between the dynasty of Jeroboam and that which supplanted it, (1) in their sin, (2) in the denunciation of each by a prophet, and (3) in the punishments which followed their sins an analogy so close that the prophet Jehu almost employs the _ipsissima verba _of his predecessor, Ahijah. 1 KINGS 16:1 THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JEHU, THE SON OF HANANI [Hanani is mentioned in...

AND HE BOUGHT THE HILL OF SAMARIA OF SHEMER, FOR TWO TALENTS OF SILVER,.... A talent of silver, according to Brerewood f, was of our money three hundred and seventy five pounds, so that this hill was purchased at seven hundred and fifty pounds: AND BUILT ON THE HILL, AND CALLED THE NAME OF THE CITY WHICH HE BUILT, AFTER THE NAME OF SHEMER, OWNER OF THE HILL, SAMARIA; its name from him was Shomeron, which is the Hebrew name for Samaria; which, according to Bunting g was six miles from Tirzah, and ever after the royal seat of the kings of Israel. f De Ponder. Pret. c. 4. g Ut supra, (Travels, c.) p. 163....

4. KINGS OF ISRAEL Chapter S 15:25-16 _ 1. Nadab, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:25)_ 2. Baasha, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:34; 1 Kings 16:1) 3. Elah, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:8) 4. Zimri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:15) 5. Divisions (1 Kings 16:21) 6. Omri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:23) 7. Ahab ...

1 KINGS 15:33 TO 1 KINGS 16:34. BAASHA'S DYNASTY. RISE OF THE HOUSE OF OMRI. Nothing is told us of Baasha except the usual annalistic details, and, that a prophet named Jehu foretold the destruction of his whole house. His son Elah was at war with the Philistines (1 Kings 16:15), but remained at Tirzah (p. 30), which at this time was the chief residence of the kings of Israel. Zimri slew him and reigned but seven days, and was then attacked by the army under Omri, and burned himself in his house. For four years, (_cf._ 1 Kings 16:15 with 1 Kin

OWNER. lord. SAMARIA. This is the origin of the city....

_the hill Samaria_ This is the first historic mention of the place which subsequently became famous, as the chief city in Israel, and gave name to a people and a district. Where the word occurs in 1 Kings 13:32, it is a later writer who is using, before its proper date, a name which to him and his readers was perfectly familiar. (See note there.) Samaria is the Greek form of the name, but the derivation from -Shemer," the former owner, becomes apparent if the word be written in its Hebrew form -Shomeron." The LXX. inserts -the owner of the hill" after the first mention of Shemer in this verse, as well as after the second; also it reads -and he called the name _of the mountain where_he built" instead of the exact rendering of the Hebrew as in A. V....