I Kings 16:24 · Bible study
1 Kings 16:24 Commentary: The Founding of Samaria
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Scripture record Omri's purchase of the hill of Samaria? Explore the historical, political, and theological significance of this capital's founding.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Omri purchases and names the hill that becomes Samaria, the new capital of Israel's northern kingdom.
- Key words: Bought (H7069 qanah), hill (H2022 har), Samaria (H8111 Shomeron), Shemer (H8106), name (H8034 shem).
- Main debate: Minimal; the naming may carry wordplay on "watch-tower" (Barnes) or simply honor Shemer.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over human city-building; the irony of a capital for a rebellious kingdom that becomes a center of idolatry and judgment.
- Best use: Illustrating the establishment of Israel's political and religious center, and the mixture of human wisdom and sin in the biblical narrative.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city there, calling it Samaria after the name of Shemer, who had owned the hill.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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, Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and he buyeth the mount Samaria from Shemer, with two talents of silver, and buildeth on the mount, and calleth the name of the city that he hath built by the name of Shemer, lord of the hill--Samaria.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
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 that he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he bought the hill of Samaria of Semer, for two talents of silver: and he built upon it, and he called the city which he built Samaria, after the name of Semer, the owner of the hill.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y compró él de Semer el monte de Samaria por dos talentos de plata, y edificó en el monte: y llamó el nombre de la ciudad que edificó, Samaria, del nombre de Semer, señor que fué de aquel monte.
E ele comprou de Semer o monte de Samaria por dois talentos de prata, e edificou no monte: e chamou o nome da cidade que edificou Samaria, do nome de Semer, senhor que foi daquele monte.
il acheta de Schémer la montagne de Samarie pour deux talents d’ argent; il bâtit sur la montagne, et il donna à la ville qu’ il bâtit le nom de Samarie, d’après le nom de Schémer, seigneur de la montagne.
Er kaufte den Berg Samaria von Semer um zwei Zentner Silber und baute auf den Berg und hieß die Stadt, die er baute, nach dem Namen Semers, des Berges Herr, Samaria.
En hij kocht den berg Samaria van Semer, voor twee talenten zilvers, en bebouwde den berg; en noemde den naam der stad, die hij bouwde, naar den naam van Semer, den heer des bergs, Samaria.
poi comprò da Scemer il monte di Samaria per due talenti d’argento; edificò su quel monte una città, e alla città che edificò diede il nome di Samaria dal nome di Scemer, padrone del monte.
I kupił górę Samaryi od Semera za dwa talenty srebra, i pobudował na onej górze, a nazwał imię miasta, które zbudował imieniem Semera, pana góry onej, Samaryi.
И купил Амврий гору Семерон у Семира за два таланта серебра, и застроил гору, и назвал построенный им город Самариею, по имени Семира, владельца горы.
暗利用二他連得 銀子 向 撒瑪 買了 撒馬利亞 山，在山 上造城，就按著 山 的原主 撒瑪 的名，給所 造 的城 起 名 叫 撒馬利亞。
He got the hill Samaria from Shemer for the price of two talents of silver, and he made a town there, building it on the hill and naming it Samaria, after Shemer the owner of the hill.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 16:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse records the founding of Samaria as the northern kingdom's capital. Adam Clarke notes the purchase price of two talents of silver, about £707, was substantial for a hill that likely contained little more than Shemer's house. Barnes compares the transaction to David's purchase of the threshing floor (2 Samuel 24:24), suggesting a fair and legitimate acquisition. The name 'Samaria' (Hebrew Shomeron) derives from the previous owner Shemer, though Barnes observes that a Hebrew ear would also catch 'watch-tower' (shamar, to watch). The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges calls this 'the first historic mention of the place which subsequently became famous.' The location, an oblong hill with steep sides, abundant springs, and a flat top, was chosen for defense and centrality. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown describe it as combining 'strength, beauty, and fertility.' Commentators agree that Omri made this his residence for the last six years of his reign, and it remained the capital until Israel's fall.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Omri purchased the hill, built a city, named it Samaria after the previous owner Shemer, and it became the capital of the northern kingdom.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Historical value of the purchase | All commentators agree the verse records the founding of Samaria as the northern capital. | There is some variation in calculating the modern equivalent of two talents of silver (from £500 to £800). |
| Meaning of the name 'Samaria' | The name derives from the owner Shemer. | Barnes suggests a deliberate wordplay on 'watch-tower' (<em>shamer</em>), while Clarke and Keil treat it primarily as a patronymic. |
| Omri's motives | Omri chose the hill for strategic and defensive reasons after Tirzah was damaged. | Whether this act shows political wisdom (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) or merely worldly ambition (Matthew Henry) is a point of emphasis. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Omri came to the throne after a civil war with Tibni (1 Kings 16:21, 22). He reigned twelve years, the first six in Tirzah. But Tirzah had been damaged, Zimri burned the palace there (1 Kings 16:18), so Omri needed a new royal seat. He chose a hill in the heart of the mountain country of Ephraim, about six miles northwest of Shechem. The site lay in a deep basin-shaped depression; the hill itself rose steeply with a long, flat summit. Barnes notes its 'admirable' defense potential and 'abundant springs of water.' Adam Clarke adds that the hill was purchased from a man named Shemer, and that the name Shomeron (Samaria) honored him, though the name also carried the sense of 'watch-tower', fitting for a capital on a visible height.
The price, two talents of silver, was around 6,000 shekels. Keil and Delitzsch estimate about £780; Gill gives £750. The purchase set Omri apart from earlier kings who simply seized property; he acquired the land legally. This detail echoes David’s purchase of Araunah’s threshing floor, another legitimate acquisition for a sacred purpose. Omri built a city on the hill and made it his capital. Later, Ahab built a palace and a temple to Baal there (1 Kings 16:32). Samaria endured several sieges: Ben-Hadad of Syria besieged it (1 Kings 20:1), and Shalmaneser of Assyria finally conquered it after a three-year siege (2 Kings 17:5, 6). The city gave its name to the surrounding region and to the Samaritans of the New Testament period.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant variants in the Hebrew text. The Greek Septuagint (LXX) inserts 'the owner of the hill' after the first mention of Shemer and reads 'he called the name of the mountain where he built' instead of the Hebrew rendering (Cambridge Bible). This does not affect the essential meaning.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have read this verse primarily as historical background, noting Samaria's later role as a symbol of idolatry. Matthew Henry's commentary (1710) emphasizes that despite Omri's political success, he 'wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord.' John Gill (1748) focused on the price and location, connecting it to the city's long history. Adam Clarke (1826) and Keil & Delitzsch (1876) discuss the archaeological and geographical significance. In the broader tradition, Samaria is mentioned in the New Testament (e.g., John 4, Acts 8) as a region where the gospel spread, fulfilling the prophecy of judgment and restoration.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The purchase of the hill. Omri bought the land from Shemer for a fair price, a legal, public transaction. This contrasts with later royal land grabs (like Ahab’s seizure of Naboth’s vineyard).
- The naming of the city. Omri called the city Samaria, preserving Shemer’s name. The Hebrew word also suggests "watch-tower." The city became a symbol of both security and vigilance, and later of idolatry and judgment.
- The legacy of Samaria. What Omri built as a political capital became a spiritual center for the northern kingdom’s apostasy. The same hill that offered defense also witnessed God’s judgment when Assyria destroyed it.
Five-point outline
- Political wisdom. Omri chose a site that was strategic, defensible, and central, a lesson in wise planning even by a wicked king.
- The cost of a capital. Two talents of silver shows that building a kingdom requires investment. Omri was willing to pay.
- The enduring name. The city outlived its founder. Shemer’s name survived; Omri’s own name was sometimes replaced by the Assyrian "Beth-Khumri" (house of Omri).
- The double legacy. Samaria was both a "watch-tower" of human strength and a monument to rebellion against God. Prophets like Hosea and Amos would later pronounce judgment on her.
- God's sovereignty. The city became central to the story of Israel, even though its founder rejected God. God works through human decisions, good and bad, to accomplish His purposes.
Illustration hooks
- A family buys a house from an elderly owner and keeps the owner's name in the street address or in the home's nickname.
- After a civil war, a leader moves the capital city to a new location for security and fresh start, like moving a company headquarters after a crisis.
- Building a home on a hill with a view, only to discover the hill was known for storms or flooding, the irony of choosing a "safe" spot that becomes vulnerable to judgment.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible include the price and seller’s name in this real estate transaction?
- What made Samaria so important that it appears throughout the Old and New Testaments?
- Does Omri's purchase have any spiritual lesson for how we use resources or build our lives?
Leading a Discussion
This verse seems like a simple land purchase, but it records the founding of a city that would define the northern kingdom. Omri, a king who "did evil in Yahweh's sight" (1 Kings 16:25), nevertheless made a shrewd decision that had lasting consequences. As you discuss, consider how God works through ordinary, even sinful, human actions to shape history.
Discussion questions
- What details does the text emphasize about the purchase? Why do you think the writer includes the seller's name, the price, and the naming?
- Compare Omri's purchase with David's purchase of the threshing floor (2 Samuel 24:24). What do these two actions have in common? How do they differ?
- Omri named the city after Shemer, the original owner. What does this say about Omri's character or his approach to power? What might it say about honor or remembrance?
- Samaria became a center of Baal worship under Ahab (1 Kings 16:32). How does the founding of the city connect to the later judgment on Israel?
- Many contemporary cities and institutions are founded by people with mixed motives. How does this passage help you think about the legacy of human achievements?
- The name "Samaria" can mean "watch-tower." In what ways does the city live up to that name, both positively (as a place of safety) and negatively (as a place of spiritual watchfulness against God)?
- What "hills" are you building on in your own life? What resources are you investing, and what will you name them, to honor yourself, or others, or God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 13:32 | For the saying which he cried by Yahweh’s word against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely happen.” |
| I Kings 16:28 | So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place. |
| I Kings 16:29 | 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. |
| I Kings 16:32 | He raised up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. |
| I Kings 18:2 | Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. |
| I Kings 20:1 | Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, with horses and chariots. He went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. |
| I Kings 22:37 | So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. |
| II Kings 17:1 | In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel for nine years. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the name Samaria, showing it means "Little Shomer" after its original owner. He explains Omri purchased the hill from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a new capital there, which later became the fortified metropolis of the northern kingdom of Israel.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Omri chose Samaria's hill for its strategic defensibility, abundant water, and central location. The name Shomeron naturally suggested a "watch-tower" to Hebrew ears, though Assyrian records first called it Beth-Khumri, or the house of Omri, reflecting its founder.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that this verse gives the first historical mention of Samaria, whose Hebrew name Shomeron reveals its derivation from the hill's former owner Shemer. The commentator also observes that an earlier use of the name in 1 Kings 13:32 is an anachronism by a later writer writing after the city was built.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the origin of Samaria's name: Omri bought the hill from Shemer and named the city after its former owner. This detail explains how the capital of the northern kingdom acquired its name from a human transaction rather than any divine designation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Omri bought the hill for two silver talents, which he calculates as about 750 pounds in English money. The city was named Samaria, or Shomeron in Hebrew, after its previous owner Shemer. Gill adds that this site, six miles from Tirzah, became the permanent royal capital of Israel's kings.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Omri chose this hill for its rare combination of defensive strength, scenic beauty, and fertility, a blend unmatched elsewhere in Palestine. He also observes that Assyrian inscriptions call Samaria "Beth-khum
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that Omri's founding of Samaria as his capital was a strategic move after four years of civil war. By purchasing the hill from Shemer and building a new city, he created a lasting political center that remained the capital of the northern kingdom until its fall. The commentary also traces Samaria's later history through conquest and rebuilding.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights how Zimri's seven-day reign shows God's swift justice on a usurper who won the throne by murder. He also notes that Omri, though he became a more established king and built Samaria, did worse evil than all before him, walking in Jeroboam's sin.