THE HOUSE OF OMRI.

The House of Omri was a ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) founded by King Omri.
According to the Hebrew Scripture, the territory of the Kingdom of Israel comprised the territories of the Tribes of Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Gad. Its capital was Samaria, according to the Book of Isaiah.
After the death of Solomon, all the Israelite Tribes except for Judah and benjamin (called the 10 Northern Tribes) refused to accept Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon, as their king. The rebellion gainst Rehoboam arose after he refused to lighten the burden of taxation and services that his father Solomon had imposed on his subjects.
Jeroboam, who was not of the Davidic Line, was sent for from Egypt by the malcontents. Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem and Jeroboam was proclaimed king over all Israel at Shechem. After the revolt at Shechem at first only the Tribe of Judah remained loyal to the House of David and little after the Tribe of Benjamin joined Judah. The Northern Kingdom continued to be called the Kingdom of Israel, while the Southern Kingdom was called the Kingdom of Judah. The 2nd Book of Chronicles also says that members of the Tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon feld to Judah during the reign of Asa of Judah.
Shechem was the first capital of the Kingdom of Israel. Afterwards it was Tirzah. King Omri built his capital in Samaria, which continued as such until the destruction of the Kingdom by the Assyrians.
The Scripture portrays the Omrides unfavorably, stressing their apostasy from the Law of God in favor of Baal. Little attention is devoted to Omri aside from noting his establishment of the dynasty and foundation of Israel's new capital of Samaria. In contrast, Omri's son Ahab is the subject of an extended narrative focusing on his troubled relations with the prophets Elijah and Elisha. He is depicted having a weak personality allowing himself to be led by his strong-willed wife Jezebel of Tyre, who advocated Baal worship. Note is also made of the dynasty's diplomacy, which connected it by marriage to Tyre and Judah and brought about a rapprochement with the latter after a long series of wars. The account of the later Omrides concerns the revolt of Moab, their conflict with Damascus over Ramoth-Gilead, the dynasty's extinction in Israel at the hands of Jehu, and Athalia's usurpation of the throne of Judah on the death of her son King Ahaziah.
Five Assyrian records are to refer either "Land of Omri" or "House of Omri." Also an archaeological reference to Omri and his unnamed son is found in an inscribed stone set up by King Mesha of Moab, (a kingdom located in modern Jordan). Mesha tells how Chemosh, the god of Moab, had been angry with his people and had allowed them to be subjugated to Israel, but at length Chemosh returned and assisted Mesha to throw off the yoke of Israel and restore the lands of Moab. Mesha also describes his many building projects. It is written in Phoenician alphabet. The Mesha stone in the only Nothwest Semitic inscription known to reference Omri.