מלכים א, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ט״ז

The news of a violent coup shakes the military camp. Word arrives that Zimri has conspired and assassinated the reigning king, sparking immediate outrage at the thought of a servant rebelling against his master. Because the assassin lacks any real foundation of support, a swift decision is made to reject his authority and crown an alternative leader [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל].

The group receiving this shocking news consists specifically of the army stationed at the military camp [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Therefore, although it might seem that the entire nation participates in crowning a new leader, this actually refers only to the soldiers present in the camp that day, rather than the civilian population of the kingdom [רד"ק, מצודת דוד].

Unwilling to accept the rule of a traitor, these troops turn to their own commander, Omri. By crowning him, they feel they are expressing the true, unified will of the military [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, this new appointment may not have been absolute from the start. There is a view that Omri's coronation is conditional, granted with the explicit purpose that he lead them into battle against Zimri to avenge the blood of their murdered king [אברבנאל].