Zimri, one of his officials, who had command of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah at the time, getting drunk(A) in the home of Arza, the palace administrator(B) at Tirzah. 10 Zimri came in, struck him down and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Then he succeeded him as king.(C)

11 As soon as he began to reign and was seated on the throne, he killed off Baasha’s whole family.(D) He did not spare a single male, whether relative or friend. 12 So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu— 13 because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.(E)

14 As for the other events of Elah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

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His servant Zimri,(A) commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk(B) in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household(C) at Tirzah. 10 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri went in and struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place.(D)

11 When he became king, as soon as he was seated on his throne, Zimri struck down the entire house of Baasha. He did not leave a single male,[a](E) including his kinsmen and his friends. 12 So Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu.(F) 13 This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and those of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, angering the Lord God of Israel(G) with their worthless idols.(H)

14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 16:11 Lit leave him one who urinates against the wall