1 Kings 16:2-12

2 "Since I 1exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and 2you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins,
3 behold, I will utterly 3sweep away 4Baasha and his house, and I will make your house 5like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
4 6Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat."
5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at 7Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place.
7 Moreover, the word of the LORD came by the prophet 8Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because 9he destroyed it.

Elah Reigns in Israel

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years.
9 But his servant 10Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, 11who was over the household in Tirzah,
10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.
11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down 12all the house of Baasha. He 13did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends.
12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, 14according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by 15Jehu the prophet,

1 Kings 16:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 16

This chapter contains a prophecy of the ruin of the family of Baasha, and an account of his death, 1Ki 16:1-7, and of his son's reigning in his stead two years, who was slain by Zimri one of his captains, 1Ki 16:8-14, and who reigned but seven days, 1Ki 16:15-20, and the people being divided between Tibni and Omri, the party for the latter prevailed, and he was made king, and reigned twelve years, 1Ki 16:21-28, and was succeeded by his son Ahab, a very wicked prince, 1Ki 16:29-33, and the chapter is concluded with the rebuilding of Jericho, 1Ki 16:34.

Cross References 15

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.