1 Kings 16:9

9 And his slave Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, steward of his house in Tirzah.

1 Kings 16:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 16:9

And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots
His military chariots; there were two captains of them, and this was one of them; so the Targum,

``one of the two masters or captains of the chariots:''

conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in
the house of Arza, steward of his house in Tirzah;
who had the charge of his wine and other liquors, to which he was addicted beyond measure; and this was a fit opportunity for Zimri to fall upon him, and slay him, when he was drunk, and off his guard, and his army at the same time was besieging Gibbethon, ( 1 Kings 16:15 ) so that there was a very great likeness in what befell the family of Baasha, to that of the family of Jeroboam; for as the son of the one, and of the other, reigned but two years, so they were both slain by their servants, and both at a time when Gibbethon was besieged; the Targum takes this Arza to be the temple of an idol so called, near the royal palace.

1 Kings 16:9 In-Context

7 And likewise by the hand of the prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani, had come the word of the LORD upon Baasha and upon his house and upon all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, so that he would be made like the house of Jeroboam and because of having smitten him.

8 In the year twenty-six of Asa, king of Judah, Elah, the son of Baasha, began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years.

9 And his slave Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, steward of his house in Tirzah.

10 And Zimri went in and smote him and killed him, in the year twenty-seven of Asa, king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.

11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he smote all the house of Baasha; he left him not one that pisses against a wall, neither of his kinsfolk, {Heb. redeemers}, nor of his friends.