1 Kings 16:9

9 His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirtzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Artza, who was over the household in Tirtzah:

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 Moreover by the prophet Yehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Ba`sha, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Yarov`am, and because he struck him.

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Yehudah began Elah the son of Ba`sha to reign over Yisra'el in Tirtzah, [and reigned] two years.

9 His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirtzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Artza, who was over the household in Tirtzah:

10 and Zimri went in and struck him, and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Yehudah, and reigned in his place.

11 It happened, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he struck all the house of Ba`sha: he didn't leave him a single man-child, neither of his relatives, nor of his friends.