1 Kings 16:9

1 Kings 16:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And his servant 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Zimri, one of his officials, who had command of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah at the time, getting drunk in the home of Arza, the palace administrator at Tirzah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now his servant Zimri, commander 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.

Context of 1 Kings 16:9

7Hanani's son Jehu, the prophet, had received a message from the Lord about Baasha and his family. Baasha had done many things that the Lord said were evil, in the same way that Jeroboam had done. Baasha had even destroyed Jeroboam's whole family. These bad things made the Lord very angry. 8When Asa had been king of Judah for 26 years, Baasha's son Elah became king of Israel. He ruled as king in Tirzah for two years. Zimri was one of Elah's officers. He had authority over half of Elah's chariots. Zimri decided to kill King Elah. One day, Elah was in the home of a man called Arza, an officer who had authority over the king's palace in Tirzah. Elah was drinking too much wine and he became drunk. 10Zimri came in to Arza's house. He hit Elah and he killed him. When this happened, Asa had been king of Judah for 27 years. Zimri made himself king instead of Elah. 11When Zimri began to rule Israel as king, he killed everybody in Baasha's family. He did not leave any of Baasha's male relatives alive. He even killed Baasha's friends.

1 Kings 16:9 word by word

וַיִּקְשֹׁ֤ר עָלָיו֙ עַבְדּ֣וֹ זִמְרִ֔י שַׂ֖ר מַחֲצִ֣ית הָרָ֑כֶב וְה֤וּא בְתִרְצָה֙ שֹׁתֶ֣ה שִׁכּ֔וֹר בֵּ֣ית אַרְצָ֔א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת בְּתִרְצָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And his servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• Zimriזִמְרִיzimrîy · ZimriH2174
• captainשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of halfמַחֲצִיתmachătsîyth · halfH4276
• chariotsרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
• conspiredקָשַׁרqâshar · to conspireH7194
• against him, as he was in Tirzahתִּרְצָהtirtsâh · TirzahH8656
• drinkingשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• himself drunkשִׁכֹּרshikkôr shikkôr · drunkenH7910
• in the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• of Arzaאַרְצָא'artsâ' · ArzaH777
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004

Cross-references for 1 Kings 16:9

• 2 Kings 9:31When Jehu came through the gate of the city, Jezebel called out to him, ‘Have you come as a friend, Zimri? No, you have murdered your master!’
• 1 Kings 15:27Baasha decided to kill King Nadab. Baasha was Ahijah's son and he belonged to Issachar's tribe. This happened while Nadab and Israel's army were attacking Gibbethon, a town of the Philistines.
• 2 Kings 9:14So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, became an enemy of King Joram. Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole army of Israel. They were fighting against Hazael, the king of Syria, who wanted to attack Israel.
• 2 Kings 12:20Joash's officers decided to kill him. Two of them murdered him at Beth Millo, on the road that goes down to Silla.
• 2 Kings 15:10Jabesh's son Shallum made a plan to kill Zechariah. Shallum murdered Zechariah at Ibleam and he became king himself.
• 1 Kings 20:16The soldiers marched out of Samaria at noon. Ben-Hadad and the 32 other kings were still drinking in their tents. They were drunk.
• 1 Samuel 25:36Abigail returned to her husband, Nabal. He was eating a big feast with people in his house. It was as good as a king's feast. Nabal was happy and drunk. So Abigail did not tell him anything until the next morning.
• 2 Samuel 13:28Absalom then told his servants, ‘When Amnon has drunk a lot of wine I will tell you, “Knock him down!” Then you must kill him immediately. Do not be afraid. I am the one who is commanding you to do this. So be strong and brave.’
• Proverbs 23:2918. People who drink too much wine have many problems. Do you see someone who is in trouble? Someone who is very sad? Someone who argues or complains all the time? Do you see someone with wounds on his body for no reason, or someone with red eyes? Then you are looking at someone who likes to drink wine until late at night. He is someone who likes to try different drinks.
• Jeremiah 51:57I will make Babylon's officers and its wise men drunk, as well as its rulers, its leaders and its soldiers. They will sleep for ever and they will never wake up again.’ That is what the King says. His name is the Lord Almighty.
• Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar gave a big party for 1,000 important people in his country. He drank wine with all of them.
• Daniel 5:30That same night, Belshazzar, the king of the Babylonians, died. His enemies killed him.
• Nahum 1:10He will kill them. And then it will be like when thorn bushes have caught people. Or it will be like when they have drunk too much alcohol. It will be like when someone burns dry straw.
• Habakkuk 2:15It will be very bad for you! You cause your neighbours to become drunk. You are so angry that you make them drink too much wine. You are happy when they are so drunk that you can see their bare bodies.
• Matthew 24:49Then he begins to hit the other servants. He eats too much and he drinks too much. He meets with other people who become drunk.
• Luke 21:34But be careful, and watch how you live. Do not eat or drink too much. Do not waste your time like that. Do not waste time by having troubles in your mind about your life. If you do, that day will surprise you. It will come when you are not looking.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 16:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Captain of half his chariots - It is probable that Zimri, and some other who is not here named, were commanders of the cavalry.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The conspiracy of Zimri - Elah‘s “servant” (i. e., “subject”) - was favored by his position, which probably gave him military authority in the city, by the absence of a great part of the people and of the officers who might have checked him, at Gibbethon 1 Kings 16:15, and by the despicable character of Elah, who, instead of going up to the war, was continually reminding men of his low origin by conduct unworthy of royalty. Steward - The office was…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Elah got drunk in Tirzah while his army fought for their lives in the Philistine-controlled city of Gibbethon (1 Kings 16:15). This showed his poor character. He was even less suitable to rule than his father, Baasha (see 1 Kings 16:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-129-12. Zimri ... conspired against him--"Arza which was over his house." During a carousal in the house of his chamberlain, Zimri slew him, and having seized the sovereignty, endeavored to consolidate his throne by the massacre of all the royal race.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 16:9

• Anger
• Arza
• Citizens
• Conspiracy
• Drunkenness
• Elah
• Homicide
• King
• Prophecy
• Regicide
• Servant
• Tirzah
• Usurpation
• Zimri

In the dictionaries

• Tirzah
• Ahab
• Baasha
• Elah
• Zimri
• Arza
• Chariot
• Drunkenness
• Elah (2)
• Eliakim

Commentaries on 1 Kings 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings