New English Translation
1 Kings 16:9
9His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was drinking heavily at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah,
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
7The prophet Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord the message predicting the downfall of Baasha and his family because of all the evil Baasha had done in the sight of the Lord. His actions angered the Lord (including the way he had destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty), so that his family ended up like Jeroboam’s. 8In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha’s son Elah became king over Israel; he ruled in Tirzah for two years. His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was drinking heavily at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah, 10Zimri came in and struck him dead. (This happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah.) Zimri replaced Elah as king. 11When he became king and occupied the throne, he killed Baasha’s entire family. He did not spare any male belonging to him; he killed his relatives and his friends.
Read all of 1 Kings 161 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, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, murderer of his master?”
- 1 Kings 15:27Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, conspired against Nadab and assassinated him in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. This happened while Nadab and all the Israelite army were besieging Gibbethon.
- 2 Kings 9:14Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole Israelite army, guarding against an invasion by King Hazael of Syria.
- 2 Kings 12:20His servants conspired against him and murdered Joash at Beth-Millo, on the road that goes down to Silla.
- 2 Kings 15:10Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam and took his place as king.
- 1 Kings 20:16They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily in their quarters.
- 1 Samuel 25:36When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was holding a banquet in his house like that of the king. Nabal was having a good time and was very intoxicated. She told him absolutely nothing until morning’s light.
- 2 Samuel 13:28Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!”
- Proverbs 23:29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes?
- Jeremiah 51:57“I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her governors, leaders, and warriors. They will fall asleep forever and never wake up,” says the King whose name is the Lord who rules over all.
- Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all.
- Daniel 5:30And in that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed.
- Nahum 1:10Surely they will be totally consumed like entangled thorn bushes, like the drink of drunkards, like very dry stubble.
- Habakkuk 2:15“You who force your neighbor to drink wine are as good as dead – you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, so you can look at their genitals.
- Matthew 24:49and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards,
- Luke 21:34“But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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