1 Kings 16:9

_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._ Zimri ... conspired against him. During a carousal in the house of his chamberlain, Zimri slew him, and having seized the sovereignty, endeavoured to consolidate his throne by the massacre of all the royal race. The news of his conspiracy soon spread; and the army having proclaimed their general, Omri, king, that officer immediately raised the siege at Gibbethon, and marched directly against the capital, in which the usurper had established himself. Zimri soon saw that he was not in circumstances to hold out against the whole forces of the kingdom; so shutting himself up in the palace, be set it on fire, and, like Sardanapalus, chose to perish himself, and reduce all to ruins, rather than that the palace and royal...

1-14 This chapter relates wholly to the kingdom of Israel, and the revolutions of that kingdom. God calls Israel his people still, though wretchedly corrupted. Jehu foretells the same destruction to come upon Baasha's family, which that king had been employed to bring upon the family of Jeroboam. Those who resemble others in their sins, may expect to resemble them in the plagues they suffer, especially those who seem zealous against such sins in others as they allow in themselves. Baasha himself dies in peace, and is buried with honour. Herein plainly appears that there are punishments after death, which are most to be dreaded. Let Elah be a warning to drunkards, who know not but death may surprise them. Death easily comes upon men when they are drunk. Besides the diseases which men bring themselves into by drinking, when in that state, men are easily overcome by an enemy, and liable to...

Verse 1 Kings 16:9. _CAPTAIN OF HALF_ HIS _CHARIOTS_] It is probable that Zimri, and some other who is not here named, were commanders of the cavalry....

The 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 evidently one of considerable importance. In Solomon’s court it gave the rank of שׂר _śar_, prince. In Persia the “steward of the household” acted sometimes as a sort of regent during the king’s absence....

EXPOSITION This division of chapters, immediately after the commencement of the narrative of the reign of Baasha, is somewhat unfortunate, inasmuch as it obscures the close connexion between the sin of Baasha and the prophecy which it provoked. The idea the historian would convey is clearly this—the analogy between the dynasty of Jeroboam and that which supplanted it, (1) in their sin, (2) in the denunciation of each by a prophet, and (3) in the punishments which followed their sins an analogy so close that the prophet Jehu almost employs the _ipsissima verba _of his predecessor, Ahijah. 1 KINGS 16:1 THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JEHU, THE SON OF HANANI [Hanani is mentioned in...

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

4. KINGS OF ISRAEL Chapter S 15:25-16 _ 1. Nadab, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:25)_ 2. Baasha, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:34; 1 Kings 16:1) 3. Elah, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:8) 4. Zimri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:15) 5. Divisions (1 Kings 16:21) 6. Omri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:23) 7. Ahab ...

1 KINGS 15:33 TO 1 KINGS 16:34. BAASHA'S DYNASTY. RISE OF THE HOUSE OF OMRI. Nothing is told us of Baasha except the usual annalistic details, and, that a prophet named Jehu foretold the destruction of his whole house. His son Elah was at war with the Philistines (1 Kings 16:15), but remained at Tirzah (p. 30), which at this time was the chief residence of the kings of Israel. Zimri slew him and reigned but seven days, and was then attacked by the army under Omri, and burned himself in his house. For four years, (_cf._ 1 Kings 16:15 with 1 Kin

DRINKING HIMSELF DRUNK. Figure of speech _Polyptoton_ (App-6) for emphasis....

_And his servant Zimri_ The LXX. omits -his servant." The expression is used of any officer who served under the king, and has no mean signification. Here -the servant" was a chief commander of the royal troops. _as_[NOW R.V.] _he was in Tirzah_ The strongest stop in the Hebrew occurs immediately before these words. It is therefore well to make them, in the English also, to begin a new clause. _Arza steward of_his _house_ R.V. (see also A.V. margin): ARZA WHICH WAS OVER THE HOUSEHOLD. Cf. for a similar officer over the household of Joseph, Genesis 43:16; Genesis 43:19. It would almost seem that this _major domo_was mixed up in the plot for the murder of his master. The opportunity of the absence of the troops at Gibbethon would seem very favourable for carr