1 Kings 16:9
1 Kings 16:9 in Multiple Translations
However, while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza the steward of his household there, Elah’s servant Zimri, the commander of half his chariots, conspired against him.
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.
And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah:
And his servant Zimri, captain of half his war-carriages, made secret designs against him: now he was in Tirzah, drinking hard in the house of Arza, controller of the king's house in Tirzah.
One of Elah's officials called Zimri who was in charge of half his chariots plotted a rebellion against him. One time Elah was in Tirzah, getting himself drunk at the home of Arza, the palace manager at Tirzah.
And his seruant Zimri, captaine of halfe his charets, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah drinking, til he was drunken in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
and conspire against him doth his servant Zimri (head of the half of the chariots) and he [is] in Tirzah drinking — a drunkard in the house of Arza, who [is] over the house in Tirzah.
His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah;
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.
And his servant Zambri, who was captain of half the horsemen, rebelled against him: now Ela was drinking in Thersa, and drunk in the house of Arsa the governor of Thersa.
A man named Zimri was one of Elah’s army officers. He commanded the drivers of half of Elah’s army’s ◄chariots/two-wheeled vehicles pulled by horses►. He made plans to kill Elah while Elah was in Tirzah, getting drunk at the house of a man named Arza. Arza was the man who took care of the things in the king’s palace.
Berean Amplified Bible — 1 Kings 16:9
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1 Kings 16:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — 1 Kings 16:9
Study Notes — 1 Kings 16:9
- Context
- Cross References
- 1 Kings 16:9 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on 1 Kings 16:9
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 16:9
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
- Trapp's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
- Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
- Cambridge Bible on 1 Kings 16:9
- Barnes' Notes on 1 Kings 16:9
- Whedon's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
- Sermons on 1 Kings 16:9
Context — Elah Reigns in Israel
9However, while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza the steward of his household there, Elah’s servant Zimri, the commander of half his chariots, conspired against him.
10So in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Zimri went in, struck Elah down, and killed him. And Zimri reigned in his place. 11As soon as Zimri began to reign and was seated on the throne, he struck down the entire household of Baasha. He did not leave a single male, whether a kinsman or friend.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Kings 18:3 | and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD, |
| 2 | Genesis 39:4 | Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned. |
| 3 | Daniel 5:1–4 | Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. |
| 4 | Genesis 24:2 | So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, |
| 5 | Proverbs 23:29–35 | Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks. Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast: “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?” |
| 6 | Matthew 24:49–51 | And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. |
| 7 | Genesis 39:9 | No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” |
| 8 | Habakkuk 2:15–16 | Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You too must drink and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory. |
| 9 | Jeremiah 51:57 | I will make her princes and wise men drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and not wake up,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. |
| 10 | 2 Kings 12:20 | And the servants of Joash rose up and formed a conspiracy and killed him at Beth-millo, on the road down to Silla. |
1 Kings 16:9 Summary
In 1 Kings 16:9, we see that King Elah's love of drinking led to his downfall, as he was killed by his servant Zimri while he was drunk. This teaches us that our actions have consequences, and that we should strive to live sober and godly lives, as seen in 1 Peter 1:13-16. By seeking to follow God's commands and surround ourselves with godly people, we can avoid the pitfalls that King Elah fell into. As it says in Proverbs 22:3, 'The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.'
Frequently Asked Questions
What led to the conspiracy against King Elah in 1 Kings 16:9?
The conspiracy against King Elah was led by his servant Zimri, who took advantage of the king's drunken state in the house of Arza, as seen in 1 Kings 16:9. This act of disobedience and rebellion was a result of the evil that had been done in the sight of the Lord, as mentioned in 1 Kings 16:7.
How does the behavior of King Elah in 1 Kings 16:9 compare to the behavior of other kings in the Bible?
King Elah's behavior in 1 Kings 16:9, getting drunk in the house of Arza, is similar to the behavior of other kings who turned away from God, such as King Solomon in 1 Kings 11:1-8, who was led astray by his many wives and their idolatry.
What can we learn from the fact that Zimri was a servant of King Elah who conspired against him in 1 Kings 16:9?
The fact that Zimri was a servant of King Elah who conspired against him teaches us that our actions and behavior can have consequences, and that those closest to us can sometimes be the ones who bring us down, as seen in the story of David and Absalom in 2 Samuel 18:1-18.
How does the story of King Elah in 1 Kings 16:9 relate to the overall theme of the book of 1 Kings?
The story of King Elah in 1 Kings 16:9 is part of the larger theme of the book of 1 Kings, which explores the consequences of disobedience and the importance of following God's commands, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 and Joshua 1:8.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can be tempted to turn away from God, like King Elah was, and how can I guard against those temptations?
- How can I use my position and influence to serve others, rather than seeking to elevate myself like Zimri did?
- What are some areas in my life where I may be 'getting drunk' on worldly things, and how can I seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit instead, as seen in Ephesians 5:18?
- What can I learn from the example of King Elah about the importance of accountability and surrounding myself with godly advisors?
Gill's Exposition on 1 Kings 16:9
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 16:9
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
Trapp's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
Adam Clarke's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
Cambridge Bible on 1 Kings 16:9
Barnes' Notes on 1 Kings 16:9
Whedon's Commentary on 1 Kings 16:9
Sermons on 1 Kings 16:9
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Just Before the Battle by Warren Wiersbe | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Joshua and his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. Joshua made four important discoveries that night. Firstly, he realized tha |
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(Genesis) Genesis 40:20-23 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the story of Joseph from the Bible to convey the message that God cares and is working in our lives, even in difficult circumstances. The spe |
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(Daniel) the Writing on the Wall by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of King Belshazzar from the book of Daniel in the Bible. The sermon begins by describing how Belshazzar and his companions were en |
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The Hand Behind History by David Davis | This sermon delves into the story of Daniel in Babylon, where a wild party takes place with sacred vessels from the temple in Jerusalem being desecrated. The hand of God writes on |
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Atlantic Lyman conf.1972-02 Studies in Daniel 05 by Joseph Balsan | In this sermon, the preacher discusses a biblical story about a king who was terrified by the appearance of a man's hand writing on a wall. The preacher emphasizes the fear and ter |
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When God Crashes the Party by Denis Lyle | Denis Lyle preaches on the story of Belshazzar in Daniel 5, highlighting the tragic dissipation and revelry at the royal feast, where intemperance, impropriety, impiety, and idolat |
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Men Tried and Found Defective. by Edward Payson | Edward Payson preaches about the story of Belshazzar, warning that though we may not have committed the same sins as Belshazzar, we have all insulted our Creator in various ways. H |







