Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Captain of half his chariots - It is probable that Zimri, and some other who is not here named, were commanders of the cavalry.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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.

Geneva Study Bible

(e) The Chaldee text has this, "Drinking till he was drunk in the temple of Arza the idol by his house in Tirzah".

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

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.

Chariots — Of all his military chariots, and the men belonging to them: the chariots for carriage of necessary things, being put into meaner hands.

Tirzah — Whilst his forces were elsewhere employed, verse15, which gave Zimri advantage to execute his design.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

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.

Ver. 9. And his servant Zimri.] Perhaps he of Saul’s posterity. [1 Chronicles 8:36]

Drinking himself drunk.] Haply to put away the fear of death, like as Tacitus saith, Vitelius trepidus, dein temulentus.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Captain of half his chariots, i.e. of all his military chariots, and the men belonging to them; the chariots for carriage of necessary things being put into other and meaner hands.

As he was in Tirzah; whilst his forces were elsewhere employed, 1 Kings 16:15, which gave Zimri advantage to execute his design.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

9.Captain of half his chariots — So, then, this northern kingdom had added to its other sins the transgression of the law forbidding the multiplication of horses, for chariots required their service. The whole cavalry force seems to have been divided into two portions, one or which served the army at the siege of Gibbethon, the other remained near Tirzah, and over it Zimri had command.

Drinking himself drunk — Surely it is not well for kings thus to drink wine. Proverbs 31:4. Here we find that Elah was a drunken, licentious profligate, whose very debasement was a temptation for daring hands to take his life.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Horsemen. Hebrew, "chariots." (Septuagint) (Calmet) --- But Josephus styles him, Hipparchon, "general of the horse." (Menochius) --- Rebelled. Hebrew, "conspired." (Haydock) --- He acted privately at first. (Menochius) --- Governor. Hebrew, "steward of his house." Chaldean and Arabic, "in the temple of the idol Arsa," the earth, whom the pagans worshipped as the mother of gods and men; unless Arsa be put for Asera, or Astarte. (Calmet)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

drinking himself drunk. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6) for emphasis.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

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 treasures should fall into the hands of his successful rival. The seven days' reign may refer either to the brief duration of his royal authority, or the period in which he enjoyed unmolested tranquillity in the palace.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Drinking himself drunk.—There seems an emphasis of half-contemptuous condemnation in the description of Elah’s debauchery, evidently public, and in the house of a mere officer of his household, while war was raging at Gibbethon. On the other hand, Zimri—noted emphatically as “his servant”—was apparently the high officer left in special charge of the palace and the king’s person, while the mass of the army was in the field. Hence his name passed into a proverb for unusual treachery. (See 2 Kings 9:31.)

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

his servant

2 Kings 9:31

conspired

15:27; 2 Kings 9:14; 12:20; 15:10,25,30

drinking

20:16; 1 Samuel 25:36-38; 2 Samuel 13:28,29; Proverbs 23:29-35; Jeremiah 51:57; Daniel 5:1-4,30; Nahum 1:10; Habakkuk 2:15,16; Matthew 24:49-51; Luke 21:34

steward of

Heb. which was over.

Genesis 15:2; 24:2,10; 39:4,9