Elah
Summary
The fourth king of Israel who reigned only two years and was killed while drunk by his chariot commander Zimri, fulfilling the prophecy against Baasha's house.
- Among the passages here, Elah is first named in 1 Kings 16:6: “And Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah, and his son…”
- The record places Elah in Divided Kingdom.
- 17 verses name Elah, in 5 books.
- 3 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
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.
1 Kings 16:9→- 3 key events in order
- 17 verses name Elah, across 5 books
In Scripture
- Verses
- 17
- Books
- 5
Elah
- Role
- 4th King of Israel
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Dates
- 886–885 BC
- Tribe
- Israel
- Father
- Baasha
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Continued Jeroboam's sins1 Kings 16:13This happened because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.
- Killed while drunk1 Kings 16:9-10However, 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.
- Baasha's dynasty exterminated1 Kings 16:11-12As 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.
Biography
Elah son of Baasha became the fourth king of Israel and reigned for two years in Tirzah. His reign is notable primarily for its inglorious end: he was killed by Zimri, one of his chariot commanders, while drinking himself drunk at the house of Arza his household manager in Tirzah. Zimri then killed all of Baasha's household and relatives, fulfilling the prophecy of Jehu against Baasha's house — every male, relative, and friend was eliminated.
Elah's death while drunk is emblematic of a kingdom in moral collapse. Scripture records that Elah "walked in the way of Jeroboam" and "made Israel to sin" — following the same doomed pattern as every northern king before him.
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.
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
None recorded
Weaknesses
Self-indulgence, drunkenness, continuation of Jeroboam's sins, spiritual complacency
Lessons
Leaders who neglect their duties for self-indulgence make themselves fatally vulnerable. Elah's drunkenness at a time of military crisis cost him his life, his dynasty, and his entire family.
Spiritual significance
Elah's death while drunk symbolizes the vulnerability of leaders who indulge themselves while their nation is at war and their household is unguarded. His intoxication was not merely physical — it represents the spiritual stupor of a king who inherited a doomed dynasty and did nothing to change its direction.
Elah in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Elah. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament5 books · 17 mentions
Genesis1 mention
1 Samuel3 mentions
- 1 Samuel 17:2Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines.
- 1 Samuel 17:19They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
- 1 Samuel 21:9The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
1 Kings6 mentions
- 1 Kings 16:6And Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah, and his son Elah reigned in his place.
- 1 Kings 16:8In the twenty-sixth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah two years.
- 1 Kings 16:9However, 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.
- 1 Kings 16:10So 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.
- 1 Kings 16:13This happened because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.
1 further mention in 1 Kings, read them in the book.
2 Kings4 mentions
- 2 Kings 15:30Then Hoshea son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. In the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah, Hoshea attacked Pekah, killed him, and reigned in his place.
- 2 Kings 17:1In the twelfth year of the reign of Ahaz over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria nine years.
- 2 Kings 18:1In the third year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah.
- 2 Kings 18:9In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.
1 Chronicles3 mentions
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