7. The Lord spoke his word through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani. The Lord’s message was against Baasha and his family. Baasha had done many things the Lord said were wrong. This made the Lord very angry. Baasha did the same things that Jeroboam’s family had done before him. The Lord was also angry because Baasha killed all of Jeroboam’s family.
8. Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel. This was during Asa’s twenty-sixth year as king of Judah. And Elah ruled in Tirzah for two years.
9. Zimri was one of Elah’s officers. He commanded half of Elah’s chariots. But Zimri made plans against Elah.Elah was in Tirzah, getting drunk at Arza’s home. (Arza was the man in charge of the palace at Tirzah.)
10. So Zimri went into Arza’s house and killed Elah. This was during Asa’s twenty-seventh year as king of Judah. Then Zimri became king of Israel in Elah’s place.
11. As soon as Zimri became king, he killed all of Baasha’s family. He did not let any man of Baasha’s family or friends live.
12. So Zimri destroyed all of Baasha’s family. This happened as the Lord had said it would. The Lord had spoken this against Baasha through the prophet Jehu.
13. This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and his son Elah. They sinned and caused the people of Israel to sin. They also made the Lord, the God of Israel, angry because they had made worthless idols.
14. Everything else Elah did is written down. It is in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.
15. So Zimri became king of Israel. This was during Asa’s twenty-seventh year as king of Judah. Zimri ruled in Tirzah seven days. This is what happened:The army of Israel was camped near Gibbethon, a Philistine town.
16. The men in the camp heard that Zimri had made secret plans against the king. And they heard that Zimri had killed him. So that day in the camp they made Omri king over Israel. (Omri was commander of the army.)
17. So Omri and all the Israelites left Gibbethon and attacked Tirzah.
18. Zimri saw that the city had been captured. So he went into the palace and set it on fire. He burned the palace and himself with it.