1. Jehu son of Hanani spoke the word of the Lord against King Baasha.
2. The Lord said, “You were nothing, but I took you and made you a leader over my people Israel. But you have followed the ways of Jeroboam and have led my people Israel to sin. Their sins have made me angry,
3. so, Baasha, I will soon destroy you and your family. I will do to you what I did to the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat.
4. Anyone from your family who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone from your family who dies in the fields will be eaten by birds.”
5. Everything else Baasha did and all his victories are written down in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.
6. So Baasha died and was buried in Tirzah, and his son Elah became king in his place.
7. The Lord spoke his word against Baasha and his family through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani. Baasha had done many things the Lord said were wrong, which made the Lord very angry. He did the same evil deeds that Jeroboam’s family had done before him. The Lord also spoke against Baasha because he killed all of Jeroboam’s family.
8. Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel during Asa’s twenty-sixth year as king of Judah, and Elah ruled in Tirzah for two years.
9. Zimri, one of Elah’s officers, commanded half of Elah’s chariots. Zimri made plans against Elah while the king was in Tirzah, getting drunk at Arza’s home. (Arza was in charge of the palace at Tirzah.)
10. Zimri went into Arza’s house and killed Elah 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, not allowing any of Baasha’s family or friends to live.
12. So Zimri destroyed all of Baasha’s family just as the Lord had said it would happen through the prophet Jehu.
13. Baasha and his son Elah sinned and led the people of Israel to sin, and they made the Lord, the God of Israel, angry because of their worthless idols.
14. Everything else Elah did is written in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.