Verse 11. - And it came to pass when he began to reign, as soon as he sate on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha [see note on ch. 15:29. The LXX. Vat. omits the rest of this verse and the first clause of ver. 12]: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall [i.e., not a boy. See ch. 14:10 note], neither of [Heb. and] his kinsfolks [The לֺגּאֵל is strictly the person to whom

(1) the right of redemption (Leviticus 25:26; Ruth, passim) and

(2) the duty of avenging blood (Numbers 35:19) belonged.

And this being the next of kin (Ruth 2:12, 13), the word came to mean near relative, kinsman, as here; cf. Ruth 2:20. All the same, it discloses to us Zimri's object, which was to destroy the avenger of blood. And it shows (in connexion with ver. 16) that none of Baasha's children, if he had other children, had gone to the war], nor of his friends. [Zimri went a step farther than Baasha had gone. He was not content with extirpating the royal family, but put to death the partizans of the house, all who would be likely to sympathize with Elah or to resent his murder.]

16:1-14 This chapter relates wholly to the kingdom of Israel, and the revolutions of that kingdom. God calls Israel his people still, though wretchedly corrupted. Jehu foretells the same destruction to come upon Baasha's family, which that king had been employed to bring upon the family of Jeroboam. Those who resemble others in their sins, may expect to resemble them in the plagues they suffer, especially those who seem zealous against such sins in others as they allow in themselves. Baasha himself dies in peace, and is buried with honour. Herein plainly appears that there are punishments after death, which are most to be dreaded. Let Elah be a warning to drunkards, who know not but death may surprise them. Death easily comes upon men when they are drunk. Besides the diseases which men bring themselves into by drinking, when in that state, men are easily overcome by an enemy, and liable to bad accidents. Death comes terribly upon men in such a state, finding them in the act of sin, and unfitted for any act of devotion; that day comes upon them unawares. The word of God was fulfilled, and the sins of Baasha and Elah were reckoned for, with which they provoked God. Their idols are called their vanities, for idols cannot profit nor help; miserable are those whose gods are vanities.And it came to pass when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne,.... Perhaps the very first day,

that he slew all the house of Baasha; his whole family, all the children that he had, that there might be none to make pretensions to the throne:

he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks nor of his friends; not any that might avenge the blood of his family, that might have a right or inclination to do it.