Elah אֵלָה
Son of Baasha, king of Israel
Biography
Elah was the son of Baasha and became the fourth king of Israel, ruling for two years (1Ki.16.8). He ascended to the throne after the death of his father, who had ruled for 24 years. Elah's reign was marked by his evil deeds and his continuation of the sins of his father, leading Israel astray from God (1Ki.16.13). While Elah was drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, his steward in Tirzah, Zimri, one of his officials, conspired against him and killed him (1Ki.16.9-10). Zimri then succeeded Elah as king. The death of Elah marked the end of the dynasty of Baasha, fulfilling the prophecy of Jehu against Baasha's house (1Ki.16.3-4, 11-14).
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book1 Kings 4 verses
- 1 Kings 16:6
"Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his place."
- 1 Kings 16:8
"In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah for two years."
- 1 Kings 16:13
"for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and with which they made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities."
- 1 Kings 16:14
"Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֵלָה | H0425H |