Elah

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: From Hebrew אֵלָא (’Ēlā’), likely “terebinth” (a notable tree in the Levant).
• Period/Era: Divided Kingdom (Northern Kingdom of Israel).
• Main References: 1 Kings 16:6–14.
• Key Connections: Baasha (father and predecessor); Zimri (assassin and successor); Tirzah (royal center); Omri (military leader who later prevailed).

Who was Elah?

Elah was a king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who reigned in Tirzah.
He was the son of Baasha and continued his father’s dynasty.
His reign lasted two years and ended through assassination by one of his officials.
The biblical narrative presents his rule within a period of political instability in Israel.

Key Events & Achievements

• Accession: Became king after Baasha and ruled Israel from Tirzah.
• Assassination: Killed by Zimri while he was drinking at the house of Arza, the palace steward in Tirzah.
• Dynastic Collapse: His death led to Zimri’s brief seizure of power and the end of Baasha’s house.

Life Lesson & Legacy

Elah’s brief reign illustrates the fragility of royal power in Israel during the Divided Kingdom.

Key Verse

"In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah." — 1 Kings 16:15, ESV