1 Kings 16:9

Authorized King James Version

And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיִּקְשֹׁ֤ר
conspired
to tie, physically (gird, confine, compact) or mentally (in love, league)
#2
עָלָיו֙
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#3
עַבְדּ֣וֹ
And his servant
a servant
#4
זִמְרִ֔י
Zimri
zimri, the name of five israelites, and of an arabian tribe
#5
שַׂ֖ר
captain
a head person (of any rank or class)
#6
מַֽחֲצִ֣ית
of half
a halving or the middle
#7
הָרָ֑כֶב
his chariots
a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e., the upper millstone
#8
וְה֤וּא
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
#9
בְּתִרְצָֽה׃
against him as he was in Tirzah
tirtsah, a place in palestine; also an israelitess
#10
שֹׁתֶ֣ה
drinking
to imbibe (literally or figuratively)
#11
שִׁכּ֔וֹר
himself drunk
intoxicated, as a state or a habit
#12
הַבַּ֖יִת
in the house
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
#13
אַרְצָ֔א
of Arza
artsa, an israelite
#14
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
#15
עַל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#16
הַבַּ֖יִת
in the house
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
#17
בְּתִרְצָֽה׃
against him as he was in Tirzah
tirtsah, a place in palestine; also an israelitess

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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