And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
When Zimri became king and took the throne, he killed everyone in Baasha's family. He didn't spare a single male relative or even any of Baasha's friends.
This verse describes how the new king Zimri completely wiped out the previous king's entire family and associates when he seized power.
📚 Historical Context
This happened around 885 BC when Zimri, a military commander, assassinated King Elah and took the throne of Israel. In ancient times, new rulers often killed the entire family of the previous king to prevent future revenge or competing claims to the throne. This was part of a bloody period in Israel's history when the kingdom was plagued by political instability and rapid succession of kings.
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