Lexical Summary Artsa: To the land, toward the land, groundward Original Word: אַרְצָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Arza From 'erets; earthiness; Artsa, an Israelite -- Arza. see HEBREW 'erets NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom erets Definition an Isr. NASB Translation Arza (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אַרְצָא proper name, masculine chamberlain of Zimri 1 Kings 16:9. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Narrative Setting Arza (Artsa) appears once in Scripture, 1 Kings 16:9, where his house in Tirzah becomes the scene of King Elah’s assassination. The verse notes: “While Elah was in Tirzah, getting drunk in the house of Arza who was in charge of the household in Tirzah, Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him”. Arza is presented as steward (Hebrew: “over the house”)—a position of high trust within the royal administration. Historical Background 1 Kings 16 records the closing years of the Omride–pre-Omride northern kingdom before Omri’s consolidation of power. Elah, son of Baasha, reigns only two years (circa 886–885 BC). Zimri’s coup occurs in a context of moral and political decay already denounced by the prophets (1 Kings 16:1–4). Tirzah, a royal residence from Jeroboam I to Omri, lies in the central hill country, commanding strategic trade routes. The text’s brief focus on Arza underlines how even the private quarters of the court echoed Israel’s broader covenant infidelity. Roles and Relationships 1. Chief Household Officer: Comparable to Joseph in Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39:4) or Obadiah under Ahab (1 Kings 18:3), Arza controlled the provisions, finances, and domestic personnel of the palace. Spiritual Lessons • Compromise breeds vulnerability. Elah’s drunkenness in a servant’s house reflects a king surrendered to appetite rather than covenant stewardship; such laxity invites disaster. Christological and Theological Implications The contrast between Elah’s self-indulgent banquet and the righteous kingship of Christ anticipates the Gospel’s portrayal of a servant-king who uses table fellowship for mercy rather than excess (Luke 22:27,30). Arza’s fleeting cameo underscores the transience of human kingdoms over against the eternal kingdom promised to the Son of David (2 Samuel 7:16; Isaiah 9:6–7). Practical Application for Ministry • Ethical leadership: Elders and ministry leaders are warned by Elah’s failure that personal discipline safeguards public trust (1 Timothy 3:2–3). Related Topics Drunkenness and leadership—Leviticus 10:8–11; Proverbs 31:4–5 Palace conspiracies—2 Kings 15:10; Esther 2:21–23 Stewardship in Scripture—Genesis 39:4–6; Luke 16:1–13 Forms and Transliterations אַרְצָ֔א ארצא ’ar·ṣā ’arṣā arTzaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 16:9 HEB: שִׁכּ֔וֹר בֵּ֣ית אַרְצָ֔א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־ NAS: in the house of Arza, who KJV: in the house of Arza steward of [his] house INT: drunk the house of Arza who over |
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