IDOLATRY AND DEFEAT. 239

pared with the state of Israel, the state of Judah was a
very enviable one. As the Lord had sent a prophet to
warn Jeroboam that because of his wickedness his family
would become extinct, Baasha having followed his evil ex-
ample, received in his turn a message to the same effect
by the prophet Jehu in these words :—‘ Behold, I will
take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of
his house; and will make thy house like the house of
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.” |

Johnnie. Was Baasha killed then ?

Grandfather. No. The evil that had been foretold
came when his son was king. Elah, the son of Baasha,
had reigned two years when a conspiracy was formed
against him, headed by Zimri, one of his captains. The
poor contemptible king was drinking to excess in the
house of one of his servants when Zimri went in and
killed him. As soon as Zimri had seated himself on the
throne he had usurped, he slew not only all the descend-
ants of Baasha, but all his relations and all his friends.
But the triumph of the new king was short. The
armies of Israel were at that time engaged in besieging
Gibbethon, which the Philistines were still keeping pos-
session of. News came to the army of the murder of
the king, and of the usurpation of Zimri. It is not
likely that they could feel much regret for the loss of
their vicious sovereign, but they resolved that they
would not have Zimri to reign in his stead; they all
agreed in choosing Omri, the captain of the host, for
their king. They then raised the siege of Gibbethon,