16:18 and died. Note the somber pattern of events overtaking the successive kings of the rebel northern kingdom of Israel. King Jeroboam sinned grievously, then died a violent death (I Kings 14:16; II Chronicles 13:20. Nadab, his son, sinned as his father had, and was slain by Baasha (I Kings 15:26-27). Baasha “did evil in the sight of the LORD” (I Kings 15:34), and all his posterity was cut off (I Kings 16:3,7). Baasha’s son, Elah, reigned only two years and was slain while in a drunken state by one of his captains named Zimri (I Kings 16:8-10). Zimri reigned only seven days, sinning like the others, and then committed suicide (I Kings 16:15,18-19). Omri, captain of the host, became king, was “worse than all that were before him” (I Kings 16:25) and died after twelve years in office (I Kings 16:23,28). Ahab, his son, was even worse than Omri, and he would also eventually die a violent death (I Kings 16:30; 22:34-37).