מלכים א, פרק ט״ז, פסוק י״א

Transitions of power in the Israelite kingdom were frequently marked by bloodshed, as new rulers routinely eliminated the previous royal family to solidify their control [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, the massacre carried out by Zimri was far more extreme and sweeping than the actions of his predecessors. Immediately upon seizing the throne, his very first act was to strike down the entire house of Baasha. His clear goal was to secure his newly acquired power and completely crush any potential opposition [מלבי״ם].

The scope of the destruction was absolute. He wiped out every single male family member [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ], ensuring that not a single descendant of Baasha survived [רד״ק]. Through this total eradication, the decree of God was ultimately carried out [מלבי״ם].

Zimri did not stop at the immediate family; he also executed the wider circle of relatives [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This calculated move was designed to prevent anyone from stepping forward to claim a right to the crown in the future [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, the execution extended beyond blood relations. The primary approach among commentators is that Zimri also killed the friends and loyal allies of the previous king. A contrasting view suggests that this targeted killing refers to a single individual, a close confidant whose designated role was to remain constantly by the king's side [מצודת דוד].

The sheer scale of this slaughter highlights Zimri's unusual cruelty. When Baasha himself had previously destroyed the royal house of Jeroboam, he limited his violence to the immediate family, leaving distant relatives and friends unharmed. Zimri, however, escalated the brutality by ensuring that the extended network of both relatives and allies was entirely wiped out [אברבנאל].