Zimri came in: In certain languages it will be unnatural to use the expression came in without stating specifically what Zimri came into. The sense is that he entered the house of Arza where Elah was drinking. Some translators will have to say “entered that house” or “went into that place.”

Struck him down and killed him: The Hebrew verb rendered struck … down means “to strike” or “to hit.” It is sometime used by itself to mean “to kill.” The two verbs here probably do not refer to two separate actions. The sense is “he killed him by hitting him.” Jezebel alludes to this murderous deed by Zimri in 2 Kgs 9.31.

Since Arza is the last named person in verse 9, it may seem that the pronoun him refers to Arza. Good News Translation makes it clear that it was Elah by substituting the proper name for the pronoun.

The twenty-seventh year of Asa refers to the number of years that Asa had reigned and not to his age. Elah had become king in the twenty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, so Elah ruled less than two complete years. See the comments on verse 8.

Reigned in his stead: See the comments on 1 Kgs 11.43.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .