1Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. (2Ch 13:1)2He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.3And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. (1Ki 8:61; 1Ki 11:4; 1Ki 15:14)4Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, (1Ki 11:36)5because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. (2Sa 11:4; 2Sa 11:15; 2Sa 12:9; 1Ki 9:4; 1Ki 14:8)6Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. (1Ki 14:30)7The rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. (2Ch 13:2; 2Ch 13:22)8And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. (2Ch 14:1)
Asa Reigns in Judah
9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah,10and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.11And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. (2Ch 14:2)12He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. (1Ki 14:24; 2Ch 15:8)13He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. (Ex 32:20; 2Ch 15:16)14But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. (1Ki 15:3; 1Ki 22:43; 2Ki 12:3; 2Ki 14:4)15And he brought into the house of the Lord the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels. (1Ki 7:51)16And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. (1Ki 15:32)17Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. (1Ki 12:27; 1Ki 15:21; 2Ch 16:1)18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house and gave them into the hands of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying, (1Ki 11:24; 1Ki 14:26; 2Ki 12:18)19“Let there be a covenant[1] between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” (2Ch 16:7)20And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. (Jos 11:2; Jud 18:29; 2Sa 20:14; 2Ki 15:29)21And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and he lived in Tirzah. (1Ki 14:17; 1Ki 15:17; 1Ki 16:6; 1Ki 16:9)22Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, none was exempt, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. (Jos 18:26; Jos 21:17)23Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in his old age he was diseased in his feet. (2Ch 16:11)24And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place. (2Ch 17:1; Mt 1:8)
Nadab Reigns in Israel
25Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. (1Ki 14:20)26He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. (1Ki 12:30; 1Ki 14:16; 1Ki 15:30; 1Ki 15:34)27Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. (Jos 19:44; Jos 21:23; 1Ki 14:14; 1Ki 16:15)28So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place.29And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. (1Ki 14:10; 1Ki 14:14)30It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel. (1Ki 15:26)31Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?32And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. (1Ki 15:16)
Baasha Reigns in Israel
33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years.34He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. (1Ki 15:26)
1 Kings 15
New International Version
Abijah king of Judah
1In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah[1] became king of Judah, (2Ch 12:16)2and he reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.[2]3He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been.4Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong.5For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life – except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.6There was war between Abijah[3] and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime.7As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.8And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.
Asa king of Judah
9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah,10and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.11Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done.12He expelled the male shrine-prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.13He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.14Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.15He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.16There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.17Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.18Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.19‘Let there be a treaty between me and you,’ he said, ‘as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.’20Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.21When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah.22Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah – no-one was exempt – and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.23As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased.24Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.
Nadab king of Israel
25Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for two years.26He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.27Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it.28Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.29As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.30This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.31As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?32There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.
Baasha king of Israel
33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned for twenty-four years.34He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.