The First Book of the Kings

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

(2 Chronicles 13:1–3)

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam (a) became king of Judah,

and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.(b)

And Abijam walked in all the sins that his father before him had committed, and his heart was not as fully devoted to the LORD his God as the heart of David his forefather had been.

Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and to make Jerusalem strong.

For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything the LORD commanded all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

And there was war between the houses of Rehoboam

(c)

and Jeroboam all the days of Abijam’s life.(d)

As for the rest of the acts of Abijam, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

And Abijam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David, and his son Asa reigned in his place.

Asa Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 14:1–15; 2 Chronicles 15:8–19)

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became king of Judah,

and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s (e) name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done.

He banished the male shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days.

And he brought into the house of the LORD the silver and gold and other articles that he and his father had dedicated.

War between Asa and Baasha

(2 Chronicles 16:1–6)

Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days.

Baasha king of Israel went to war against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace. He entrusted it to his servants and sent them with this message to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus:

“Let there be a treaty

(f)

between me and you, between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the whole land of Naphtali, including the region of Chinnereth.

When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah.

Then King Asa summoned all the men of Judah,(g) with no exceptions, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials King Asa built up Geba of Benjamin, as well as Mizpah.

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

(2 Chronicles 17:1–19)

Now the rest of the acts of Asa, along with all his might, all his accomplishments, and the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? In his old age, however, he became diseased in his feet.

And Asa rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David, and his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.

Nadab Reigns in Israel

In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel, and he reigned two years.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Then Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon of the Philistines while Nadab and all Israel were besieging the city.

In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha killed Nadab and reigned in his place.

As soon as Baasha became king, he struck down the entire household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,

because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he had provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger.

As for the rest of the acts of Nadab, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days.

Baasha Reigns in Israel

In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah twenty-four years.

And Baasha did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Footnotes

(a)15:1 Abijam is a variant of Abijah; some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX Abijah; also in verses 3, 6, 7, and 8; see 2 Chronicles 12:16.

(b)15:2 Abishalom is a variant of Absalom; also in verse 10; see 2 Chronicles 11:20.

(c)15:6 Literally war between Rehoboam (most Hebrew manuscripts); some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac war between Abijam (that is, Abijah); most LXX texts do not contain this verse.

(d)15:6 Literally of his life

(e)15:10 Or The queen mother’s; Hebrew His mother’s; see verses 2 and 13.

(f)15:19 Forms of the Hebrew berit are translated in most passages as covenant; twice in this verse.

(g)15:22 Or Then King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah

(2 Chronicles 13:1–3)

Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah.

He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

Nevertheless for David’s sake, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem;

because David did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, and didn’t turn away from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Asa his son reigned in his place.

Asa Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 14:1–15; 2 Chronicles 15:8–19)

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.

He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

Asa did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, as David his father did.

He put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron.

But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the LORD all his days.

He brought into the LORD’s house the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that he himself had dedicated: silver, gold, and utensils.

War between Asa and Baasha

(2 Chronicles 16:1–6)

There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that was left in the treasures of the LORD’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,

“Let there be a treaty between me and you, like that between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”

Ben Hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and lived in Tirzah.

Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah. No one was exempted. They carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and King Asa used it to build Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

(2 Chronicles 17:1–19)

Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Nadab Reigns in Israel

Nadab 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.

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.

Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon.

Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha killed him and reigned in his place.

As soon as he was king, he struck all the house of Jeroboam. He didn’t leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite;

for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and with which he made Israel to sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger.

Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

Baasha Reigns in Israel

In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-four years.

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.