1 Kings 15

Abijam Reigns over Judah

11Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was 23Maacah the daughter of 45Abishalom. 3He walked in all the sins of his father which he had committed before him; and 6his heart was not 7wholly devoted to the Lord his God, like the heart of his father David. 4But for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a 8lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem; 59because David did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, 10except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 611There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

7Now 12the 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? 13And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

Asa Succeeds Abijam

814And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place.

9So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. 10He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and 15his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 1116Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father. 1217He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and 18removed all the idols which his fathers had made. 131920He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image 21as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and 22burned it at the brook Kidron. 1423But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless 24the heart of Asa was 25wholly devoted to the Lord all his days. 1526He brought into the house of the Lord the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils.

1627Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 1728Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and 2930fortified Ramah 31in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah. 18Then 32Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And 33King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in 34Damascus, saying, 19“Let there be a 35treaty between 36you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” 20So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and 37conquered 38Ijon, 39Dan, 40Abel-beth-maacah and all 41Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali. 21When Baasha heard of it, 42he ceased 43fortifying Ramah and remained in 44Tirzah. 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 built. And King Asa built with them 45Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

2346Now the rest of all the acts of Asa and all his might and all that he did and the cities which he built, are they not 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. 24And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and 47Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Nadab, then Baasha, Rules over Israel

25Now 48Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and 49walked in the way of his father and 50in his sin which he made Israel sin. 27Then 51Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha struck him down at 52Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.

28So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29It came about as soon as he was king, he struck down all the household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam 53any persons alive, until he had destroyed them, 54according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, 30and because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and 55which he made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger.

3156Now 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?

War with Judah

3257There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years. 34He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and 58walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.