1 Kings Chapter 15

Abijam Rules in Judah

¹ In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah ² and ruled for 3 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. ³ He did the sins his father did. His heart wasn’t wholly true to the LORD like David’s was. ⁴ But for David’s sake the LORD gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, set up his descendant after him, and made Jerusalem secure. ⁵ He did it because David did what was right and didn’t deviate from anything the LORD commanded him his whole life—except in the matter about Uriah the Hittite. [ ⁶ ] ⁷ The rest of the acts of Abijam are recorded in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ⁸ He died and they buried him in The City of David. His son Asa became king.

Asa Rules in Judah

⁹ In the twentieth year of Jeroboam, king of Israel, Asa began to rule in Judah ¹⁰ and ruled for 41 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. ¹¹ Asa did what was right like David did. ¹² He

            put the male cult prostitutes out of the country,

            removed the idols his ancestors had made,

¹³ removed his mother from being queen mother because she’d set up a detestable Asherah pole,

¹⁴ cut it down and burned it at the Brook Kidron.

He didn’t take away the high places, but his heart was true to the LORD his whole life. ¹⁵ He brought to the LORD’s Temple his and his father’s dedicated gifts—silver, gold, and various articles.                                     1 Kg 15:1-15

¹⁶ War went on between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, their whole lives. ¹⁷ Baasha went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anybody from going out or coming to Asa. ¹⁸ Then Asa took the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD’s Temple and delivered it to his officials. He sent them to Benhadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying,  

¹⁹ “Let’s make a treaty like your father and my father did. I’ve sent you a gift of silver and gold. Break your treaty with Baasha so he’ll withdraw from me.”

 ²⁰ Benhadad listened to Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the towns in Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and Chinneroth, besides the land of Naphtali. ²¹ When Baasha heard it, he stopped fortifying Ramah and stayed in Tirzah. ²² Then Asa made a proclamation to Judah—no one was exempt—to carry away the stones of Ramah and its timber and fortify Geba in Benjamin and the town of Mizpah.

²³ The rest of the acts of Asa, the strength of his rule, the towns he built are recorded in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. In his old age, he had a disease in his feet. ²⁴ He died and they buried him with his ancestors in The City of David. His son Jehoshaphat reigned.          1 Kg 15:16-24

Nadab Rules in Israel

²⁵ Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa, king of Judah, and ruled for 2 years. ²⁶ He did evil like his father had done and got Israel to do. ²⁷ Then Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to it. ²⁸ Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa and began to reign. ²⁹ As soon as he became king, he killed everybody in Jeroboam’s family—like the LORD had said by Ahijah of Shiloh. ³⁰ He did it because of the sins Jeroboam got Israel to do, and it made the LORD God of Israel angry. ³¹ The rest of the acts of Nadab are recorded in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ³² There was war between Asa and Baasha their whole life.

Baasha Rules in Israel

³³ In the third year of Asa, Baasha became king of Israel at Tirzah and ruled for 24 years. ³⁴ He did evil like Jeroboam did and got Israel to do. 1 Kg 15:25-34