1 Kings 15

Abijam^[a] began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah^[a] became king of Judah,

He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom.^[b]

and he reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.^[b]

He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been.

He 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.

But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and he gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem.

Nevertheless, 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.

For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite.

For 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.

There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam^[c] throughout Abijam’s reign.

There was war between Abijah^[c] and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime.

The rest of the events in Abijam’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. There was constant war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

As 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.

When Abijam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king.

Asa Rules in Judah

And 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

Asa began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah,

He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother^[d] was Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom.

and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.

Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done.

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

He banished the male and female shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols^[e] his ancestors had made.

He expelled the male shrine-prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.

He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

He 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.

Although the pagan shrines were not removed, Asa’s heart remained completely faithful to the Lord throughout his life.

Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.

He brought into the Temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the various items that he and his father had dedicated.

He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel.

There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa’s territory in Judah.

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

Asa responded by removing all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace. He sent it with some of his officials to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message:

‘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.’

Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa’s request and sent the commanders of his army to attack the towns of Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Kinnereth, and all the land of Naphtali.

Ben-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.

As soon as Baasha of Israel heard what was happening, he abandoned his project of fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah.

When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah.

Then King Asa sent an order throughout Judah, requiring that everyone, without exception, help to carry away the building stones and timbers that Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. Asa used these materials to fortify the town of Geba in Benjamin and the town of Mizpah.

Then 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.

The rest of the events in Asa’s reign—the extent of his power, everything he did, and the names of the cities he built—are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. In his old age his feet became diseased.

As 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.

When Asa died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.

Then Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became the next king.

Nadab Rules in Israel

Then 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

Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Israel two years.

Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for two years.

But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his father, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

He 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.

Then Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against Nadab and assassinated him while he and the Israelite army were laying siege to the Philistine town of Gibbethon.

Baasha 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.

Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, and he became the next king of Israel.

Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

He immediately slaughtered all the descendants of King Jeroboam, so that not one of the royal family was left, just as the Lord had promised concerning Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.

As 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.

This was done because Jeroboam had provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by the sins he had committed and the sins he had led Israel to commit.

This 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.

The rest of the events in Nadab’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

Baasha Rules in Israel

As 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?

There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel.

There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

Baasha king of Israel

Baasha son of Ahijah began to rule over all Israel in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. Baasha reigned in Tirzah twenty-four years.

In 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.

But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.