1 Kings

The first book of the Kings commonly called, the third book of the Kings, chapter 15, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 15 New English Translation

Abijah's Reign over Judah

   1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king over Judah. 2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom. 3 He followed all the sinful practices of his father before him. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had been. 4 Nevertheless for David's sake the LORD his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem. 5 He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite. 6 Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other throughout Abijah's lifetime. 7 The rest of the events of Abijah's reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other. 8 Abijah passed away and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa replaced him as king.

Asa's Reign over Judah

   9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam's reign over Israel, Asa became the king of Judah. 10 He ruled for forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 11 Asa did what the LORD approved like his ancestor David had done. 12 He removed the male cultic prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the disgusting idols his ancestors had made. 13 He also removed Maacah his grandmother from her position as queen because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 The high places were not eliminated, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD throughout his lifetime. 15 He brought the holy items that he and his father had made into the LORD's temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles.
   16 Now Asa and King Baasha of Israel were continually at war with each other. 17 King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah and established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah. 18 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD's temple and of the royal palace and handed it to his servants. He then told them to deliver it to Ben Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 19 "I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. See, I have sent you silver and gold as a present. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land." 20 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa's offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and all the territory of Naphtali, including the region of Kinnereth. 21 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and settled down in Tirzah. 22 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah (no exemptions were granted) to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. King Asa used the materials to build up Geba (in Benjamin) and Mizpah.
   23 The rest of the events of Asa's reign, including all his successes and accomplishments, as well as a record of the cities he built, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. Yet when he was very old he developed a foot disease. 24 Asa passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king.

Nadab's Reign over Israel

   25 In the second year of Asa's reign over Judah, Jeroboam's son Nadab became the king of Israel; he ruled Israel for two years. 26 He did evil in the sight of the LORD. He followed in his father's footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin.
   27 Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, conspired against Nadab and assassinated him in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. This happened while Nadab and all the Israelite army were besieging Gibbethon. 28 Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa's reign over Judah and replaced him as king. 29 When he became king, he executed Jeroboam's entire family. He wiped out everyone who breathed, just as the LORD had predicted through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 This happened because of the sins which Jeroboam committed and which he made Israel commit. These sins angered the LORD God of Israel.
   31 The rest of the events of Nadab's reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 32 Asa and King Nadab of Israel were continually at war with each other.

Baasha's Reign over Israel

   33 In the third year of Asa's reign over Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah; he ruled for twenty-four years. 34 He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he followed in Jeroboam's footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin.

King James Version

   1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
   2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
   3 And 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.
   4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
   5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
   6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
   7 Now the 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.
   8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
   9 ¶ And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
   10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
   11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
   12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
   13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
   14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
   15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.
   16 ¶ And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
   17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
   18 Then 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 delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
   19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
   20 So Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
   21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
   22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
   23 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? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
   24 And 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 stead.
   25 ¶ And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
   26 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
   27 ¶ And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
   28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
   29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
   30 Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
   31 ¶ Now 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?
   32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
   33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
   34 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.