Abijam Reigns in Judah
The author of 1 and 2 Kings describes...
The author of 1 and 2 Kings describes each king of Judah's rule in a set pattern:
The date he became king, compared to the current king of the other kingdom (1 Kings 15:1).
How long he ruled (1 Kings 15:2).
His mother's name (1 Kings 15:2).
A spiritual judgment about his character (1 Kings 15:3–5).
Important events from his reign (1 Kings 15:6–7).
A note about other records where more information could be found (1 Kings 15:7).
Where he was buried (1 Kings 15:8).
The name of the next king (1 Kings 15:8).
The date he became king, compared to the current king of the other kingdom (1 Kings 15:1).
How long he ruled (1 Kings 15:2).
His mother's name (1 Kings 15:2).
A spiritual judgment about his character (1 Kings 15:3–5).
Important events from his reign (1 Kings 15:6–7).
A note about other records where more information could be found (1 Kings 15:7).
Where he was buried (1 Kings 15:8).
The name of the next king (1 Kings 15:8).
1In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam† became king of Judah, 2and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.†
Even though Abijam was unfaithful, God stayed true...
Even though Abijam was unfaithful, God stayed true to his promise to David (2 Samuel 7:12–16; Psalm 89:19–29) and kept David's descendants on Judah's throne. Each king after David was meant to be a light, sharing God's grace (1 Kings 11:36).
3And 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. 4Nevertheless, 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. 5For 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.
6And there was war between the houses of Rehoboam† and Jeroboam all the days of Abijam’s life.†
7As 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.
8And 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)
9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s† name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.
did what was right: Besides the reforms mentioned...
did what was right: Besides the reforms mentioned here, the writer of Chronicles notes the positive spiritual influence of God's prophet Azariah on the king (2 Chronicles 15:1–7). Asa also gathered a large assembly to renew the covenant with the Lord (2 Chronicles 15:9–15).
shrine prostitutes: See 1 Kings 14:23–24. Asa worked to limit idolatry and pagan fertility rituals, even removing Maacah from her powerful position as queen mother (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chronicles 15:16).
The Kidron Valley was where reforming kings of Judah destroyed pagan idols (2 Kings 23:4–15; 2 Chronicles 29:16; 30:14).
did what was right: Besides the reforms mentioned here, the writer of Chronicles notes the positive spiritual influence of God's prophet Azariah on the king (2 Chronicles 15:1–7). Asa also gathered a large assembly to renew the covenant with the Lord (2 Chronicles 15:9–15).
shrine prostitutes: See 1 Kings 14:23–24. Asa worked to limit idolatry and pagan fertility rituals, even removing Maacah from her powerful position as queen mother (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chronicles 15:16).
The Kidron Valley was where reforming kings of Judah destroyed pagan idols (2 Kings 23:4–15; 2 Chronicles 29:16; 30:14).
11And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. 12He banished the male shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13He 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.
Even though he let the pagan shrines stay,...
Even though he let the pagan shrines stay, Asa stayed faithful to the Lord. People seemed to use these shrines to worship the Lord. In his later years, Asa's spiritual enthusiasm seemed to weaken (2 Chronicles 16:7–12).
14The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days. 15And he brought into the house of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
War between Asa and Baasha
16Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days. 17Baasha 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.
Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, and his successors...
Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, and his successors played a key role in Aramean-Israelite relations for many years. Asa asked Ben-hadad for help and offered valuable gifts from the temple treasury. Although the Arameans and Israel had been enemies before (1 Kings 11:23–25; 2 Samuel 8:3–12; 2 Chronicles 8:3–4), Ben-hadad and Baasha had formed a treaty. Asa knew he could buy the Aramean king's help for the right price (1 Kings 15:20). When God's prophet Hanani delivered the Lord's rebuke to Asa for seeking Ben-hadad's help, Asa reacted unusually and imprisoned him (2 Chronicles 16:7–10). Asa seemed to forget God's earlier help against Zerah's large army (2 Chronicles 14:7–8).
18So 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, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus: 19“Let there be a treaty† between me and you as there was 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.”
Because King Asa asked for help, the war...
Because King Asa asked for help, the war with Baasha soon favored Asa. Ben-hadad quickly took over parts of northern Israel and secured key trade routes. This forced Baasha to stop his activities in Ramah to address the crisis in the north. Asa reclaimed Ramah and used its materials to strengthen other important border towns against Baasha's future actions.
20And 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.
21When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. 22Then King Asa summoned all the men of Judah,† 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
23Now 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.
24And 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
The writer of 1 Kings tells Nadab’s life...
The writer of 1 Kings tells Nadab’s life story using a common format (see study note on 1 Kings 15:1–8).
25In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel, and he reigned two years. 26And 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.
Baasha killed Nadab and all of Jeroboam's descendants,...
Baasha killed Nadab and all of Jeroboam's descendants, ending Israel's first family line of kings. Baasha's father was Ahijah, not to be confused with the prophet who predicted Jeroboam's family line of kings would end (1 Kings 11:29–39). Baasha's takeover was the first of several in Israel's history (for example, 1 Kings 16:9–10).
27Then 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. 28In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha killed Nadab and reigned in his place.
29As soon as Baasha became king, he struck down the entire household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone who breathed, but destroyed them all according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,
Jeroboam brought on the Lord’s condemnation and judgment....
Jeroboam brought on the Lord’s condemnation and judgment. His son Nadab continued in the same sins. Then Baasha became king and began a new dynasty (family line of rulers). This dynasty pushed Israel even further into spiritual weakness (1 Kings 15:34).
30because 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.
31As 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?
Baasha made Tirzah his capital, which was a...
Baasha made Tirzah his capital, which was a royal retreat for earlier kings (1 Kings 14:17).
32And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days.
Baasha Reigns in Israel
33In 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.
34And 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.