1 Kings 15

Reforms of Asa 1 Kings 15:9–15

⁹Verse 9. In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah. ¹⁰Verse 10. He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. ¹¹Verse 11. Asa did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, as David his father did. ¹²Verse 12. He put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. ¹³Verse 13. He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. ¹⁴Verse 14. But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days.

¹⁵Verse 15. He brought into Yahweh’s house the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that he himself had dedicated: silver, gold, and utensils.

War with Baasha 1 Kings 15:16–22

¹⁶Verse 16. There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. ¹⁷Verse 17. Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. ¹⁸Verse 18. Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that was left in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, ¹⁹Verse 19. “There is a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”

²⁰Verse 20. Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. ²¹Verse 21. When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and lived in Tirzah. ²²Verse 22. Then king Asa made a proclamation to all Judah. No one was exempted. They carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and king Asa used it to build Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

Asa's Legacy 1 Kings 15:23–24

²³Verse 23. Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they 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. ²⁴Verse 24. Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Reigns of Nadab and Baasha 1 Kings 15:25–34

²⁵Verse 25. Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; and he reigned over Israel two years. ²⁶Verse 26. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin. ²⁷Verse 27. Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon. ²⁸Verse 28. Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha killed him, and reigned in his place.

²⁹Verse 29. As soon as he was king, he struck all the house of Jeroboam. He didn’t leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him; according to the saying of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite; ³⁰Verse 30. for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and with which he made Israel to sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger. ³¹Verse 31. Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? ³²Verse 32. There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

³³Verse 33. In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-four years. ³⁴Verse 34. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.