1 Kings 15

1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah.

2He reigned three years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

3He walked in all the sins his father had done before him, and his heart was not wholehearted with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father.

4For David's sake Yahweh his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem.

5because David did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh and did not turn aside from anything he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

6War lasted between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all his days.

7The rest of Abijam's deeds, and everything he accomplished, are they not recorded in the book of the annals of Judah's kings? War was between Abijam and Jeroboam.

8Abijam rested with his fathers, they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa reigned in his place.

9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam, king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah.

10He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

11Asa did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like his father David.

12He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

13Asa even removed his mother Maacah from queenship because she had made an idol for Asherah; he cut it down and burned it in the Kidron brook.

14But the high places were not removed; nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with Yahweh all his days.

15He brought his father's dedicated offerings, his own dedicated offerings, and the dedicated offerings of the house of Yahweh—silver, gold, and vessels.

16War was between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

17Baasha, king of Israel, advanced against Judah and built Ramah to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa, king of Judah.

18Asa took all the silver and gold remaining in the treasuries of Yahweh's house and the treasuries of the king's house and gave them into his servants' hands, and King Asa sent them to Benhadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion, king of Aram who lived in Damascus, saying,

19There is a covenant between me and you, between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a bribe of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.

20Benhadad heard King Asa and sent the captains of the forces he had against Israel's cities, and struck Ijon and Dan and Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, along with all the land of Naphtali.

21When Baasha heard, he stopped building Ramah and stayed in Tirzah.

22King Asa summoned all Judah without exception, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built, and King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah with them.

23The rest of all Asa's deeds, all his strength, everything he accomplished, and the cities he built—are they not recorded in the book of the daily records of the kings of Judah? Yet in the time of his old age he was sick in his feet.

24Asa lay down with his fathers and was buried alongside his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigned after him.

25Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.

26He did evil in the eyes of Yahweh and walked in his father's path and in his sin by which he made Israel sin.

27Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha struck him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, because Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon.

28In the third year of Asa, king of Judah, Baasha put him to death and reigned in his place.

29As soon as he became king, he struck all the house of Jeroboam; he left Jeroboam no one that breathed, until he destroyed him, according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.

30because of Jeroboam's sins that he committed and by which he caused Israel to sin, through his provocation by which he angered Yahweh God of Israel.

31The rest of Nadab's deeds, and all that he did, are they not recorded in the book of the daily records of the kings of Israel?

32There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha, Ahijah's son, reigned over all Israel in Tirzah twenty-four years.

34He acted wickedly in Yahweh's eyes and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he made Israel sin.