1 Kings 15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Abijam Reigns over Judah: Idolatry and War
15 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah.(A) 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 3 He committed all the sins that his father did before him; his heart was not true to the Lord his God, like the heart of his father David.(B) 4 Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him and establishing Jerusalem,(C) 5 because David did what was right in the sight of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.(D) 6 The war begun between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continued all the days of his life.(E) 7 The rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.(F) 8 Abijam slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Then his son Asa succeeded him.(G)
Asa Reigns over Judah
9 In the twentieth year of King Jeroboam of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah; 10 he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.(H) 11 Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, as his father David had done.(I) 12 He put away the illicit priests out of the land and removed all the idols that his ancestors had made.(J) 13 He also removed his mother Maacah from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah; Asa cut down her image and burned it at the Wadi Kidron.(K) 14 But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was true to the Lord all his days.(L) 15 He brought into the house of the Lord the votive gifts of his father and his own votive gifts—silver, gold, and utensils.(M)
Alliance with Aram against Israel
16 There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel all their days.(N) 17 King Baasha of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to King Asa of Judah.(O) 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 gave them into the hands of his servants. King Asa sent them to King Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion of Aram, who resided in Damascus, saying,(P) 19 “Let there be an alliance between me and you, like that between my father and your father: I am sending you a present of silver and gold; go, break your alliance with King Baasha of Israel, so that he may withdraw from me.” 20 Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.(Q) 21 When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and lived in Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah; none was exempt: they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building; with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.(R) 23 Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his power, all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? But in his old age he was diseased in his feet.(S) 24 Then Asa slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his father David; his son Jehoshaphat succeeded him.(T)
Nadab Reigns over Israel
25 Nadab son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of King Asa of Judah; he reigned over Israel two years.(U) 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of his ancestor and in the sin that he caused Israel to commit.(V)
27 Baasha son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.(W) 28 So Baasha killed Nadab[a] in the third year of King Asa of Judah and succeeded him. 29 As soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam; he left to the house of Jeroboam not one who breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite(X)— 30 because of the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit and because of the anger to which he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel.(Y)
31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?(Z) 32 There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel all their days.
Second Dynasty: Baasha Reigns over Israel
33 In the third year of King Asa of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah; he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam and in the sin that he caused Israel to commit.(AA)
Footnotes
- 15.28 Heb him
1 Kings 15
English Standard Version
Abijam Reigns in Judah
15 (A)Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and (B)his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless, for David's sake the Lord his God gave him (C)a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, 5 because (D)David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, (E)except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 (F)Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 (G)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? (H)And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 (I)And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place.
Asa Reigns in Judah
9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 (J)And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the (K)male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed (L)all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 (M)He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and (N)burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 (O)But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, (P)the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. 15 And (Q)he brought into the house of the Lord the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.
16 (R)And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 (S)Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and (T)built Ramah, (U)that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold (V)that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house and gave them into the hands of his servants. (W)And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, (X)who lived in Damascus, saying, 19 “Let there be (Y)a covenant[a] between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” 20 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel and conquered (Z)Ijon, (AA)Dan, (AB)Abel-beth-maacah, and all (AC)Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And when Baasha heard of it, (AD)he stopped building Ramah, and he lived in (AE)Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, none was exempt, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them King Asa built (AF)Geba of Benjamin and (AG)Mizpah. 23 (AH)Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in 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 (AI)Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.
Nadab Reigns in Israel
25 (AJ)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. 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (AK)and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin (AL)which he made Israel to sin.
27 (AM)Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at (AN)Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, (AO)according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and (AP)that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel.
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 (AQ)And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
Baasha Reigns in Israel
33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (AR)and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 15:19 Or treaty; twice in this verse
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
