Asa Reigns in Judah

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 (A)And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the (B)male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed (C)all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 (D)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 (E)burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 (F)But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, (G)the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. 15 And (H)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 (I)And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 (J)Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and (K)built Ramah, (L)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 (M)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. (N)And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, (O)who lived in Damascus, saying, 19 “Let there be (P)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 (Q)Ijon, (R)Dan, (S)Abel-beth-maacah, and all (T)Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And when Baasha heard of it, (U)he stopped building Ramah, and he lived in (V)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 (W)Geba of Benjamin and (X)Mizpah. 23 (Y)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 (Z)Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Nadab Reigns in Israel

25 (AA)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 (AB)and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin (AC)which he made Israel to sin.

27 (AD)Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at (AE)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, (AF)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 (AG)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 (AH)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 (AI)and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

16 And the word of the Lord came to (AJ)Jehu the son of (AK)Hanani against Baasha, saying, “Since I (AL)exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and (AM)you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, behold, I will utterly (AN)sweep away (AO)Baasha and his house, and I will make your house (AP)like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. (AQ)Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.”

Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at (AR)Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. Moreover, the word of the Lord came by the prophet (AS)Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because (AT)he destroyed it.

Elah Reigns in Israel

In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. But his servant (AU)Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, (AV)who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down (AW)all the house of Baasha. He (AX)did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, (AY)according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by (AZ)Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, (BA)provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Zimri Reigns in Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against (BB)Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, (BC)walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Omri Reigns in Israel

21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of (BD)Samaria from Shemer for two talents[b] of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built (BE)Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 (BF)Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil (BG)than all who were before him. 26 For (BH)he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, (BI)provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.

Ahab Reigns in Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, (BJ)more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, (BK)he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the (BL)Sidonians, (BM)and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in (BN)the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an (BO)Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger (BP)than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 (BQ)In his days Hiel of Bethel built (BR)Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

Elijah Predicts a Drought

17 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of (BS)Tishbe[c] in Gilead, said to Ahab, (BT)“As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, (BU)before whom I stand, (BV)there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” And the word of the Lord came to him: “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 15:19 Or treaty; twice in this verse
  2. 1 Kings 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  3. 1 Kings 17:1 Septuagint; Hebrew of the settlers

Asa King of Judah(A)(B)

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10 and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah(C) daughter of Abishalom.

11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David(D) had done. 12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes(E) from the land and got rid of all the idols(F) his ancestors had made. 13 He even deposed his grandmother Maakah(G) from her position as queen mother,(H) because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down(I) and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although he did not remove(J) the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed(K) to the Lord all his life. 15 He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.(L)

16 There was war(M) between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah(N) to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

18 Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple(O) and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent(P) them to Ben-Hadad(Q) son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 19 “Let there be a treaty(R) between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

20 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered(S) Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah(T) and withdrew to Tirzah.(U) 22 Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah(V) the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa(W) built up Geba(X) in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.(Y)

23 As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. 24 Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat(Z) his son succeeded him as king.

Nadab King of Israel

25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did evil(AA) in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father(AB) and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.

27 Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down(AC) at Gibbethon,(AD) a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28 Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

29 As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family.(AE) He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 This happened because of the sins(AF) Jeroboam had committed and had caused(AG) Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.

31 As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals(AH) of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war(AI) between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

Baasha King of Israel

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah,(AJ) and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did evil(AK) in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

16 Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu(AL) son of Hanani(AM) concerning Baasha: “I lifted you up from the dust(AN) and appointed you ruler(AO) over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused(AP) my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins. So I am about to wipe out Baasha(AQ) and his house,(AR) and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Dogs(AS) will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds(AT) will feed on those who die in the country.”

As for the other events of Baasha’s reign, what he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals(AU) of the kings of Israel? Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah.(AV) And Elah his son succeeded him as king.

Moreover, the word of the Lord came(AW) through the prophet Jehu(AX) son of Hanani to Baasha and his house, because of all the evil he had done in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger by the things he did, becoming like the house of Jeroboam—and also because he destroyed it.

Elah King of Israel

In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah two years.

Zimri, one of his officials, who had command of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah at the time, getting drunk(AY) in the home of Arza, the palace administrator(AZ) at Tirzah. 10 Zimri came in, struck him down and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Then he succeeded him as king.(BA)

11 As soon as he began to reign and was seated on the throne, he killed off Baasha’s whole family.(BB) He did not spare a single male, whether relative or friend. 12 So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu— 13 because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.(BC)

14 As for the other events of Elah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Zimri King of Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah seven days. The army was encamped near Gibbethon,(BD) a Philistine town. 16 When the Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and murdered him, they proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day there in the camp. 17 Then Omri and all the Israelites with him withdrew from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him. So he died, 19 because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

20 As for the other events of Zimri’s reign, and the rebellion he carried out, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Omri King of Israel

21 Then the people of Israel were split into two factions; half supported Tibni son of Ginath for king, and the other half supported Omri. 22 But Omri’s followers proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.(BE) 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents[a] of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria,(BF) after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.

25 But Omri did evil(BG) in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him. 26 He followed completely the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused(BH) Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.(BI)

27 As for the other events of Omri’s reign, what he did and the things he achieved, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 28 Omri rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria.(BJ) And Ahab his son succeeded him as king.

Ahab Becomes King of Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more(BK) evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married(BL) Jezebel daughter(BM) of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal(BN) and worship him. 32 He set up an altar(BO) for Baal in the temple(BP) of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole(BQ) and did more(BR) to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.

34 In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.(BS)

Elijah Announces a Great Drought

17 Now Elijah(BT) the Tishbite, from Tishbe[b] in Gilead,(BU) said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain(BV) in the next few years except at my word.”

Elijah Fed by Ravens

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide(BW) in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens(BX) to supply you with food there.”

So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning(BY) and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 16:24 That is, about 150 pounds or about 68 kilograms
  2. 1 Kings 17:1 Or Tishbite, of the settlers