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King Abijam of Judah

(2 Chronicles 13.1-22)

15 Abijam became king of Judah in Jeroboam's eighteenth year as king of Israel, and he ruled from Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

Abijam did not truly obey the Lord his God as his ancestor David had done. Instead, he was sinful just like his father Rehoboam. 4-5 (A) David had always obeyed the Lord's commands by doing right, except in the case of Uriah.[a] And since Abijam was David's great-grandson, the Lord kept Jerusalem safe and let Abijam have a son who would be the next king.

6-7 (B) The war that had broken out between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continued during the time that Abijam was king.

Everything else Abijam did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Judah. Abijam died and was buried in Jerusalem,[b] and his son Asa became king.

King Asa of Judah

(2 Chronicles 15.16—16.6,11-13)

Asa became king of Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam's rule in Israel, 10 and he ruled 41 years from Jerusalem. His grandmother was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

11 Asa obeyed the Lord, as David had done. 12 (C) He forced the prostitutes[c] at the shrines to leave the country, and he got rid of the idols his ancestors had made. 13 His own grandmother Maacah had made an idol of Asherah, and Asa took it and burned it in Kidron Valley. Then he removed Maacah from her position as queen mother.[d]

14 As long as Asa lived, he was completely faithful to the Lord, even though he did not destroy the local shrines. 15 He placed in the temple all the silver and gold objects that he and his father had dedicated to the Lord.

16 Asa was always at war with King Baasha of Israel. 17 One time, Baasha invaded Judah and captured the town of Ramah. He started making the town stronger, so he could put troops there to stop people from going in and out of Judah.

18 When Asa heard about this, he took the silver and gold from his palace and from the Lord's temple. He gave it to some of his officials and sent them to Damascus with this message for King Benhadad[e] of Syria: 19 “Our fathers signed a peace treaty. Why don't we do the same thing? This silver and gold is a present for you. So, would you please break your treaty with Baasha and force him to leave my country?”

20 Benhadad did what Asa asked and sent the Syrian army into Israel. They captured the towns of Ijon, Dan, and Abel-Bethmaacah, and the territories of Chinneroth and Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard about it, he left Ramah and went back to Tirzah.

22 Asa ordered everyone in Judah to carry away the stones and wood Baasha had used to strengthen the town of Ramah. Then he used these same stones and wood to fortify the town of Geba in the territory of Benjamin and the town of Mizpah.

23 Everything else Asa did while he was king, including his victories and the towns he rebuilt, is written in The History of the Kings of Judah. When he got older, he had a foot disease. 24 Asa died and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors in Jerusalem.[f] His son Jehoshaphat then became king.

King Nadab of Israel

25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Asa's second year as king of Judah, and he ruled two years. 26 Nadab disobeyed the Lord by following the evil example of his father, who had caused the Israelites to sin.

27-28 Baasha son of Ahijah was from the tribe of Issachar, and he made plans to kill Nadab. When Nadab and his army went to attack the town of Gibbethon in Philistia, Baasha killed Nadab there. So in the third year of Asa's rule, Baasha became king of Israel.

29 (D) The Lord's prophet Ahijah had earlier said, “Not one man or boy in Jeroboam's family will be left alive.” And, as soon as Baasha became king, he killed everyone in Jeroboam's family, 30 because Jeroboam had made the Lord God of Israel angry by sinning and causing the Israelites to sin.

31 Everything else Nadab did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.

32 King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel were always at war.

King Baasha of Israel

33 Baasha son of Ahijah became king of Israel in Asa's third year as king of Judah, and he ruled 24 years from Tirzah. 34 Baasha also disobeyed the Lord by acting like Jeroboam, who had caused the Israelites to sin.

16 The Lord sent Jehu son of Hanani to say to Baasha:

Nobody knew who you were until I, the Lord, chose you[g] to be the leader of my people Israel. And now you're acting exactly like Jeroboam by causing the Israelites to sin. What you've done has made me so angry that I will destroy you and your family, just as I did the family of Jeroboam. Dogs will eat the bodies of your relatives who die in town, and vultures will eat the bodies of those who die in the country.

5-7 Baasha made the Lord very angry, and that's why the Lord gave Jehu this message for Baasha and his family. Baasha constantly disobeyed the Lord by following Jeroboam's sinful example—but even worse, he killed everyone in Jeroboam's family!

Everything else Baasha did while he was king, including his brave deeds, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel. Baasha died and was buried in Tirzah, and his son Elah became king.

King Elah of Israel

Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel after Asa had been king of Judah for 25 years, and he ruled from Tirzah for two years.

Zimri commanded half of Elah's chariots, and he made plans to kill Elah.

One day, Elah was in Tirzah, getting drunk at the home of Arza, his prime minister, 10 when Zimri went there and killed Elah. So Zimri became king in the twenty-seventh year of Asa's rule in Judah.

11 As soon as Zimri became king, he killed everyone in Baasha's family. Not one man or boy in his family was left alive—even his close friends were killed. 12 Baasha's family was completely wiped out, just as the Lord's prophet Jehu had warned. 13 Baasha and Elah sinned and caused the Israelites to sin, and they made the Lord angry by worshiping idols.

14 Everything else Elah did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.

King Zimri of Israel

15-16 Zimri became king of Israel in Asa's twenty-seventh year as king of Judah, but he ruled only seven days from Tirzah.

Israel's army was camped near Gibbethon in Philistia under the command of Omri. The soldiers heard that Zimri had killed Elah, and they made Omri their king that same day. 17 At once, Omri and his army marched to Tirzah and attacked. 18 When Zimri saw that the town was captured, he ran into the strongest part of the palace and killed himself by setting it on fire. 19 Zimri had disobeyed the Lord by following the evil example of Jeroboam, who had caused the Israelites to sin.

20 Everything else Zimri did while he was king, including his rebellion against Elah, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.

King Omri of Israel

21 After Zimri died, some of the Israelites wanted Tibni son of Ginath to be king, but others wanted Omri. 22 Omri's followers were stronger than Tibni's, so Tibni was killed, and Omri became king of Israel 23 in the thirty-first year of Asa's rule in Judah.

Omri ruled Israel for twelve years. The first six years he ruled from Tirzah, 24 then he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for 6,000 pieces of silver. He built a town there and named it Samaria, after Shemer who had owned the hill.

25 Omri did more evil things than any king before him. 26 He acted just like Jeroboam and made the Lord God of Israel angry by causing the Israelites to sin and to worship idols.

27 Everything else Omri did while he was king, including his brave deeds, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel. 28 Omri died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Ahab became king.

King Ahab of Israel

29 Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa's rule in Judah, and he ruled 22 years from Samaria.

30 Ahab did more things to disobey the Lord than any king before him. 31 He acted just like Jeroboam. Even worse, he married Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon[h] and started worshiping Baal. 32 Ahab built an altar and temple for Baal in Samaria 33 and set up a sacred pole[i] for worshiping the goddess Asherah. Ahab did more to make the Lord God of Israel angry than any king of Israel before him.

34 (E) While Ahab was king, a man from Bethel named Hiel rebuilt the town of Jericho. But while Hiel was laying the foundation for the town wall, his oldest son Abiram died. And while he was finishing the gates, his youngest son Segub died. This happened just as the Lord had told Joshua to say many years ago.[j]

Elijah Stops the Rain

17 (F) Elijah was a prophet from Tishbe in Gilead.[k] One day he went to King Ahab and said, “I'm a servant of the living Lord, the God of Israel. And I swear in his name that it won't rain until I say so. There won't even be any dew on the ground.”

Later, the Lord said to Elijah, “Leave and go across the Jordan River so you can hide near Cherith Creek. You can drink water from the creek, and eat the food I've told the ravens to bring you.”

Elijah obeyed the Lord and went to live near Cherith Creek. Ravens brought him bread and meat twice a day, and he drank water from the creek. But after a while, it dried up because there was no rain.

Elijah Helps a Widow in Zarephath

The Lord told Elijah, (G) “Go to the town of Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've told a widow in that town to give you food.”

10 When Elijah came near the town gate of Zarephath, he saw a widow gathering sticks for a fire. “Would you please bring me a cup of water?” he asked. 11 As she left to get it, he asked, “Would you also please bring me a piece of bread?”

12 The widow answered, “In the name of the living Lord your God, I swear that I don't have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour and a little olive oil. I'm on my way home now with these few sticks to cook what I have for my son and me. After that, we will starve to death.”

13 Elijah said, “Everything will be fine. Do what you said. Go home and fix something for you and your son. But first, please make a small piece of bread and bring it to me. 14 The Lord God of Israel has promised that your jar of flour won't run out and your bottle of oil won't dry up before he sends rain for the crops.”

15 The widow went home and did exactly what Elijah had told her. She and Elijah and her family had enough food for a long time. 16 The Lord kept the promise that his prophet Elijah had made, and she did not run out of flour or oil.

Elijah Brings a Boy Back to Life

17 Several days later, the son of the woman who owned the house[l] got sick, and he kept getting worse, until finally he died.

18 The woman shouted at Elijah, “What have I done to you? I thought you were God's prophet. Did you come here to cause the death of my son as a reminder that I've sinned against God?”[m]

19 “Bring me your son,” Elijah said. Then he took the boy from her arms and carried him upstairs to the room where he was staying. Elijah laid the boy on his bed 20 and prayed, “Lord God, why did you do such a terrible thing to this woman? She's letting me stay here, and now you've let her son die.” 21 (H) Elijah stretched himself out over the boy three times, while praying, “Lord God, bring this boy back to life!”

22 The Lord answered Elijah's prayer, and the boy started breathing again. 23 Elijah picked him up and carried him downstairs. He gave the boy to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive.”

24 “You are God's prophet!” the woman replied. “Now I know that you really do speak for the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. 15.4,5 Uriah: A Hittite who served in David's army; David had him killed so he could marry his wife Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11.1-27).
  2. 15.8 Jerusalem: See the note at 2.10,11.
  3. 15.12 prostitutes: See the note at 14.24.
  4. 15.13 queen mother: Or “the mother of the king,” an important position in biblical times (see 2.19).
  5. 15.18 Benhadad: Hebrew “Benhadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion.”
  6. 15.24 Jerusalem: Hebrew “the city of David his ancestor.”
  7. 16.2 Nobody … you: Hebrew “I pulled you up out of the dust.”
  8. 16.31 Sidon: One of the most important cities in Phoenicia. It was located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of Israel, in what is today southern Lebanon.
  9. 16.33 sacred pole: See the note at 14.15.
  10. 16.34 a man from Bethel … ago: See Joshua 6.26.
  11. 17.1 from Tishbe in Gilead: Or “from the settlers in Gilead.”
  12. 17.17 the woman who owned the house: This may or may not be the same woman as the widow in verses 8-16.
  13. 17.18 Did you … God: In ancient times people sometimes thought that if they sinned, something terrible would happen to them.

Abijah King of Judah(A)

15 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah[a] became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah(B) daughter of Abishalom.[b]

He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted(C) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp(D) in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep(E) any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah(F) the Hittite.

There was war(G) between Abijah[c] and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

Asa King of Judah(H)(I)

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(J) daughter of Abishalom.

11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David(K) had done. 12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes(L) from the land and got rid of all the idols(M) his ancestors had made. 13 He even deposed his grandmother Maakah(N) from her position as queen mother,(O) because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down(P) and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although he did not remove(Q) the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed(R) 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.(S)

16 There was war(T) between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah(U) 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(V) and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent(W) them to Ben-Hadad(X) son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 19 “Let there be a treaty(Y) 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(Z) Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah(AA) and withdrew to Tirzah.(AB) 22 Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah(AC) the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa(AD) built up Geba(AE) in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.(AF)

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(AG) 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(AH) in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father(AI) 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(AJ) at Gibbethon,(AK) 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.(AL) 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(AM) Jeroboam had committed and had caused(AN) 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(AO) of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war(AP) 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,(AQ) and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did evil(AR) 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(AS) son of Hanani(AT) concerning Baasha: “I lifted you up from the dust(AU) and appointed you ruler(AV) over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused(AW) my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins. So I am about to wipe out Baasha(AX) and his house,(AY) and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Dogs(AZ) will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds(BA) 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(BB) of the kings of Israel? Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah.(BC) And Elah his son succeeded him as king.

Moreover, the word of the Lord came(BD) through the prophet Jehu(BE) 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(BF) in the home of Arza, the palace administrator(BG) 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.(BH)

11 As soon as he began to reign and was seated on the throne, he killed off Baasha’s whole family.(BI) 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.(BJ)

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,(BK) 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.(BL) 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents[d] of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria,(BM) after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.

25 But Omri did evil(BN) 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(BO) Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.(BP)

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.(BQ) 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(BR) 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(BS) Jezebel daughter(BT) of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal(BU) and worship him. 32 He set up an altar(BV) for Baal in the temple(BW) of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole(BX) and did more(BY) 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.(BZ)

Elijah Announces a Great Drought

17 Now Elijah(CA) the Tishbite, from Tishbe[e] in Gilead,(CB) said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain(CC) 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(CD) in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens(CE) 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(CF) 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. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath(CG) in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow(CH) there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?”(CI) 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil(CJ) in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain(CK) on the land.’”

15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin(CL) and kill my son?”

19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried(CM) out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched(CN) himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother(CO) and said, “Look, your son is alive!”

24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know(CP) that you are a man of God(CQ) and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”(CR)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 15:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 12:16); most Hebrew manuscripts Abijam; also in verses 7 and 8
  2. 1 Kings 15:2 A variant of Absalom; also in verse 10
  3. 1 Kings 15:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Abijam (that is, Abijah); most Hebrew manuscripts Rehoboam
  4. 1 Kings 16:24 That is, about 150 pounds or about 68 kilograms
  5. 1 Kings 17:1 Or Tishbite, of the settlers