Beginning

King Abijam of Judah^(A)

15 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam (Nebat’s son), Abijam began to rule Judah. ² He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Maacah, daughter of Abishalom. ³ He followed the sinful example his father had set and wasn’t committed to Yahweh his Elohim as his ancestor David had been. ⁴ But for David’s sake Yahweh his Elohim made Abijam a lamp in Jerusalem. He appointed David’s descendant to rule after him and protected Jerusalem. ⁵ Yahweh did this because David did what Yahweh considered right: David never failed to do anything Yahweh commanded him to do his entire life (except in the matter concerning Uriah the Hittite).

⁶ There was war between Abijam^[a] and Rehoboam throughout their lives.

⁷ Isn’t everything else about Abijam—everything he did—written in the official records of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. ⁸ Abijam lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king.

King Asa of Judah^(B)

⁹ In Jeroboam’s twentieth year as king of Israel, Asa began to rule as king of Judah. ¹⁰ He ruled 41 years in Jerusalem. His grandmother was named Maacah, daughter of Abishalom.

¹¹ Asa did what Yahweh considered right, as his ancestor David had done. ¹² He forced the male temple prostitutes out of the land and got rid of the idols his father had made. ¹³ He also removed his grandmother Maacah from the position of queen mother because she made a statue of the repulsive goddess Asherah. Asa cut the statue down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ¹⁴ Although the illegal worship sites were not torn down, Asa remained committed to Yahweh his entire life. ¹⁵ He brought into Yahweh’s temple the silver, the gold, and the utensils he and his father had set apart as holy.

King Asa’s War with King Baasha^(C)

¹⁶ There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel as long as they lived. ¹⁷ King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah to keep anyone from going to or coming from King Asa of Judah.

¹⁸ Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of Yahweh’s temple and the royal palace and turned them over to his officials. King Asa sent them to Damascus to Aram’s King Benhadad, son of Tabrimmon and grandson of Hezion. ¹⁹ He said, “There’s a treaty between you and me as there was between your father and my father. I’m sending you a present of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone.”

²⁰ Benhadad did what King Asa requested. He sent his generals and their armies to attack the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and the entire area around Chinneroth with the entire territory of Naphtali. ²¹ When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and lived in Tirzah. ²² Then King Asa drafted everyone in Judah and excused no one. He made them carry the stones and lumber from Ramah. Baasha had been using those to fortify the city. King Asa used the materials to fortify Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.

²³ Isn’t everything else about Asa—all his heroic acts, everything he did, and the cities he fortified—written in the official records of the kings of Judah? But when he was old, he had a foot disease. ²⁴ Asa lay down in death with his ancestors. He was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor, David. His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king.

King Baasha Overthrows Nadab, Son of Jeroboam

²⁵ Nadab, son of Jeroboam, began to rule Israel in Asa’s second year as king of Judah. He ruled for two years. ²⁶ He did what Yahweh considered evil, living as his father did, leading Israel into the same sins.

²⁷ Then Baasha, son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against Nadab. Baasha assassinated him in the Philistine city of Gibbethon while Nadab and the Israelite forces were attacking it. ²⁸ The assassination happened in Asa’s third year as king of Judah. Baasha succeeded Nadab as king of Israel. ²⁹ As soon as he was king, he killed everyone else in Jeroboam’s family. He did not spare a soul, as Yahweh had spoken through his servant Ahijah from Shiloh. ³⁰ This was because of Jeroboam’s sins and the sins which he led Israel to commit. Those sins made Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious.

³¹ Isn’t everything else about Nadab—everything he did—written in the official records of the kings of Israel? ³² There was war between Asa and Baasha as long as they lived.

³³ In Asa’s third year as king of Judah, Baasha, son of Ahijah, began to rule Israel in Tirzah. He ruled for 24 years. ³⁴ He did what Yahweh considered evil. He lived like Jeroboam and led Israel into committing the same sins.

The Lord Condemns King Baasha

16 Yahweh spoke his word to Jehu, Hanani’s son, against Baasha. ² He said, “I raised you from the dust and made you leader of my people Israel. But you have lived like Jeroboam. You have led my people to sin, and their sins make me furious. ³ So I will destroy Baasha and his family. I will make his family like the family of Jeroboam (Nebat’s son). ⁴ Dogs will eat anyone from Baasha’s family who dies in the city. Birds will eat anyone from his family who dies in the country.”

⁵ Isn’t everything else about Baasha—what he did and his heroic acts—written in the official records of the kings of Israel? ⁶ Baasha lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah succeeded him as king. ⁷ In addition, Yahweh spoke his word to the prophet Jehu, Hanani’s son, against Baasha and his family because of all the things Baasha did which Yahweh considered evil. Baasha’s actions, which made Yahweh furious, were like the sin of Jeroboam’s family. Yahweh was also furious because Baasha destroyed Jeroboam’s family.

Zimri Overthrows King Elah, Son of Baasha

⁸ Elah, son of Baasha, began to rule Israel in Asa’s twenty-sixth year as Judah’s king. He ruled in Tirzah for two years. ⁹ But Zimri, the general who commanded half of Elah’s chariots, plotted against him. Elah was getting drunk in Tirzah at Arza’s house. (Arza was in charge of the palace in Tirzah.) ¹⁰ Zimri entered Arza’s house, attacked Elah, and killed him in Asa’s twenty-seventh year as king of Judah. Zimri succeeded Elah as king of Israel. ¹¹ At the beginning of Zimri’s reign, as soon as he was on his throne, he killed Baasha’s entire family. He didn’t spare any of Baasha’s male^[b] relatives or friends. ¹² So Zimri destroyed Baasha’s entire family, as Yahweh had spoken through the prophet Jehu. ¹³ This was for all the sins committed by Baasha and his son Elah. They sinned, led Israel to sin, and made Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious because of their worthless idols. ¹⁴ Isn’t everything else about Elah—everything he did—written in the official records of the kings of Israel?

King Zimri Rules for Seven Days

¹⁵ In Asa’s twenty-seventh year as Judah’s king, Zimri ruled for seven days in Tirzah while the army was camped near the Philistine city of Gibbethon. ¹⁶ When the army heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and killed him, the Israelite troops in the camp made Omri, the commander of the army, king of Israel.

¹⁷ Omri and the Israelite troops with him left Gibbethon and attacked Tirzah. ¹⁸ When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the stronghold in the royal palace and burned down the palace over his own head. He died ¹⁹ because of the sins he had committed—the things Yahweh considered evil. Zimri lived like Jeroboam and led Israel to sin. ²⁰ Isn’t everything else about Zimri and his plot written in the official records of the kings of Israel?

Omri Defeats Tibni

²¹ Then the army of Israel was divided into two factions. Half of the army followed Tibni, son of Ginath, and wanted to make him king. The other half followed Omri. ²² But the half which followed Omri was stronger than the half which followed Tibni, Ginath’s son. Tibni died, and Omri became king. ²³ Omri began to rule Israel in Asa’s thirty-first year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years, 6 of them in Tirzah.

²⁴ Omri bought a hill from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver. He fortified the hill and built the city of Samaria on it. He named the city after its former owner, Shemer.

King Omri of Israel

²⁵ Omri did what Yahweh considered evil. He did more evil things than all the kings before him. ²⁶ He lived exactly like Jeroboam (Nebat’s son). He sinned and led Israel to sin with worthless idols, and the Israelites made Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious.

²⁷ Isn’t everything else about Omri—what he did and his heroic acts—written in the official records of the kings of Israel? ²⁸ Omri lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab succeeded him as king.

King Ahab Introduces Worship of Baal into Israel

²⁹ Ahab, son of Omri, began to rule Israel in Asa’s thirty-eighth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 22 years in Samaria. ³⁰ Ahab, son of Omri, did what Yahweh considered evil. He was worse than all the kings who were before him. ³¹ It wasn’t enough that he committed the same sins as Jeroboam (Nebat’s son). He also married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Ahab then served and worshiped Baal. ³² He built the temple of Baal in Samaria and set up an altar there. ³³ Ahab made poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. He did more to make Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious than all the kings of Israel who came before him.

³⁴ In Ahab’s time Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho.

Yahweh had spoken this through Joshua, son of Nun.

Elijah Prophesies a Drought

17 Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh Elohim of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so.”

² Then Yahweh spoke his word to Elijah: ³ “Leave here, turn east, and hide beside the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. ⁴ You can drink from the stream, and I’ve commanded ravens to feed you there.”

⁵ Elijah left and did what the word of Yahweh had told him. He went to live by the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. ⁶ Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. And he drank from the stream.

⁷ But after some time the stream dried up because no rain had fallen in the land.

Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

⁸ Then Yahweh spoke his word to Elijah: ⁹ “Get up, go to Zarephath (which belongs to Sidon), and stay there. I’ve commanded a widow there to feed you.”

¹⁰ He got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the town’s entrance, a widow was gathering wood. He called to her, “Please bring me a drink of water.” ¹¹ As she was going to get it, he called to her again, “Please bring me a piece of bread too.”

¹² She said, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh your Elohim lives, I didn’t bake any bread. I have one handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I’m gathering wood. I’m going to prepare something for myself and my son so that we can eat it and then die.”

¹³ Then Elijah told her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home, and do as you’ve said. But first make a small loaf and bring it to me. Then prepare something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Until Yahweh sends rain on the land, the jar of flour will never be empty and the jug will always contain oil.”

¹⁵ She did what Elijah had told her. So she, Elijah, and her family had food for a long time. ¹⁶ The jar of flour never became empty, and the jug always contained olive oil, as Yahweh had promised through Elijah.

¹⁷ Afterwards, the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. He got so sick that finally no life was left in him. ¹⁸ The woman asked Elijah, “What do you and I have in common, man of Elohim?^[c] Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

¹⁹ He said to her, “Give me your son.” Elijah took him from her arms, carried him to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰ Then he called to Yahweh, “Yahweh my Elohim, have you brought misery on the widow I’m staying with by killing her son?” ²¹ Then Elijah stretched himself over the boy three times and called to Yahweh, “Yahweh my Elohim, please make this child’s life return to him.” ²² Yahweh heard Elijah’s request, and the child’s life returned to him. He was alive again.

²³ Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upstairs room of the house, and gave him to his mother. He said, “Look! Your son is alive.”

²⁴ The woman said to Elijah, “Now I’m convinced that you are a man of Elohim and that the word of Yahweh from your mouth is true.”