Chronological
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[a] 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.
Laying the foundation
cost him his firstborn son, Abiram.
Setting up the city doors
cost him his youngest son, Segub.
Yahweh had spoken this through Joshua, son of Nun.
King Jehoshaphat of Judah
17 Asa’s son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king. Jehoshaphat strengthened himself to wage war against Israel. 2 He put troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and placed military posts in Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, who lived in the old way like his ancestor David. Jehoshaphat didn’t dedicate his life to serving other gods—the Baals. 4 Instead, he dedicated his life to his ancestor’s Elohim and lived by Elohim’s commands. Jehoshaphat did not do what Israel was doing. 5 So Yahweh established Jehoshaphat’s power over the kingdom. All the people of Judah gave gifts to Jehoshaphat, and he had a lot of riches and honor. 6 He had the confidence to live the way Yahweh wanted him to live. He also got rid of the illegal places of worship and poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah in Judah.
7 In the third year of his reign, he sent his officers Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 With them were the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, Tob Adonijah, and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught in Judah. They had the Book of Yahweh’s Teachings with them when they taught the people in all the cities of Judah.
10 Fear of Yahweh came to all the kingdoms around Judah. As a result, they didn’t wage war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought gifts and silver as taxes. The Arabs also brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. 12 So Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful. He built fortresses and cities where supplies were stored in Judah. 13 He had large supplies of food in the cities of Judah and an army of professional soldiers with him in Jerusalem. 14 The following is a breakdown of these soldiers. They are listed by families. Judah’s regimental commanders were Commander Adnah (with 300,000 fighting men), 15 next to him Commander Jehohanan (with 280,000), 16 and next to him Amasiah, Zichri’s son, who volunteered to serve Yahweh (with 200,000 fighting men). 17 From Benjamin there was the fighting man Eliada (with 200,000 armed men with bows and shields), 18 and next to him was Jehozabad (with him was an army of 180,000 armed men). 19 These were the men who served the king in addition to those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.