1 Kings 15

1 Now in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, Abiam reigned over Juda.

Abijam became king of Judah in the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam, son of Nebat.

2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Maacha the daughter of Abessalom.

He reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother's name was Maacah, daughter of Abishalom.

3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Abijam committed all the sins his father had before him. He was not wholly dedicated to the Lord his God as his forefather David had been.

4 But for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:

Even so, for David's sake, the Lord his God let his descendants to continue to rule like a lamp, a son to rule after him and to make Jerusalem strong.

5 Because David had done that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from any thing that he commanded him, all the days of his life, except the matter of Urias the Hethite.

For David had done what was right in the Lord's sight, and had not deviated from anything the Lord commanded throughout his lifetime, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

6 But there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam all the time of his life.

(Rehoboam and Jeroboam were always at war with each other.)

7 And the rest of the words of Abiam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? And there was war between Abiam and Jeroboam.

The rest of what happened in Abijam's reign and everything that he did are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. Abijam and Jeroboam were always at war with each other.

8 And Abiam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

Abijam died and was buried the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king.

9 So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, reigned Asa king of Juda,

Asa became king of Judah in the twentieth year of the reign of Jeroboam, king of Israel.

10 And he reigned one and forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacha, the daughter of Abessalom.

He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother's name was Maakah, daughter of Abishalom.

11 And Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David his father:

Asa did what was right in the Lord's sight, as his forefather David had done.

12 And he took away the effeminate out of the land, and he removed all the filth of the idols, which his fathers had made.

He expelled the cult prostitutes from the land and got rid of all of the idols that his forefathers had made.

13 Moreover he also removed his mother Maacha, from being the princess in the sacrifices of Priapus, and in the grove which she had consecrated to him: and he destroyed her den, and broke in pieces the filthy idol, and burnt it by the torrent Cedron:

He even dismissed his grandmother Maacah as queen mother, because she had made a disgusting idol. Asa had the idol chopped down and burned in the Kidron Valley.

14 But the high places he did not take away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the Lord all his days:

Though the high places were not removed, Asa was completely committed to the Lord all his life.

15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and he had vowed, into the house of the Lord, silver and gold, and vessels.

He brought into the house of the Lord the silver and gold and the other items that he and his father had dedicated.

16 And there was war between Asa, and Baasa king of Israel all their days.

Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, were always at war with each other.

17 And Baasa king of Israel went up against Juda, and built Rama, that no man might go out or come in, of the side of Asa king of Juda.

Baasha, king of Israel, attacked Judah and fortified Ramah to stop people coming from or going to Asa, king of Judah.

18 Then Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hands of his servants: and sent them to Benadad son of Tabremon the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:

So Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord's Temple and of the royal palace. He handed it over to his servants and sent them to Ben-hadad, son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, along with this message:

19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: therefore I have sent thee presents of silver and gold: and I desire thee to come, and break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

“Let us make a treaty between us, just as there was between my father and your father. Look, I've sent you a gift of silver and gold. Go and break your treaty with Baasha, king of Israel, so that he will retreat and leave me alone.”

20 Benadad hearkening to king Asa, sent the captains of his army against the cities of Israel, and they smote Ahion, and Dan, and Abeldomum Maacha, and all Cenneroth, that is all the land of Nephtali.

Ben-hadad accepted Asa's proposal and sent his army with its commanders to attack the towns of Israel. They captured the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Kinnereth, including all the land of Naphtali.

21 And when Baasa had heard this, he left off building Rama, and returned into Thersa.

When Baasha heard about this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and retreated to Tirzah.

22 But king Asa sent word into all Juda, saying: Let no man be excused: and they took away the stones from Rama, and the timber thereof wherewith Baasa had been building, and with them Asa built Gabaa of Benjamin, and Maspha.

Then King Asa issued a proclamation throughout all Judah, with no exception. The people obeyed, and carried away the stones and the timbers Baasha had used for building up Ramah. King Asa used these building materials to strengthen Geba of Benjamin, as well as Mizpah.

23 But the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his strength, and all that he did and the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

The rest of what happened in Asa's reign, all his achievements, everything that he did, and the towns he built, are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. But when he grew old he had disease in his feet.

24 And he slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Josaphat his son reigned in his place.

Asa died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king.

25 But Nadab the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel the second year of Asa king of Juda: and he reigned over Israel two years.

Nadab, son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of the reign of King Asa of Judah. He reigned in Israel for two years.

26 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

He did what was evil in the Lord's sight. He followed the ways of his father and committed the same sins his father had made Israel commit.

27 And Baasa the son of Ahias of the house of Issachar, conspired against him, and slew him in Gebbethon, which is a city of the Philistines: for Nadab and all Israel besieged Gebbethon.

Baasha, son of Ahijah of the tribe of Issachar, plotted a rebellion against him. Baasha murdered Nadab at the Philistine town of Gibbethon while Nadab and the whole Israelite army were besieging it.

28 So Baasa slew him in the third year of Asa king of Juda, and reigned in his place.

Baasha killed Nadab and took over as king in the third year of the reign of King Asa of Judah.

29 And when he was king he cut off all the house of Jeroboam: he left not so much as one soul of his seed, till he had utterly destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he had spoken in the hand of Ahias the Silonite:

As soon as he became king he killed all the rest of Jeroboam's family. He did not leave any of Jeroboam's descendants alive—he destroyed them all, as the Lord had said through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.

30 Because of the sin of Jeroboam, which he had sinned, and wherewith he had made Israel to sin, and for the offence, wherewith he provoked the Lord the God of Israel.

This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had made Israel commit, and because he had made the Lord, the God of Israel, angry.

31 But the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

The rest of what happened in Nadab's reign and everything that he did are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

32 And there was war between Asa and Baasa the king of Israel all their days.

Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, were always at war with each other.

33 In the third year of Asa king of Juda, Baasa the son of Ahias reigned over all Israel, in Thersa, four and twenty years.

Baasha, son of Ahijah, became king over all of Israel in the third year of the reign of King Asa in Judah. Baasha reigned in Tirzah for twenty-four years.

34 And he did evil before the Lord, and walked in the ways of Jeroboam, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Baasha did what was evil in the Lord's sight and followed the way of Jeroboam and his sin, which he had made Israel commit.