1 Kings 15

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

Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.

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

Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

3 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.

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 the heart of David his father.

4 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.

Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:

5 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.

Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

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

And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

7 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.

Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

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

And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

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

And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.

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

And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

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

And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

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

And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

13 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.

And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

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

But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.

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

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

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

And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

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

And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

18 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:

Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelled at Damascus, saying,

19 “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.”

There is a league between me and you, and between my father and your father: behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold; come and break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

20 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.

So Benhadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

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

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelled in Tirzah.

22 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.

Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, with which Baasha had built; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

23 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.

The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

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

And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.

25 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.

And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.

26 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.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.

27 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.

And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.

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

Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

29 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.

And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:

30 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.

Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation with which he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.

31 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.

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

And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

33 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.

In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.

34 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.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.