1 Kings 15

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

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah began to reign over Judah.

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

He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah. She was 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.

He walked in all the sins that his father had committed before his time; his heart was not devoted to Yahweh his God as the heart of David, his ancestor, had been.

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, Yahweh his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up his son after him in order to strengthen 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.

God did this because David had done what was right in his eyes; for all the days of his life, he had not turned away from anything that he commanded him, except only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

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

Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Abijah's 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.

As for the other matters of Abijah, all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

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

Abijah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Asa his son became king in his place.

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

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.

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

He ruled forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother's name was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.

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

Asa did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as David, his ancestor, had done.

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

He expelled the cultic prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his ancestors 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.

He also removed Maacah, his grandmother, from being queen, because she had made a disgusting figure out of an Asherah pole. Asa cut down the disgusting figure and burned it at the Kidron Valley.

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

But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, Asa's heart was completely devoted to Yahweh 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.

He brought into the house of Yahweh the things that were set apart by his father, and his own things that had been set apart that were made of silver and gold, and vessels.

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

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.

Baasha king of Israel, acted aggressively against Judah and built up Ramah, so that he might not allow anyone to leave or enter into the land of 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 gold left in the storerooms in the house of Yahweh, and the storerooms of the king's palace. He put it into the hands of his servants and sent it to Ben Hadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who lived in Damascus. He said,

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.”

“Let there be a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I have sent to you a gift of silver and gold. Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, so that he may leave me alone.”

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.

Ben Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies, and they attacked the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel of Beth Maacah, and all Kinnereth, together with all the land of Naphtali.

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

It came about that when Baasha heard this, he stopped building up Ramah and went back to 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 to all Judah. No one was exempted. They carried away the stones and timbers of Ramah with which Baasha had been building up the city. Then King Asa used that building material to build up 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.

As for the other matters of Asa, all his might, all that he did, and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah? But during 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.

Then Asa slept with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David his father. Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place.

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.

Nadab son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; he 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.

He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the way of his father, and in his own sin, by which he led 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.

Baasha son of Ahijah, of the family of Issachar, conspired against Nadab; Baasha killed him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.

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

In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha killed Nadab and became king in his place.

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.

As soon as he was king, Baasha killed all the family of Jeroboam. He left none of Jeroboam's descendants breathing; in this way he destroyed his royal line, just as Yahweh had spoken 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.

for the sins of Jeroboam which he committed and by which he led Israel to sin, because he provoked Yahweh, the 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.

As for the other matters concerning Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?

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

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, Baasha son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah and he reigned twenty-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.

He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he led Israel to sin.