15:1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah 1 became king over Judah. 15:2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. 2 His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom. 3 15:3 He followed all the sinful practices of his father before him. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. 4 15:4 Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty 5 in Jerusalem by giving him a son 6 to succeed him 7 and by protecting Jerusalem. 8 15:5 He did this 9 because David had done what he approved 10 and had not disregarded any of his commandments 11 his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite. 15:6 Rehoboam 12 and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other throughout Abijah’s 13 lifetime. 15:7 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 14 Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other. 15:8 Abijah passed away 15 and was buried 16 in the city of David. His son Asa replaced him as king.
15:9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became the king of Judah. 15:10 He ruled for forty-one years in Jerusalem. 17 His grandmother 18 was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 15:11 Asa did what the Lord approved 19 like his ancestor 20 David had done. 15:12 He removed the male cultic prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the disgusting idols 21 his ancestors 22 had made. 15:13 He also removed Maacah his grandmother 23 from her position as queen because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 15:14 The high places were not eliminated, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime. 24 15:15 He brought the holy items that he and his father had made into the Lord’s temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles. 25
15:16 Now Asa and King Baasha of Israel were continually at war with each other. 26 15:17 King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah and established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah. 27 15:18 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace and handed it to his servants. He then told them to deliver it 28 to Ben Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 15:19 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. 29 See, I have sent you silver and gold as a present. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.” 30 15:20 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel. 31 They conquered 32 Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and all the territory of Naphtali, including the region of Kinnereth. 33 15:21 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying 34 Ramah and settled down in Tirzah. 15:22 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah (no exemptions were granted) to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. 35 King Asa used the materials to build up 36 Geba (in Benjamin) and Mizpah.
15:23 The rest of the events of Asa’s reign, including all his successes and accomplishments, as well as a record of the cities he built, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 37 Yet when he was very old he developed a foot disease. 38 15:24 Asa passed away 39 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king.
15:25 In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Nadab became the king of Israel; he ruled Israel for two years. 15:26 He did evil in the sight of 40 the Lord. He followed in his father’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin. 41
15:27 Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, conspired against Nadab 42 and assassinated him in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. This happened while Nadab and all the Israelite army were besieging Gibbethon. 15:28 Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah and replaced him as king. 15:29 When he became king, he executed Jeroboam’s entire family. He wiped out everyone who breathed, 43 just as the Lord had predicted 44 through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 15:30 This happened because of the sins which Jeroboam committed and which he made Israel commit. These sins angered the Lord God of Israel. 45
15:31 The rest of the events of Nadab’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 46 15:32 Asa and King Nadab of Israel were continually at war with each other.
15:33 In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah; he ruled for twenty-four years. 15:34 He did evil in the sight of 47 the Lord; he followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin. 48
16:1 Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord this message predicting Baasha’s downfall: 49 16:2 “I raised you up 50 from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. Yet you followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps 51 and encouraged my people Israel to sin; their sins have made me angry. 52 16:3 So I am ready to burn up 53 Baasha and his family, and make your family 54 like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16:4 Dogs will eat the members of Baasha’s family 55 who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.”
16:5 The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 56 16:6 Baasha passed away 57 and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah replaced him as king. 16:7 The prophet Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord the message predicting the downfall of Baasha and his family because of all the evil Baasha had done in the sight of the Lord. 58 His actions angered the Lord (including the way he had destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty), so that his family ended up like Jeroboam’s. 59
16:8 In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha’s son Elah became king over Israel; he ruled in Tirzah for two years. 16:9 His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was drinking heavily 60 at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah, 16:10 Zimri came in and struck him dead. (This happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah.) Zimri replaced Elah as king. 61 16:11 When he became king and occupied the throne, he killed Baasha’s entire family. He did not spare any male belonging to him; he killed his relatives and his friends. 62 16:12 Zimri destroyed Baasha’s entire family, just as the Lord had predicted to Baasha 63 through Jehu the prophet. 16:13 This happened because of all the sins which Baasha and his son Elah committed and which they made Israel commit. They angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols. 64
16:14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 65
16:15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Zimri became king over Israel; he ruled for seven days in Tirzah. Zimri’s revolt took place while the army was deployed 66 in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. 16:16 While deployed there, the army received this report: 67 “Zimri has conspired against the king and assassinated him.” 68 So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day in the camp. 16:17 Omri and all Israel went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. 16:18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he went into the fortified area of the royal palace. He set the palace on fire and died in the flames. 69 16:19 This happened because of the sins he committed. He did evil in the sight of 70 the Lord and followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to continue sinning. 71
16:20 The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, including the details of his revolt, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 72
16:21 At that time the people of Israel were divided in their loyalties. Half the people supported Tibni son of Ginath and wanted to make him king; the other half supported Omri. 16:22 Omri’s supporters were stronger than those who supported Tibni son of Ginath. Tibni died; Omri became king.
1 tc The Old Greek also has the phrase “the son of Rehoboam.”
2 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
3 sn Abishalom (also in v. 10) is a variant of the name Absalom (cf. 2 Chr 11:20). The more common form is used by TEV, NLT.
4 tn Heb “his heart was not complete with the
5 tn Heb “gave him a lamp.”
6 tc The Old Greek has the plural “his sons.”
7 tn Heb “by raising up his son after him.”
8 tn Heb “and by causing Jerusalem to stand firm.”
9 tn The words “he did this” are added for stylistic reasons.
10 tn Heb “what was right in the eyes of the
11 tn Heb “and had not turned aside from all which he commanded him.”
12 tc Most Hebrew
13 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Abijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Abijah, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
15 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.” The Old Greek also has these words: “in the twenty-eighth year of Jeroboam.”
16 tn Heb “and they buried him.”
17 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
18 tn Heb “mother,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.
19 tn Heb “what was right in the eyes of the
20 tn Heb “father,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.
21 tn The word used here, גִלּוּלִים [gillulim], is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as “worthless things” (אֱלִילִים, ’elilim), “vanities” or “empty winds” (הֲבָלִים, havalim).
22 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 24).
23 tn Heb “mother,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.
24 tn Heb “yet the heart of Asa was complete with the
25 tn Heb “and he brought the holy things of his father and his holy things (into) the house of the
26 tn Heb “There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.”
27 tn Heb “and he built up Ramah so as to not permit going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.”
28 tn Heb “King Asa sent it.”
29 tn Heb “[May there be] a covenant between me and you [as there was] between my father and your father.”
30 tn Heb “so he will go up from upon me.”
31 tn Heb “and Ben Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of the armies which belonged to him against the cities of Israel.”
32 tn Heb “he struck down.”
33 tn Heb “and all Kinnereth together with all the land of Naphtali.”
34 tn Heb “building.”
35 tn Heb “and King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, there was no one exempt, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its wood which Baasha had built.”
36 tn Heb “and King Asa built with them.”
37 tn Heb “As for the rest of all the events of Asa, and all his strength and all which he did and the cities which he built, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
38 tn Heb “Yet in the time of his old age he became sick in his feet.”
39 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
40 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
41 tn Heb “and he walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”
42 tn Heb “against him”; the referent (Nadab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
43 tn Heb “and when he became king, he struck down all the house of Jeroboam; he did not leave any breath to Jeroboam until he destroyed him.”
44 tn Heb “according to the word of the
45 tn Heb “because of Jeroboam which he committed and which he made Israel commit, by his provocation by which he made the
46 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Nadab, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
47 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
48 tn Heb “and he walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”
49 tn Heb “and the word of the
50 tn The Hebrew text has “because” at the beginning of the sentence. In the Hebrew text vv. 2-3 are one sentence comprised of a causal clause giving the reason for divine punishment (v. 2) and the main clause announcing the punishment (v. 3). The translation divides this sentence for stylistic reasons.
51 tn Heb “walked in the way of Jeroboam.”
52 tn Heb “angering me by their sins.”
53 tn The traditional view understands the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean “burn.” However, an alternate view takes בָּעַר (ba’ar) as a homonym meaning “sweep away” (HALOT 146 s.v. II בער). In this case one might translate, “I am ready to sweep away Baasha and his family.” Either metaphor emphasizes the thorough and destructive nature of the coming judgment.
54 tc The Old Greek, Syriac Peshitta, and some
55 tn Heb “the ones belonging to Baasha.”
56 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Baasha, and that which he did and his strength, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
57 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
58 tn Heb “and also through Jehu son of Hanani the word of the
59 tn Heb “angering him by the work of his hands, so that he was like the house of Jeroboam, and because of how he struck it down.”
60 tn Heb “while he was drinking and drunken.”
61 tn Heb “and he became king in his place.”
62 tn Heb “and he did not spare any belonging to him who urinate against a wall, [including] his kinsmen redeemers and his friends.”
63 tn Heb “according to the word of the
64 tn Heb “angering the
65 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Elah, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
66 tn Heb “Now the people were encamped.
67 tn Heb “and the people who were encamped heard.”
68 tn Heb “has conspired against and also has struck down the king.”
69 tn Heb “and he burned the house of the king over him with fire and he died.”
70 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
71 tn Heb “walking in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he did to make Israel sin.”
72 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Zimri, and his conspiracy which he conspired, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”