Abijam Reigns in Judah

15 In athe eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. bHis mother’s name was cMaachah the granddaughter of dAbishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; ehis heart was not 1loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. 4 Nevertheless ffor David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; 5 because David gdid what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, hexcept in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 iAnd there was war between 2Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 jNow 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 kSo Abijam 3rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place.

Asa Reigns in Judah

9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah. 10 And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. 11 lAsa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did his father David. 12 mAnd he banished the 4perverted persons from the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 Also he removed nMaachah his grandmother from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of 5Asherah. And Asa cut down her obscene image and oburned it by the Brook Kidron. 14 pBut the 6high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa’s qheart was loyal to the Lord all his days. 15 He also brought into the house of the Lord the things which his father rhad dedicated, and the things which he himself had dedicated: silver and gold and utensils.

16 Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 And sBaasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built tRamah, uthat he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to vBen-Hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in wDamascus, saying, 19 “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

20 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and xsent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked yIjon, zDan, aAbel Beth Maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah, and remained in bTirzah.

22 cThen King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted. And they took away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them King Asa built dGeba of Benjamin, and eMizpah.

23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, 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? But fin the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24 So Asa 7rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. gThen hJehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Nadab Reigns in Israel

25 Now iNadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in jhis sin by which he had made Israel sin.

27 kThen Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha killed him at lGibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. 28 Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 29 And it was so, when he became king, that he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to mthe word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, 30 nbecause of the sins of Jeroboam, which he had sinned and by which he had made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he had provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger.

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

Baasha Reigns in Israel

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in pthe way of Jeroboam, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin.