CHAPTER 15
Abijam walked
in all
the sins
that his father
before him
had committed,
and his heart
was
not
as fully devoted
to
the LORD
his God
as the heart
of David
his forefather had been.
Nevertheless,
for the sake
of David,
the LORD
his God
gave
him
a lamp
in Jerusalem
by raising up
a son
to succeed him
and to make
Jerusalem strong.
For
David
had done
what was right
in the eyes
of the LORD
and did not
turn aside
from anything
the LORD commanded
all
the days
of his life,
except
in the matter
of Uriah
the Hittite.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Abijam,
along with all
his accomplishments,
are they
not
written
in
the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Judah?
And there was
also war
between
Abijam
and Jeroboam.
And Abijam
rested
with
his fathers
and was buried
in the City
of David,
and his son
Asa
reigned
in his place.
and he reigned
in Jerusalem
forty-one
years.
His grandmother’s
name
was Maacah
daughter
of Abishalom.
He banished
the male cult prostitutes
from
the land
and removed
all
of the idols
that
his fathers
had made.
He also
removed
his grandmother
Maacah
as the queen mother,
because
she had made
a detestable
Asherah pole.
Asa
chopped down
the pole
and burned
it in the Kidron
Valley.
And he brought
into the house
of the LORD
the silver
and gold
and other articles
that he
and his father
had dedicated.
Baasha
king
of Israel
went to war
against
Judah
and fortified
Ramah
to prevent
anyone from leaving
or entering the territory of
Asa
king
of Judah.
So Asa
withdrew
all
the silver
and gold
that remained
in the treasuries
of the house
of the LORD
and
of the royal
palace.
He entrusted it
to his servants
and sent
them to
Ben-hadad
son
of Tabrimmon,
the son
of Hezion
king
of Aram,
who was ruling
in Damascus,
saying,
“Let there be a treaty
between me and you,
between
my father
and your father.
See,
I have sent
you a gift
of silver
and gold.
Now go
and break
your treaty
with
Baasha
king
of Israel,
so that he will withdraw
from me.”
And Ben-hadad
listened
to
King
Asa
and sent
the commanders
of his armies
against
the cities
of Israel,
conquering
Ijon,
Dan,
Abel-beth-maacah,
and
the whole
land
of Naphtali,
including
the region
of Chinnereth.
Then King
Asa
made a proclamation
throughout
all
Judah,
with no
exception,
and they carried away
the stones
of Ramah
and the timbers
Baasha
had used for building.
And with these materials
King
Asa
built up
Geba
of Benjamin,
as well as
Mizpah.
Now the rest
of the acts
of Asa,
along with all
his might,
all
his accomplishments,
and the cities
he built,
are they
not
written
in
the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Judah?
In his old age,
however,
he became diseased
in his feet.
And Asa
rested
with
his fathers
and was buried
with
his fathers
in the City
of his father
David,
and his son
Jehoshaphat
reigned
in his place.
In the second
year
of Asa's
reign
over Judah,
Nadab
son
of Jeroboam
became king
of
Israel,
and he reigned
two years.
And he did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD
and walked
in the way
of his father
and in his sin,
which
he had caused Israel
to commit.
Then Baasha
son
of Ahijah
of the house
of Issachar
conspired
against Nadab,
and Baasha
struck him down
at Gibbethon
of the Philistines
while Nadab
and all
Israel
were besieging
the city.
As soon as
Baasha became king,
he struck down
the entire
household
of Jeroboam.
He did not
leave
Jeroboam
anyone
that breathed,
but destroyed them all
according to the word
the LORD
had spoken
through
His servant
Ahijah
the Shilonite,
because
of the sins
Jeroboam
had committed
and
had caused Israel
to commit,
and because he had provoked
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
to anger.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Nadab,
along with all
his accomplishments,
are they
not
written
in
the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Israel?
In the third
year
of Asa's
reign
over Judah,
Baasha
son
of Ahijah
became king
of
all
Israel,
and he reigned in Tirzah
twenty-four
years.
And Baasha did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD
and walked
in the way
of Jeroboam
and in his sin,
which
he had caused Israel
to commit.