1 Kings

Abijam, King of Judah (914-911)

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah

and reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah, daughter of Abishalom.

He imitated all the sins his father had committed before him and, unlike his ancestor David, was not wholly faithful to the Lord, his God.

Yet the Lord had promised David that he would keep his lamp burning in Jerusalem. He would raise his descendants after him and establish Jerusalem.

This was because David had pleased the Lord and obeyed his commands as long as he lived, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

–The rest of the events of Abijam’s reign and everything he did are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

When Abijam rested with his fathers, he was buried in the city of David, and his son Asa reigned in his place.

Asa, King of Judah (911-870)

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

was king for forty-one years, ruling in Jerusalem. His grandmother was Maacah, daughter of Abishalom.

Asa did what was right before the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done.

He rid the land of male cult prostitutes and removed all the idols his ancestors had made.

He also deposed his grandmother, Maacah, as queen mother for making an abominable image for Asherah. Asa destroyed Asherah’s image and burned it at the brook Kidron;

he did not close down the high places. Nevertheless, Asa remained faithful to the Lord for the rest of his life.

He brought into the Lord’s house both the votive gifts of his father and his own: silver, gold, and vessels.

Asa and Baasha, the kings of Israel, were at war during their reigns.

Baasha, king of Israel, attacked Judah and fortified Ramah to cut off all communication with Asa, king of Judah.

Meanwhile, Asa collected all the silver and gold remaining in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and the royal palace. He entrusted these to his servants, who he sent to Ben-hadad, son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, the king of Syria, who reigned in Damascus.

He sent him this message: “Let us make a treaty together, just as my father and yours did. I am sending you silver and gold, so please break your treaty with Baasha, king of Israel, so he may withdraw from my territory.”

Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa’s request and sent his officers to attack the cities of Israel, capturing Ijon, Dan, Abel-Beth-maacah, all the land of Chinnereth, and the region of Naphtali.

Upon hearing this, Baasha ceased fortifying Ramah and moved to Tirzah, where he lived.

Then King Asa ordered all of Judah—excluding no one—to remove the stones and timber Baasha had used to strengthen Ramah. With these materials, King Asa built Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.

The rest of Asa’s reign, his bravery, his deeds, and the cities he built are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. In his old age, Asa suffered from foot disease.

Asa rested with his father and was buried in the city of David, his ancestor. His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him.

Nadab, King of Israel (910-909)

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

He reigned over Israel for two years, doing what displeased the Lord and dragging Israel into sin as his father had done.

Baasha, son of Ahijah of the family of Issachar, plotted against him and struck him down at Gibbethon of the Philistines when Nadab and the Israelites were laying siege to this city.

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

As soon as he was king, he killed off the entire family of Jeroboam, leaving him no one alive but wiping them out according to the word that the Lord had spoken through his servant Ahijah, the Shilonite.

This happened because of Jeroboam, who aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by sinning and dragging Israel into sin.

The rest of Nadab’s reign, events, and achievements are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

Baasha, King of Israel (909-885)

Asa and Baasha were at war during their reigns.

In the third year of the reign of Asa, king of Judah, Baasha, son of Ahijah, began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, where he reigned for twenty-four years.

He did what displeased the Lord and sinned just as Jeroboam, who dragged Israel into sin, had done.