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15 Now in the eighteenth year of Melech Yarov‘am Ben Nevat reigned Aviyam over Yehudah.

Shalosh shanim reigned he in Yerushalayim. And shem immo was Ma’achah Bat Avishalom.

And he walked in all the chattot Aviv, which he had done before him; and his lev was not shalem (fully devoted) to Hashem Elohav, as the levav Dovid Aviv.

Nevertheless l’ma’an Dovid (for the sake of Dovid) did Hashem Elohav give him a ner (lamp) in Yerushalayim, to raise up Bno after him, and to establish Yerushalayim;

Because Dovid did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, and turned not aside from any thing that He commanded him all the days of his life, except only in the matter of Uriyah HaChitti (the Hittite).

And there was milchamah between Rechav‘am and Yarov‘am all the days of his life.

Now the rest of the acts of Aviyam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yehudah? And there was milchamah between Aviyam and Yarov‘am.

And Aviyam slept with his avot; and they buried him in Ir Dovid; and Asa Bno reigned in his place.

And in the twentieth year of Yarov‘am Melech Yisroel, Asa began to reign as Melech over Yehudah.

10 And forty and one years reigned he in Yerushalayim. And shem immo was Ma’achah Bat Avishalom.

11 And Asa did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, as did Dovid Aviv.

12 And he removed kedeshim (the male and female cult prostitutes) out of HaAretz, and got rid of kol hagillulim (all the idols) that his avot had made.

13 And also Ma’achah immo, even her he deposed from being Gevirah (Queen Mother), because she had made a mifletzet (idol) to Asherah; and Asa cut down her mifletzet, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

14 But the high places were not removed; nevertheless levav Asa was shalem with Hashem all his days.

15 And he brought in the kodshei Aviv (the things his father had dedicated), and the things which he himself had dedicated, into the Beis Hashem, kesef, and zahav, and kelim.

16 And there was milchamah between Asa and Ba’asha Melech Yisroel all their days.

17 And Ba’asha Melech Yisroel went up against Yehudah, and built up Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa Melech Yehudah.

18 Then Asa took all the kesef and the zahav that were left in the otzarot of the Beis Hashem, and the otzarot of the Bais HaMelech, and delivered them into the yad of his avadim; and HaMelech Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad, Ben Tavrimmon Ben Chezron Melech Aram, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

19 There is a brit between me and thee, and between Avi and Avicha; hinei, I send unto thee a shochad (incentive kind of gift) of kesef and zahav; come, break thy brit with Ba’asha Melech Yisroel, that he may withdraw from me.

20 So Ben-Hadad paid heed unto HaMelech Asa, and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Yisroel, and struck Iyon, and Dan, and Abel Beit- Ma’achah, and kol Kinnerot, with Kol Eretz Naphtali.

21 And it came to pass, when Ba’asha heard this, he stopped building Ramah, and stayed in Tirtzah.

22 Then HaMelech Asa made a proclamation throughout all Yehudah; none was exempted; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Ba’asha had built; and HaMelech Asa built up with them Geva of Binyamin, and Mitzpah.

23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his gevurah, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yehudah? Nevertheless in the time of his ziknah (old age) he was diseased in his raglayim.

24 And Asa slept with his avot, and was buried with his avot in Ir Dovid Aviv; and Yehoshaphat Bno reigned in his place.

25 And Nadav Ben Yarov‘am began to reign as Melech over Yisroel in the second year of Asa Melech Yehudah, and reigned over Yisroel two years.

26 And he did rah in the eyes of Hashem, and walked in the derech Aviv, and in his chattat wherewith he made Yisroel to commit sin.

27 And Ba’asha Ben Achiyah, of the Bais of Yissakhar, plotted a keshar against him; and Ba’asha struck him down at Gibeton, which belonged to the Pelishtim; for Nadav and kol Yisroel were laying siege to Gibeton.

28 Even in the third year of Asa Melech Yehudah did Ba’asha slay him, and reigned in his place.

29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he put to death kol Bais Yarov‘am; he left not to Yarov‘am kol neshamah, until he had destroyed him, according unto the Devar Hashem, which He spoke by His eved Achiyah the Shiloni [1Kgs 14:9-16]

30 Because of the chattot Yarov‘am which he sinned, and which he made Yisroel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked Hashem Elohei Yisroel to anger.

31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadav, and all that he did, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yisroel?

32 And there was milchamah between Asa and Ba’asha Melech Yisroel all their days.

33 In the third year of Asa Melech Yehudah began Ba’asha Ben Achiyah to reign as Melech over kol Yisroel in Tirtzah, a reign lasting twenty and four years.

34 And he did rah (evil) in the eyes of Hashem, and walked in the derech Yarov`am, and in his chattat wherewith he made Yisroel to commit sin.

Abijah King of Judah(A)

15 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah[a] became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah(B) daughter of Abishalom.[b]

He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted(C) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp(D) in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep(E) any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah(F) the Hittite.

There was war(G) between Abijah[c] and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

Asa King of Judah(H)(I)

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10 and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah(J) daughter of Abishalom.

11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David(K) had done. 12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes(L) from the land and got rid of all the idols(M) his ancestors had made. 13 He even deposed his grandmother Maakah(N) from her position as queen mother,(O) because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down(P) and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although he did not remove(Q) the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed(R) to the Lord all his life. 15 He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.(S)

16 There was war(T) between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah(U) to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

18 Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple(V) and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent(W) them to Ben-Hadad(X) son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 19 “Let there be a treaty(Y) between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

20 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered(Z) Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah(AA) and withdrew to Tirzah.(AB) 22 Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah(AC) the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa(AD) built up Geba(AE) in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.(AF)

23 As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. 24 Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat(AG) his son succeeded him as king.

Nadab King of Israel

25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did evil(AH) in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father(AI) and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.

27 Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down(AJ) at Gibbethon,(AK) a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28 Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

29 As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family.(AL) He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 This happened because of the sins(AM) Jeroboam had committed and had caused(AN) Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.

31 As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals(AO) of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war(AP) between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

Baasha King of Israel

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah,(AQ) and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did evil(AR) in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 15:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 12:16); most Hebrew manuscripts Abijam; also in verses 7 and 8
  2. 1 Kings 15:2 A variant of Absalom; also in verse 10
  3. 1 Kings 15:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Abijam (that is, Abijah); most Hebrew manuscripts Rehoboam