OET-RV 1 KI Chapter 15

15 In the eighteenth year of (Nevat’s son) King Yarov’am’s (Jeroboam) reign over Yisrael (Israel), Aviyam became king of Yehudah (Judah). 2 ⇔(His mother’s name was Maakah, one of Avshalom’s (Absalom) daughters.) He reigned from Yerushalem (Jerusalem) for three years 3 but he disobeyed God in ways similar to his father—he wasn’t interested in following his god Yahweh completely like his ancestor David had done. 4 However for David’s sake, his god Yahweh gave Aviyam a son to rule after him—to allow Yerushalem to continue on with a flicker of light[ref] 5 because David had done what Yahweh had said was correct, and throughout his life he hadn’t deviated from what Yahweh had instructed him, except in the matter concerning Uriyah the Hitti.[ref] 6 Rehav’am’s (Rehoboam) and Yarov’am’s factions were in a continual state of war during Aviyam’s reign.[ref] 7 Everything else that Aviyam did is written in the book of the events of the kings of Yehudah, as the war between Aviyam and Yarov’am continued.

8 Then Aviyam died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David, and his son Asa replaced him as king.

9 In the twentieth year of King Yarov’am’s (Jeroboam) reign over Yisrael (Israel), Asa became king of Yehudah (Judah) 10 and reigned from Yerushalem (Jerusalem) for forty-one years. (His grandmother was Avshalom’s (Absalom) daughter Maakah.) 11 Asa did what was pleasing to Yahweh, like his ancestor David had done, 12 and he expelled the male prostitutes from the country and removed all the idols made by the previous generations.[ref] 13 He also removed his grandmother Maakah from being queen-mother because she had made a horrid Asherah goddess, then he cut down her horrid idol and burnt it in the Kidron valley. 14 He didn’t remove the hilltop temples, but despite that he was fully devoted to Yahweh all his life. 15 He brought everything that father had dedicated, plus more of his own, into Yahweh’s temple, including gold, silver, and containers.

16 Asa and King Baesha of Yisrael were in a continual state of war during their reigns. 17 King Baesha invaded Yehudah (Judah) and fortified Ramah so that no one could pass in or out to help King Asa of Yehudah. 18 So Asa took all the remaining gold and silver from the temple and palace storerooms, and sent it with his servants to take to Ben-Hadad, son of Tavrimmon, son of King Hezyon of Aram (Syria) who lived in Damesek (Damascus), to tell him, 19 “You and me have an agreement between us that was made by our two fathers, so look, I’ve sent a present of gold and silver to you. So then, break your agreement with King Baesha of Yisrael so he’ll give up on attacking me.”

20 Ben-Hadad did what king Asa requested, and he sent the commanders of his best warriors to attack Israeli cities including Iyyon, Dan, Avel-Beyt-Maakah, and all Kinnerot along with all Naftali (Naphtali) region. 21 When King Baesha heard about that, he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirtsah.

22 Then King Asa informed all Yehudah that they were needed at Ramah. They removed the stones and timber from Baesha’s fortifications, and king Asa used the materials to build Geva (in Benyamin (Benjamin)) and Mitspah. 23 Everything else that Asa did, and all his great works and all the cities he built, are described in the book of the events of the kings of Yehudah. However in his old age, he developed problems with his feet. 24 Then he died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David (also his ancestor) and his son Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) replaced him as king.