15 In the eighteenth year of (Nabat’s son) King Yarave’am’s reign over Israel, Abiyyam became king of Yehudah. 2 (His mother’s name was Maakah, one of Abishalom’s daughters.) He reigned from Yerushalem 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 Abiyyam 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 Uriyyah the Hittite.[ref] 6 Rehavam’s and Yarave’am’s factions were in a continual state of war during Abiyyam’s reign.[ref] 7 Everything else that Abiyyam did is written in the book of the events of the kings of Yehudah, as the war between Abiyyam and Yarave’am continued.

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