OET INT FRT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEUT JOB YEHO (JOS) HERO (JDG) RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG YOEL (JOEL) MIC ISA ZEP HAB YIR (JER) LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBAD DAN EZEK EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL 2 PS WIS TOB MAN BAR G DAN G ESD L ESD ESG JDT 3 MAC SIR 1 MAC 2 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL LAOD PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
OET 1 KI Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22
OET KI1 15 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33 V34
This is still an early look into the drafted text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.
15 In the eighteenth year of (Nevat’s son) King Yarov’am’s (Jeroboam’s) reign over Yisrael (Israel), Aviyam became king of Yehudah (Judah). 2 ⇔(His mother’s name was Ma’akah, one of Avshalom’s (Absalom’s) 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 Hiti.[ref] 6 Rehav’am’s (Rehoboam’s) 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 David’s city, and his son Asa replaced him as king.
9 In the twentieth year of King Yarov’am’s (Jeroboam’s) 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’s) daughter Ma’akah.) 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 Ma’akah 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 Tavrimon, 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 Iyon, Dan, Avel-Beyt-Ma’akah, and all Kineret 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) 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 his ancestor David’s city and his son Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) replaced him as king.
25 In the second year of Asa’s reign over Yehudah (Judah), Yarov’am’s (Jeroboam’s) son Nadav became king of Yisrael (Israel) where he reigned for two years. 26 He did what Yahweh had said was evil, following his father’s behaviour and his sin that in turn, caused Yisrael to sin.
27 A man named Baesha (from the Yisakar (Issachar) tribe) plotted against King Nadav and killed him at the Pelishti city of Gibton when Nadav and all Yisrael were besieging the city. 28 It was the third year of King Asa’s reign in Yehudah when Baesha killed King Nadav, then Baesha took over as king of Yisrael. 29 As soon as he took over, he had Yarov’am’s entire family executed—not leaving a single one of them alive. That fulfilled what Yahweh had said through his servant Ahiyah the Shiloni,[ref] 30 because Yarov’am’s own sins, as well as his causing Yisrael to sin, had provoked Yahweh into getting angry.
31 Everything else that Nadav did is written in the book of the events of the kings of Yisrael. 32 King Asa and King Baesha of Yisrael were in a continual state of war during their reigns.
33 Ahiyah’s son Baesha began to reign over Yisrael (Israel) in the third year of King Asa’s reign over Yehudah (Judah), and he ruled from Tirtsah for twenty-four years. 34 He did what Yahweh had said was evil, similar to Nevat’s son Yarov’am’s (Jeroboam’s) behaviour and his sin that in turn, caused Yisrael to sin.
1 Kings 15:1-8; 2 Chronicles 13
From Sunday School lessons to inspiring sermons, modern portrayals of biblical characters often suffer from overly simplistic, two-dimensional perspectives on people’s moral character and deeds, but a careful reading of Scripture often shows reality to be more complex. The story of Abijah is ripe for similar misunderstanding unless one reads both biblical accounts of his reign. Abijah (also called Abijam) son of Rehoboam reigned for only three short years over Judah, and 1 Kings 15:3 tersely notes that “he committed all the sins that his father did before him; his heart was not true to the Lord his God.” It also notes that Abijah’s entire reign was marked by war with Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:6). From this it would be easy to assume that his reign was characterized only by wickedness and moral decline. Yet 2 Chronicles, though silent on the final assessment of Abijah’s overall character, seems to present Abijah as a leader who takes up the righteous cause of bringing the rebellious northern tribes of Israel back under the fold of Judah’s Davidic dynasty and Aaronic priesthood, though he was ultimately unsuccessful. As part of this effort, Abijah makes a foray into the northern tribes’ territory and arrives at Mount Zemaraim, but Jeroboam confronts him there with twice the amount of forces. The location of Mount Zemaraim is not certain, but it may have been located at the twin hills (which may explain the dual form of the name) of Ras ez Zemara, which suggests Abijah was advancing along a secondary route to avoid initial detection or fortifications along the main Central Ridge Route. There Abijah calls upon Jeroboam and all Israel to return to the leadership of David and Aaron. While Abijah is making his appeal, however, Jeroboam positions some of his forces in ambush behind Abijah’s forces, but Abijah’s men win a great victory over them and capture the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron (also called Ophrah). The writer of Chronicles notes that Abijah’s forces were victorious “because they relied on the Lord” and that Jeroboam never recovered from his weakened power for the rest of his reign, while Abijah grew strong (though Abijah’s reign was only for three years).
OET 1 KI Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22