Open English Translation 1KI Chapter 15

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.

9 In the twentieth year of King Yarave’am’s reign over Israel, Asa became king of Yehudah 10 and reigned from Yerushalem for forty-one years. (His grandmother was Abishalom’s 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 Baasha of Israel were in a continual state of war during their reigns. 17 King Baasha invaded Yehudah 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 Tabrimmon, son of King Hezion of Aram who lived in 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 Baasha of Israel 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, Abel-Beyt-Maakah, and all Kinnerot along with all Naftali region. 21 When King Baasha 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 Baasha’s fortifications, and king Asa used the materials to build Geba (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 the City of David (also his ancestor) and his son Yehoshafat replaced him as king.

25 In the second year of Asa’s reign over Yehudah, Yarave’am’s son Nadav became king of 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 Israel to sin.

27 A man named Baasha (from the Yissashkar tribe) plotted against King Nadav and killed him at the Philistine city of Gibbeton when Nadav and all Israel were besieging the city. 28 It was the third year of King Asa’s reign in Yehudah when Baasha killed King Nadav, then Baasha took over as king of Israel. 29 As soon as he took over, he had Yarave’am’s entire family executed—not leaving a single one of them alive. This fulfilled what Yahweh had said through his servant Ahiyyah the Shilonite,[ref] 30 because Yarave’am’s own sins, as well as his causing Israel 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 Israel. 32 King Asa and King Baasha of Israel were in a continual state of war during their reigns.

33 Ahiyyah’s son Baasha began to reign over Israel in the third year of King Asa’s reign over Yehudah, and he ruled from Tirtsah for twenty-four years. 34 He did what Yahweh had said was evil, similar to Nabat’s son Yarave’am’s behaviour and his sin that in turn, caused Israel to sin.