Dictionary Article

Third ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel from 908 to 886 BC and violent founder of the second of its nine dynasties. Baasha was the son of Ahijah of Issachar’s tribe, an unknown whom the Lord lifted “out of the dust” to leadership in the army (1 Kgs 16:2). While the Israelite army was besieging Gibbethon (inhabited by Philistines), Baasha assassinated King Nadab and then destroyed all other heirs of the former king, Nadab’s father, Jeroboam (15:27-29). For much of his 24-year reign, Baasha warred with Asa, king of Judah (vv 16, 32), over control of the north-south traffic between Israel and Judah. Baasha threatened to cut off trade with Jerusalem and blockaded the northern frontier of Judah by building a fortress at Ramah, just north of Jerusalem (vv 17, 21). Fearing the new encroachment, Asa took all the silver and gold from the temple and his palace treasuries and bribed King Ben-hadad of Syria to break alliance with Baasha (vv 18-20). When Ben-hadad battered several of Israel’s northern storage cities and captured land at the headwaters of the Jordan, Baasha lost confidence and withdrew from Judah’s borders (vv 20-21).

God’s Judgment on Baasha

The Bible’s evaluation of Baasha’s reign is not favorable. Baasha “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam, continuing the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit” (1 Kgs 15:34, NLT). He received God’s indictment and judgment through the prophet Jehu: since Baasha had led Israel into sin and had angered God, dogs would eat the members of his family who died in the field (16:1-4). Baasha died and was succeeded by his son Elah. Within two years Elah was assassinated, and all the rest of Baasha’s heirs were put to death by another usurper, Zimri (vv 8-13).

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary