I Kings 15: A Tale of Two Kingdoms
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.
And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the Lord all his days.
And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the Lord, silver, and gold, and vessels.
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben–hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
So Ben–hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel–beth–maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger.
Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
I Kings 15 presents a stark contrast between the reigns of kings in Judah and Israel, highlighting the consequences of obedience and disobedience to God. This chapter focuses on the reigns of Abijam and Asa in Judah, and Nadab and Baasha in Israel. It reveals God's faithfulness to His covenant with David, even amidst the unfaithfulness of Judah's kings, and underscores the destructive path of idolatry and rebellion in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Abijam's Short Reign in Judah (I Kings 15:1-8)
Abijam, Rehoboam's son, inherited the throne of Judah and, unfortunately, continued in the sinful ways of his father (I Kings 15:3). He perpetuated idolatrous practices instead of upholding true worship, falling short of the ideal king who defends the faith. The text emphasizes that Abijam's heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD, unlike his ancestor David (I Kings 15:3).
David serves as the benchmark for Judah's kings. While David certainly committed serious sins, like his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, he demonstrated genuine repentance and, crucially, did not succumb to idolatry (I Kings 15:5). God’s commitment to David preserved his royal line (I Kings 15:4).
Abijam's reign, though brief (only three years), was marked by ongoing conflict with Jeroboam, indicating the deep-seated animosity between the two kingdoms (I Kings 15:2, 7). His story concludes with his death and the ascension of his son, Asa, to the throne (I Kings 15:8).
Asa: A Glimmer of Hope in Judah (I Kings 15:9-24)
Asa's reign brought a much-needed breath of fresh air to Judah. He reigned for an impressive forty-one years in Jerusalem (I Kings 15:10), even longer than David or Solomon. The key to Asa's success was his commitment to doing what was right in the LORD's sight, following the example of his ancestor David (I Kings 15:11).
The evidence of Asa's righteousness is clear. He purged the land of male cult prostitutes and removed the idols that his predecessors had made (I Kings 15:12). He even deposed his grandmother from her position as queen mother due to her involvement in idolatry (I Kings 15:13). Although he didn’t remove the high places completely, Asa remained wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD throughout his life (I Kings 15:14). Asa stood as a beacon of truth in Judah, guiding the people through the darkness of apostasy.
However, Asa's faith faltered later in his reign. He faced constant war with King Baasha of Israel (I Kings 15:16). Baasha started the war by fortifying Ramah (I Kings 15:17), a city strategically located on the border between Israel and Judah, only four miles north of Jerusalem. This likely aimed to isolate Judah and control the flow of traffic between the two nations. Instead of seeking God's help, Asa resorted to a political alliance.
In a move that demonstrated a lack of trust in God, Asa emptied the treasuries of the temple and the royal palace to bribe Ben-hadad, the king of Aram (Syria), to break his treaty with Baasha and attack Israel (I Kings 15:18-19). Ben-hadad agreed, attacking Israel from the north and forcing Baasha to withdraw from Ramah (I Kings 15:20-21). Asa then used the materials from the demolished Ramah to build his own defensive towns of Geba and Mizpah (I Kings 15:22). While Asa achieved a military victory, his reliance on human strategy rather than divine help was a significant misstep, as the prophet Hanani pointed out (2 Chronicles 16:7-9).
Despite this lapse in faith, Asa's overall reign was marked by faithfulness to the Lord, a quality expected of a king in David's lineage. He was succeeded by his son Jehoshaphat (I Kings 15:24), whose reign is detailed later in 1 Kings.
The Dark Reigns in Israel (I Kings 15:25-34)
The narrative shifts back to the northern kingdom of Israel, detailing the reigns of Nadab and Baasha. These accounts serve as a sharp contrast to Asa's reign in Judah. The author interrupts the accounts of Judah's kings to highlight the reigns of five kings of the northern kingdom of Israel, including the infamous King Ahab and his wife Jezebel, and their conflicts with the prophet Elijah. Asa's long reign of forty-one years (I Kings 15:10) overlapped with the reigns of several kings in Israel.
Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, reigned for only two years and continued the wicked practices of his father (I Kings 15:25-26). He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight. Nadab's reign was cut short by assassination. He was killed during a battle against the Philistine town of Gibbethon by Baasha, who then seized the throne (I Kings 15:27-28). Baasha then proceeded to eliminate the entire family of Jeroboam (I Kings 15:29), fulfilling the prophecy against Jeroboam for his sins and for leading Israel astray (I Kings 15:29; see I Kings 14:14). Nadab's death marked the end of Jeroboam's dynasty.
Baasha, who gained the kingship through assassination, reigned for twenty-four years in Tirzah (I Kings 15:33). Just as Judah’s kings were measured against David, the kings of Israel were compared to Jeroboam (I Kings 15:34; see I Kings 14:10-11). Like Jeroboam, Baasha did evil in the eyes of the Lord and led Israel into sin.
I Kings 15 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God. Asa's reign demonstrates the blessings that come from seeking God and following His ways, while the reigns of Abijam, Nadab, and Baasha illustrate the consequences of idolatry and rebellion. The chapter underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant with David, even when Judah's kings falter, and highlights the destructive path of the northern kingdom of Israel as they consistently turned away from the Lord. The stories of these kings offer valuable lessons for us today, urging us to examine our own hearts and ensure that we are wholeheartedly devoted to God.
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.
And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the Lord all his days.
And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the Lord, silver, and gold, and vessels.
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben–hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
So Ben–hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel–beth–maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger.
Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
I Kings 15 presents a stark contrast between the reigns of kings in Judah and Israel, highlighting the consequences of obedience and disobedience to God. This chapter focuses on the reigns of Abijam and Asa in Judah, and Nadab and Baasha in Israel. It reveals God's faithfulness to His covenant with David, even amidst the unfaithfulness of Judah's kings, and underscores the destructive path of idolatry and rebellion in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Abijam's Short Reign in Judah (I Kings 15:1-8)
Abijam, Rehoboam's son, inherited the throne of Judah and, unfortunately, continued in the sinful ways of his father (I Kings 15:3). He perpetuated idolatrous practices instead of upholding true worship, falling short of the ideal king who defends the faith. The text emphasizes that Abijam's heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD, unlike his ancestor David (I Kings 15:3).
David serves as the benchmark for Judah's kings. While David certainly committed serious sins, like his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, he demonstrated genuine repentance and, crucially, did not succumb to idolatry (I Kings 15:5). God’s commitment to David preserved his royal line (I Kings 15:4).
Abijam's reign, though brief (only three years), was marked by ongoing conflict with Jeroboam, indicating the deep-seated animosity between the two kingdoms (I Kings 15:2, 7). His story concludes with his death and the ascension of his son, Asa, to the throne (I Kings 15:8).
Asa: A Glimmer of Hope in Judah (I Kings 15:9-24)
Asa's reign brought a much-needed breath of fresh air to Judah. He reigned for an impressive forty-one years in Jerusalem (I Kings 15:10), even longer than David or Solomon. The key to Asa's success was his commitment to doing what was right in the LORD's sight, following the example of his ancestor David (I Kings 15:11).
The evidence of Asa's righteousness is clear. He purged the land of male cult prostitutes and removed the idols that his predecessors had made (I Kings 15:12). He even deposed his grandmother from her position as queen mother due to her involvement in idolatry (I Kings 15:13). Although he didn’t remove the high places completely, Asa remained wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD throughout his life (I Kings 15:14). Asa stood as a beacon of truth in Judah, guiding the people through the darkness of apostasy.
However, Asa's faith faltered later in his reign. He faced constant war with King Baasha of Israel (I Kings 15:16). Baasha started the war by fortifying Ramah (I Kings 15:17), a city strategically located on the border between Israel and Judah, only four miles north of Jerusalem. This likely aimed to isolate Judah and control the flow of traffic between the two nations. Instead of seeking God's help, Asa resorted to a political alliance.
In a move that demonstrated a lack of trust in God, Asa emptied the treasuries of the temple and the royal palace to bribe Ben-hadad, the king of Aram (Syria), to break his treaty with Baasha and attack Israel (I Kings 15:18-19). Ben-hadad agreed, attacking Israel from the north and forcing Baasha to withdraw from Ramah (I Kings 15:20-21). Asa then used the materials from the demolished Ramah to build his own defensive towns of Geba and Mizpah (I Kings 15:22). While Asa achieved a military victory, his reliance on human strategy rather than divine help was a significant misstep, as the prophet Hanani pointed out (2 Chronicles 16:7-9).
Despite this lapse in faith, Asa's overall reign was marked by faithfulness to the Lord, a quality expected of a king in David's lineage. He was succeeded by his son Jehoshaphat (I Kings 15:24), whose reign is detailed later in 1 Kings.
The Dark Reigns in Israel (I Kings 15:25-34)
The narrative shifts back to the northern kingdom of Israel, detailing the reigns of Nadab and Baasha. These accounts serve as a sharp contrast to Asa's reign in Judah. The author interrupts the accounts of Judah's kings to highlight the reigns of five kings of the northern kingdom of Israel, including the infamous King Ahab and his wife Jezebel, and their conflicts with the prophet Elijah. Asa's long reign of forty-one years (I Kings 15:10) overlapped with the reigns of several kings in Israel.
Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, reigned for only two years and continued the wicked practices of his father (I Kings 15:25-26). He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight. Nadab's reign was cut short by assassination. He was killed during a battle against the Philistine town of Gibbethon by Baasha, who then seized the throne (I Kings 15:27-28). Baasha then proceeded to eliminate the entire family of Jeroboam (I Kings 15:29), fulfilling the prophecy against Jeroboam for his sins and for leading Israel astray (I Kings 15:29; see I Kings 14:14). Nadab's death marked the end of Jeroboam's dynasty.
Baasha, who gained the kingship through assassination, reigned for twenty-four years in Tirzah (I Kings 15:33). Just as Judah’s kings were measured against David, the kings of Israel were compared to Jeroboam (I Kings 15:34; see I Kings 14:10-11). Like Jeroboam, Baasha did evil in the eyes of the Lord and led Israel into sin.
I Kings 15 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God. Asa's reign demonstrates the blessings that come from seeking God and following His ways, while the reigns of Abijam, Nadab, and Baasha illustrate the consequences of idolatry and rebellion. The chapter underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant with David, even when Judah's kings falter, and highlights the destructive path of the northern kingdom of Israel as they consistently turned away from the Lord. The stories of these kings offer valuable lessons for us today, urging us to examine our own hearts and ensure that we are wholeheartedly devoted to God.