Abijam, king of Judah
1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah 2and reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah, daughter of Abishalom. 3He imitated all the sins his father had committed before him and, unlike his ancestor David, was not wholly faithful to Yahweh, his God. 4Yet Yahweh had promised David that he would keep his lamp burning in Jerusalem; he would raise his descendants after him and establish Jerusalem. 5This was because David had pleased Yahweh and did not disobey any of his commands as long as he lived, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 6The rest of the events of Abijam’s reign and everything he did are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. 7There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8When Abijam rested with his fathers, he was buried in the city of David, and his son Asa reigned in his place.
Asa, king of Judah
9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam, king of Israel, Asa, king of Judah, began to reign and 10was king for forty-one years, ruling in Jerusalem. His grandmother was Maacah, daughter of Abishalom. 11Asa did what was right before Yahweh, just as his ancestor David had done. 12He rid the land of male cult prostitutes and removed all the idols his ancestors had made. 13He also deposed his grandmother Maacah as queen mother, for having made an abominable image for Asherah. Asa destroyed Asherah’s image and burned it at the brook Kidron; 14he did not, however, close down the high places. Nevertheless, Asa remained faithful to Yahweh for the rest of his life. 15He brought into Yahweh’s house both the votive gifts of his father and his own: silver, gold and vessels.
16Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, were at war during their reigns. 17Baasha, king of Israel, attacked Judah and fortified Ramah to cut off all communication with Asa, king of Judah. 18Asa, in the meantime, collecting all the silver and gold remaining in the treasuries of the temple of Yahweh and the royal palace, entrusted them to his servants whom he sent to Ben-hadad, son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, king of Syria who reigned in Damascus. 19He sent him this message, “Let us together make a treaty just as my father and yours did. I am sending you silver and gold, so please break your treaty with Baasha, king of Israel that he may withdraw from my territory.”
20Ben-hadad acceded to King Asa’s request and sent his officers to harass the cities of Israel, capturing Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, all the land of Chinneroth and the region of Naphtali. 21On hearing this, Baasha stopped the fortification of Ramah and moved to Tirzah where he lived. 22Then King Asa issued an order to all of Judah, excluding no one, to take away the stones and timber which Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. With these materials, King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. 23The rest of Asa’s reign, his bravery, his deeds and the cities which he built are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. In his old age, Asa suffered from a foot disease. 24Asa then rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his ancestor. His son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.
Nadab and Baasha, kings of Israel
25Nadab, son of Jeroboam, began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa, king of Judah. 26He reigned over Israel for two years, doing what displeased Yahweh and dragging Israel into sin as his father had done.
27Baasha, son of Ahijah of the family of Issachar, plotted against him and struck him down at Gibbethon of the Philistines when Nadab and the Israelites were laying siege to this city. 28Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29As soon as he was king, he killed off the entire family of Jeroboam, leaving him no one alive but wiping them out according to the word which Yahweh had spoken through his servant Ahijah, the Shilonite. 30This happened because of Jeroboam who aroused the anger of Yahweh, the God of Israel, by sinning and dragging Israel into sin.
31The rest of the events of Nadab’s reign and his achievements are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 32Asa and Baasha were at war during their reigns.
33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha, son of Ahijah, began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah where he reigned for twenty-four years. 34He did what displeased Yahweh and sinned just as Jeroboam, who dragged Israel into sin, had done.
