International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Abijah reigned over Judah starting in the eighteenth year of Nebat's son Jeroboam's reign.

1Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah.

2He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.

2He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

3He practiced the same sins that his father committed before he was born. Unlike his ancestor David, his heart never became devoted to the LORD his God.

3He walked in all the sins of his father which he had committed before him; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David.

4Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God maintained a lamp for David in Jerusalem by raising up his son after him so that Jerusalem would be established,

4But for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem;

5because David had practiced what the LORD considered to be right. He never avoided anything that the LORD had commanded him during his entire lifetime, except for the case of Uriah the Hittite.

5because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

6There was continual military conflict between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout his entire lifetime.

6There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

7The rest of Abijah's accomplishments, including everything he undertook, are written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? And a state of war continued to exist between Abijah and Jeroboam.

7Now 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.

8Eventually, Abijah died, as did his ancestors, and he was buried in the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king.

8And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place.

9Asa began to reign as Judah's king during the twentieth year of the reign of Jeroboam as king over Israel.

9So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah.

10He reigned 41 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.

10He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

11Asa practiced what the LORD considered to be right, just like his ancestor David.

11Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father.

12He also removed the male cult prostitutes from the land and destroyed all the idols that his ancestors had made.

12He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made.

13He removed his mother Maacah from her position as Queen Mother because she had made a detestable image dedicated to Asherah. Asa cut down his mother's idol, crushed it, and burned it at the Kidron Brook.

13He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron.

14Nevertheless, the high places were not removed, even though Asa's heart was blameless toward the LORD all of his life.

14But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the LORD all his days.

15Asa brought into the LORD's Temple the things that his father had dedicated, as well as his own dedicated gifts such as silver, gold, and temple service implements.

15He brought into the house of the LORD the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils.

16A state of continual military unrest existed between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their lifetimes.

16Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

17King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and interdicted Ramah by building fortifications around it so no one could enter or leave to join King Asa of Judah.

17Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.

18But Asa removed all the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord's Temple and from his royal palace, placed them into the care of some servants, and then sent them to Tabrimmon's son King Ben-hadad of Aram, the grandson of Hezion, who lived in Damascus.

18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries 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 Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying,

19"Let's make a treaty between you and me," he said, "just like the one between my father and your father. Notice that I've sent you silver and gold to break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he'll retreat from his attack on me."

19"Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me."

20So King Ben-hadad did just what King Asa had asked: he sent his commanding officers to attack the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, all of Chinneroth, and the territory of Naphtali.

20So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali.

21When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah,

21When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah.

22so King Asa published a proclamation throughout Judah (no one was left out) and they carried away the stones and timber with which Baasha had been fortifying Judah. King Asa used them to fortify Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.

22Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah-- none was exempt-- and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

23The rest of Asa's accomplishments, his strength, everything that he undertook, and the cities that he fortified are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? However, as he approached old age, he became diseased in his feet.

23Now 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? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

24Then Asa died, as had his ancestors, and he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David, his ancestor. His son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.

24And 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 place.

25Jeroboam's son Nadab became king over Israel during the second year of the reign of King Asa over Judah. He reigned over Israel for two years,

25Now Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.

26practicing what the LORD considered to be evil, living the way his father did, committing sins, and leading Israel to sin.

26He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin.

27So Ahijah's son Baasha from the household of Issachar conspired against him and killed Nadab at Gibbethon in Philistia while Nadab and all of Israel were attacking Gibbethon.

27Then Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.

28Baasha killed him during the third year of the reign of King Asa of Judah and took Nadab's place as king.

28So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place.

29As soon as he was established as king, he killed everyone in the household of Jeroboam. He left not even one single person alive. He destroyed them completely, just as the LORD had spoken through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite,

29It came about as soon as he was king, he struck down all the household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam any persons alive, until he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,

30because of the sins that Jeroboam had committed, and because he led Israel into sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to become angry.

30and because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.

31Now the rest of Nadab's accomplishments, including everything he undertook, are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not?

31Now 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?

32Meanwhile, a state of war continued to exist between Asa and Baasha king of Israel, throughout their reigns.

32There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

33During the third year of the reign of King Asa of Judah, Ahijah's son Baasha became king over all of Israel. He reigned for 24 years at Tirzah.

33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years.

34He practiced what the LORD considered to be evil, living like Jeroboam did and leading Israel into sin.

34He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.

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