1 Kings 15

1Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat began Abijam to reign over Judah.

1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Abijam became the king of Judah.

2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

2He ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.

3And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as the heart of David his father.

3He committed all the same sins that his father had done before him. He was not completely faithful to the LORD his God, unlike his ancestor David.

4Nevertheless for David’s sake did Jehovah his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem;

4However, for David’s sake, the LORD his God allowed his dynasty to continue in Jerusalem, giving him a son to rule after him and keeping Jerusalem secure.

5because David did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

5This was because David had done what was right in the LORD’s eyes. He did not disobey any of the LORD’s commands his entire life, except in the matter involving Uriah the Hittite.

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

6There was constant war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their lives.

7And 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.

7Everything else Abijam did is recorded in the scrolls of the history of the kings of Judah. There was also war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

8And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

8Abijam died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Asa became the next king.

9And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Asa to reign over Judah.

9In the twentieth year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became the king of Judah.

10And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

10He ruled in Jerusalem for forty-one years. His grandmother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.

11And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as did David his father.

11Asa did what was right in the LORD’s eyes, just as his ancestor David had done.

12And he put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

12He kicked the male shrine prostitutes out of the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.

13And also Maacah his mother he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

13He even removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a disgusting pole for the goddess Asherah. Asa cut down her idol and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

14But the high places were not taken away: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Jehovah all his days.

14Although the shrines on the high hills were not removed, Asa was completely committed to the LORD throughout his life.

15And he brought into the house of Jehovah the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

15He brought the silver, gold, and various articles that he and his father had dedicated into the temple of the LORD.

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

16There was war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel as long as they both lived.

17And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

17King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified the town of Ramah to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa’s territory.

18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of Jehovah, 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 Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

18Then Asa took all the silver and gold left in the treasuries of the LORD’s temple and his own palace. He handed it to his officials and sent them to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Syria who ruled in Damascus.

19There is a league between me and thee, between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

19He sent this message: 'Let there be a treaty between us, like the one between my father and your father. I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will withdraw from my land.'

20And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

20Ben-hadad agreed with King Asa and sent his army commanders against the cities of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the entire area around the Sea of Galilee, including the land of Naphtali.

21And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.

21When Baasha heard about this, he stopped building up Ramah and retreated to Tirzah.

22Then king Asa made a proclamation unto all Judah; none was exempted: and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built therewith Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

22Then King Asa sent an order to everyone in Judah—no one was exempt. They hauled away the stones and timber Baasha had been using at Ramah. King Asa used those materials to fortify the towns of Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.

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.

23The rest of the events of Asa’s reign, including his military successes, his achievements, and the cities he built, are recorded in the scrolls of the history of the kings of Judah. When he was old, however, he developed a disease in his feet.

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 stead.

24Asa died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jehoshaphat became the next king.

25And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; and he reigned over Israel two years.

25Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel during the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He ruled Israel for two years.

26And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

26He did what was evil in the LORD’s eyes. He followed the example of his father and continued the same sins that Jeroboam had used to lead Israel into sin.

27And 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 were laying siege to Gibbethon.

27Then Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against Nadab. Baasha assassinated him at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and the Israelite army were attacking it.

28Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

28Baasha killed Nadab during the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah and became the next king of Israel.

29And it came to pass that, as soon as he was king, 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 Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite;

29As soon as he became king, he killed everyone in Jeroboam’s family. He did not leave a single person alive, just as the LORD had predicted through his servant Ahijah from Shiloh.

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

30This happened because of the sins Jeroboam committed and led Israel to commit, which made the LORD, the God of Israel, very angry.

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?

31Everything else Nadab did is recorded in the scrolls of the history of the kings of Israel.

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

32There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel.

33In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty and four years.

33In the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel. He ruled in Tirzah for twenty-four years.

34And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

34He did what was evil in the LORD’s eyes, following the example of Jeroboam and the sins he had used to lead Israel into sin.