1 Kings 15

King James Version

Full text for 1 Kings Chapter 15

1¶ Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.

2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Maachah, 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 the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

4Nevertheless 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:

5Because 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.

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

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.

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

9¶ And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.

10And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

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

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

13And 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.

14But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.

15And 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.

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

17And 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.

18Then 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 Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

19[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.

20So Benhadad 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 Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

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

22Then 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.

23The 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.

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.

25¶ 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.

26And 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.

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 laid siege to Gibbethon.

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

29And 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:

30Because 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.

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?

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

33In 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.

34And 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

First Kings chapter 15 chronicles the reigns of several kings in Judah and Israel. Abijam of Judah reigned briefly and walked in sin, yet God preserved the Davidic line for David's sake. His successor, Asa, largely did right in the Lord's sight, undertaking significant religious reforms and engaging in war with Israel. In Israel, Nadab's short, wicked reign ended with his assassination by Baasha, who then destroyed Jeroboam's house as prophesied, and also continued in sin.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with Abijam's three-year reign over Judah, during which he followed his father's sinful ways, though God maintained the Davidic lamp for David's faithfulness. Abijam engaged in war with Jeroboam of Israel. Asa then succeeded Abijam, reigning for forty-one years and largely doing what was right in the Lord's eyes, akin to David. Asa actively purged the land of sodomites and idols, even removing his idolatrous mother, Maachah, from her position. While he did not remove all high places, his heart was perfect with the Lord. Asa faced continuous war with Baasha of Israel, strategically forming an alliance with Benhadad of Syria to counter Baasha's aggression. The chapter also records the brief, wicked reign of Nadab, son of Jeroboam, in Israel, who was assassinated by Baasha. Baasha then utterly destroyed Jeroboam's lineage, fulfilling divine prophecy, and subsequently reigned over Israel, continuing in the sinful ways of Jeroboam.

Long Summary

First Kings chapter 15 chronicles the reigns of Abijam and Asa in Judah, and Nadab and Baasha in Israel, highlighting their spiritual conduct and political conflicts. Abijam, son of Rehoboam, reigned over Judah for three years, continuing in the sins of his father, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord. Despite Abijam's unfaithfulness, God preserved the Davidic dynasty in Jerusalem for the sake of David's righteousness, who had largely obeyed the Lord throughout his life, save for the matter of Uriah. Abijam also engaged in ongoing warfare with Jeroboam of Israel. Following Abijam's death, his son Asa ascended the throne of Judah, reigning for forty-one years. Asa distinguished himself by doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, emulating his ancestor David. He undertook significant religious reforms, expelling sodomites and destroying the idols that his predecessors had established. Notably, Asa even removed his own mother, Maachah, from her queenly status because she had made an abominable idol, which Asa then destroyed. Although Asa did not remove all the high places, his heart remained perfect with the Lord throughout his days, and he dedicated sacred treasures to the house of the Lord. A persistent state of war existed between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel. When Baasha fortified Ramah to restrict movement into and out of Judah, Asa strategically depleted the temple and royal treasuries to form an alliance with Benhadad, king of Syria. Benhadad's subsequent attacks on northern Israelite cities compelled Baasha to withdraw from Ramah, allowing Asa to repurpose the building materials for his own fortifications. The chapter notes Asa's might and building efforts, though he suffered from a foot disease in his old age before his death. In Israel, Nadab, son of Jeroboam, reigned for two years, continuing his father's wicked practices. Baasha of Issachar conspired against Nadab, assassinating him during a siege against Gibbethon. Upon seizing the throne, Baasha systematically annihilated Jeroboam's entire household, fulfilling the prophecy spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite concerning Jeroboam's sins. Baasha then reigned for twenty-four years, also doing evil in the sight of the Lord and perpetuating Jeroboam's sinful legacy, with continuous war between him and Asa.

Core Concepts

  • Davidic CovenantGod's faithfulness to David's lineage is highlighted, as He preserves a "lamp" in Jerusalem for David's sake, despite the unrighteousness of subsequent kings like Abijam.
  • Idolatry and ReformAsa's reign is marked by significant efforts to remove idolatry from Judah, including the expulsion of sodomites and the destruction of idols, even those made by his own mother.
  • High PlacesDespite Asa's reforms, the "high places" were not removed, indicating a persistent challenge to complete religious purity, even for a king whose heart was otherwise "perfect with the LORD."
  • Inter-kingdom WarfareThe chapter details continuous military conflict between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, specifically between Abijam and Jeroboam, and later between Asa and Baasha.
  • Prophetic FulfillmentBaasha's destruction of Jeroboam's entire house is explicitly stated as the fulfillment of the Lord's word spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite, demonstrating divine judgment against Jeroboam's sins.
  • Strategic AlliancesKing Asa's pragmatic decision to use temple and royal treasures to forge an alliance with Benhadad of Syria against Baasha of Israel illustrates the political maneuvering of the era.
  • Legacy of SinBoth Abijam and Nadab are noted for walking "in all the sins of his father," and Baasha also followed "the way of Jeroboam," demonstrating a pattern of inherited unrighteousness among the kings of Israel.