1 Kings 15:25-16:7

Contemporary English Version

King Nadab of Israel

²⁵Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Asa's second year as king of Judah, and he ruled two years. ²⁶Nadab disobeyed the Lord by following the evil example of his father, who had caused the Israelites to sin.

^27-28Baasha son of Ahijah was from the tribe of Issachar, and he made plans to kill Nadab. When Nadab and his army went to attack the town of Gibbethon in Philistia, Baasha killed Nadab there. So in the third year of Asa's rule, Baasha became king of Israel.

²⁹^(A) The Lord's prophet Ahijah had earlier said, “Not one man or boy in Jeroboam's family will be left alive.” And, as soon as Baasha became king, he killed everyone in Jeroboam's family, ³⁰because Jeroboam had made the Lord God of Israel angry by sinning and causing the Israelites to sin.

³¹Everything else Nadab did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.

³²King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel were always at war.

King Baasha of Israel

³³Baasha son of Ahijah became king of Israel in Asa's third year as king of Judah, and he ruled 24 years from Tirzah. ³⁴Baasha also disobeyed the Lord by acting like Jeroboam, who had caused the Israelites to sin.

16 The Lord sent Jehu son of Hanani to say to Baasha:

²Nobody knew who you were until I, the Lord, chose you^[a] to be the leader of my people Israel. And now you're acting exactly like Jeroboam by causing the Israelites to sin. What you've done has made me so angry ³that I will destroy you and your family, just as I did the family of Jeroboam. ⁴Dogs will eat the bodies of your relatives who die in town, and vultures will eat the bodies of those who die in the country.

^5-7Baasha made the Lord very angry, and that's why the Lord gave Jehu this message for Baasha and his family. Baasha constantly disobeyed the Lord by following Jeroboam's sinful example—but even worse, he killed everyone in Jeroboam's family!

Everything else Baasha did while he was king, including his brave deeds, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel. Baasha died and was buried in Tirzah, and his son Elah became king.