Chronological
King Abijam of Judah(A)
15 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam (Nebat’s son), Abijam began to rule Judah. 2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Maacah, daughter of Abishalom. 3 He followed the sinful example his father had set and wasn’t committed to Yahweh his Elohim as his ancestor David had been. 4 But for David’s sake Yahweh his Elohim made Abijam a lamp in Jerusalem. He appointed David’s descendant to rule after him and protected Jerusalem. 5 Yahweh did this because David did what Yahweh considered right: David never failed to do anything Yahweh commanded him to do his entire life (except in the matter concerning Uriah the Hittite).
6 There was war between Abijam[a] and Rehoboam throughout their lives.
7 Isn’t everything else about Abijam—everything he did—written in the official records of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 Abijam lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king.
King Asa of Judah(B)
9 In Jeroboam’s twentieth year as king of Israel, Asa began to rule as king of Judah. 10 He ruled 41 years in Jerusalem. His grandmother was named Maacah, daughter of Abishalom.
11 Asa did what Yahweh considered right, as his ancestor David had done. 12 He forced the male temple prostitutes out of the land and got rid of the idols his father had made. 13 He also removed his grandmother Maacah from the position of queen mother because she made a statue of the repulsive goddess Asherah. Asa cut the statue down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although the illegal worship sites were not torn down, Asa remained committed to Yahweh his entire life. 15 He brought into Yahweh’s temple the silver, the gold, and the utensils he and his father had set apart as holy.
King Asa’s War with King Baasha(C)
16 There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel as long as they lived. 17 King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah to keep anyone from going to or coming from King Asa of Judah.
18 Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of Yahweh’s temple and the royal palace and turned them over to his officials. King Asa sent them to Damascus to Aram’s King Benhadad, son of Tabrimmon and grandson of Hezion. 19 He said, “There’s a treaty between you and me as there was between your father and my father. I’m sending you a present of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone.”
20 Benhadad did what King Asa requested. He sent his generals and their armies to attack the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and the entire area around Chinneroth with the entire territory of Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and lived in Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa drafted everyone in Judah and excused no one. He made them carry the stones and lumber from Ramah. Baasha had been using those to fortify the city. King Asa used the materials to fortify Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.
23 Isn’t everything else about Asa—all his heroic acts, everything he did, and the cities he fortified—written in the official records of the kings of Judah? But when he was old, he had a foot disease. 24 Asa lay down in death with his ancestors. He was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor, David. His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king.
King Abijah’s War with King Jeroboam(A)
13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah began to rule Judah. 2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Micaiah, daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 Abijah prepared for battle with an army of 400,000 of the best soldiers, while Jeroboam arranged to oppose him with 800,000 of the best professional soldiers.
4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the mountains of Ephraim. He called out, “Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5 Don’t you know that Yahweh Elohim of Israel gave the kingdom of Israel to David and his descendants forever in a permanent promise?[a] 6 But Jeroboam (Nebat’s son) rebelled against his master. He had been the servant of David’s son Solomon. 7 Worthless, good-for-nothing men gathered around him. They opposed Rehoboam, son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was too young and inexperienced to challenge them. 8 Do you now intend to challenge Yahweh’s kingdom, which has been placed in the hands of David’s descendants? You are a large crowd, and you have the gold calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9 You forced out Yahweh’s priests who were Aaron’s descendants, and you forced out the Levites so that you could appoint your own priests, as the people in foreign countries do. Anyone who has a young bull and seven rams can be ordained as a priest of nonexistent gods.
10 “However, Yahweh is our Elohim. We haven’t abandoned him. The priests who serve Yahweh are Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites assist them. 11 They sacrifice burnt offerings to Yahweh every morning and every evening. They offer sweet-smelling incense and rows of bread on the clean[b] table. The lamps on the gold lamp stand burn every evening. We’re following the instructions Yahweh our Elohim gave us, but you have abandoned him. 12 Elohim is with us as our leader. His priests will sound their trumpets to call the army to fight you. Men of Israel, don’t wage war against Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors. You won’t succeed.”
13 But Jeroboam had set an ambush to attack them from behind. So Jeroboam’s army was in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah’s soldiers looked around, the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to Yahweh, the priests blew the trumpets, 15 and the men of Judah shouted. When they shouted, Elohim attacked Jeroboam and all Israel in front of Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites fled from Judah’s army, and Elohim handed them over to Judah. 17 So Abijah and his men defeated them decisively, and 500,000 of the best men of Israel were killed. 18 So the Israelites were humbled at that time, and the men of Judah won because they trusted Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some of his cities: Bethel and its villages, Jeshanah and its villages, and Ephron and its villages.
20 Jeroboam never regained power during Abijah’s time. Yahweh caused Jeroboam to become sick, and Jeroboam died.
21 But Abijah became strong. He married 14 wives and fathered 22 sons and 16 daughters.
22 Everything else about Abijah—how he lived and what he said—is written in the history by the prophet Iddo.
14 [c]Abijah lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king. In Asa’s time the land had peace for ten years.
King Asa of Judah(B)
2 Asa did what Yahweh his Elohim considered good and right.
3 He got rid of the altars of foreign gods, broke down the sacred stones, and cut down the poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. 4 He told the people of Judah to dedicate their lives to serving Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors and follow his teachings and commands. 5 He got rid of the illegal places of worship and the altars for incense in all the cities of Judah. The kingdom was at peace during his reign.
6 He built fortified cities in Judah because the land had peace. There was no war during those years because Yahweh gave him a time of peace. 7 So Asa told Judah, “Let’s build these cities and make walls around them with towers and doors that can be barred. The country is still ours because we have dedicated our lives to serving Yahweh our Elohim. We have dedicated our lives to him, and he has surrounded us with peace.” So they built the cities, and everything went well.
8 Asa had an army of 300,000 Judeans who were armed with large shields and spears and 280,000 Benjaminites who were armed with small shields and bows. All of these men were good fighting men.
9 Then Zerah from Sudan came with 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots to attack Asa. Zerah got as far as Mareshah. 10 Asa went to confront him, and the two armies set up their battle lines in the Zephathah Valley at Mareshah.
11 Asa called on Yahweh his Elohim. He said, “Yahweh, there is no one except you who can help those who are not strong so that they can fight against a large army. Help us, Yahweh our Elohim, because we are depending on you. In your name we go against this large crowd. You are Yahweh our Elohim. Don’t let anyone successfully oppose you.”
12 Yahweh attacked the Sudanese army in front of Asa and Judah. The Sudanese army fled. 13 Asa and his troops pursued them as far as Gerar. Many of the Sudanese died in battle. As a result, the Sudanese army couldn’t fight again. It was crushed in front of Yahweh and his army. Yahweh’s army captured a lot of goods. 14 It attacked all the cities around Gerar because the cities were afraid of Yahweh. The army looted all the cities because there were many things to take. 15 It also attacked those who were letting their cattle graze and captured many sheep and camels. Then it returned to Jerusalem.
15 The Ruach Elohim came to Azariah, son of Oded. 2 Azariah went to Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all you men from Judah and Benjamin. Yahweh is with you when you are with him. If you will dedicate your lives to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you. 3 For a long time Israel was without the true Elohim, without a priest who taught correctly, and without Moses’ Teachings. 4 But when they were in trouble, they turned to Yahweh Elohim of Israel. When they searched for him, he let them find him. 5 At those times no one could come and go in peace, because everyone living in the land had a lot of turmoil. 6 One nation crushed another nation; one city crushed another. Elohim had tormented them with every kind of trouble. 7 But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded.”
8 When Asa heard the prophet Oded’s words of prophecy, he was encouraged and put away the detestable idols from all of Judah, Benjamin, and the cities he had captured in the mountains of Ephraim. He also repaired Yahweh’s altar in front of Yahweh’s entrance hall.
9 Then Asa gathered all the people from Judah and Benjamin and the foreigners who had come from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon. (Many of them had come to him from Israel when they saw that Asa’s Elohim, Yahweh, was with him.) 10 In the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign, they gathered in Jerusalem. 11 On that day they sacrificed to Yahweh a part of the loot they had brought with them: 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep. 12 They made an agreement with one another to dedicate their lives to serving Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors with all their heart and soul. 13 All people (young or old, male or female) who refused to dedicate their lives to Yahweh Elohim of Israel were to be killed. 14 Asa and the people swore their oath to Yahweh with shouts, singing, and the blowing of trumpets and rams’ horns. 15 All the people of Judah were overjoyed because of the oath, since they took the oath wholeheartedly. They took great pleasure in looking for Yahweh, and he let them find him. So Yahweh surrounded them with peace.
16 King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from the position of queen mother because she made a statue of the repulsive goddess Asherah. Asa cut the statue down, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 17 Although the illegal worship sites in Israel were not taken down, Asa remained committed to the Lord his entire life. 18 He brought into Elohim’s temple the silver, the gold, and the utensils he and his father had set apart as holy.
King Asa’s War with King Baasha(C)
19 There was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah to keep anyone from going to or coming from King Asa of Judah.
2 Then Asa brought out all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of Yahweh’s temple and the royal palace. He sent them to Damascus to Aram’s King Benhadad. 3 He said, “There’s a treaty between you and me as there was between your father and my father. I’m sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone.”
4 Benhadad did what King Asa requested. He sent his generals and their armies to attack the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities in the territory of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work on it.
6 Then King Asa took everyone in Judah to Ramah. He made them carry the stones and lumber from Ramah. Baasha had been using those to fortify the city. Asa used the materials to fortify Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.
7 At that time the seer[d] Hanani came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, “Because you depended on the king of Syria and did not depend on Yahweh your Elohim, the army of the king of Aram has escaped your grasp. 8 Weren’t the Sudanese and Libyans a large army with many chariots and drivers? But when you depended on Yahweh, he handed them over to you. 9 Yahweh’s eyes scan the whole world to find those whose hearts are committed to him and to strengthen them. You acted foolishly in this matter. So from now on, you will have to fight wars.”
10 Asa was furious at the seer. He was so angry with Hanani that he put Hanani in prison. Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time in his reign.
11 Everything about Asa from first to last is written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa got a foot disease that became progressively worse. Instead of asking Yahweh for help, he went to doctors.
13 Asa lay down in death with his ancestors. He died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in the tomb that he had prepared for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bed full of spices and blended perfumes. And they burned a bonfire in his honor.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.