UNROLL
Dawn in the dry Kidron valley below Jerusalem: a streambed of pale stones and beside it a small heap of gray ash with one thin thread of smoke, olive terraces climbing the Mount of Olives opposite, and the plain stone wall of the city along its ridge at the edge of the frame, under a calm, pale sky.

The Book of

1 Kings 15

One kingdom has become two. In Judah, a young king clears out the idols, even his grandmother’s.

34 verses≈ 7 min9 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–2Solomon's throneThe kingdom made secure
  2. 3–4WisdomA discerning heart
  3. 5–8The templeA house for the LORD's Name
  4. 9–11Glory and fallSolomon's heart turns
  5. 12–16Two kingdomsThe kingdom tornChapter 15
  6. 17–19ElijahThe LORD, He is God
  7. 20–22AhabNaboth and Micaiah

Abijam Reigns in Judah

Judah

Abijam of Judah · 3 years

  1. Jeroboam’s 18th year

    Abijam becomes king

    In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah,

  2. Three years in Jerusalem

    and he reigned in Jerusalem three years.

  3. His mother Maacah

    His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

  4. not like David

    In all his father’s sins

    And Abijam walked in all the sins that his father before him had committed, and his heart was not as fully devoted to the LORD his God as the heart of David his forefather had been.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Night in a stone room of the king's house in Jerusalem: one small clay oil lamp burns steadily in a wall niche, its warm light on cedar beams and a folded royal robe on a bench, and through a small window the dark city on its ridge.

Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and to make Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything the LORD commanded all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

And there was war between the houses of Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Abijam’s life.

As for the rest of the acts of Abijam, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

And Abijam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David, and his son Asa reigned in his place.

Asa Reigns in Judah

Judah

Asa of Judah · 41 years

  1. Jeroboam’s 20th year

    Asa becomes king

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

  2. Forty-one years in Jerusalem

    and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years.

  3. Maacah, the queen mother

    His grandmother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

  4. did right

    Right, as David had done

    And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done.

The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days.

1 Kings 15:14

And he brought into the house of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

Reflect

A whole heart

Asa did not get everything right: “The high places were not removed.” Yet his heart was the LORD’s all his days, even when it cost him his grandmother’s place at court. Is there anything, even something your family has always kept, that the LORD is asking you to give up?

War between Asa and Baasha

ChinnerethTo DamascusNaphtaliJerusalemRamahTirzahIjonDanAbel-beth-maacah

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Asa, Baasha and Ben-hadad

Baasha fortified Ramah, about five miles north of Jerusalem, to shut Judah’s road north. Asa paid Ben-hadad of Damascus, off this map to the northeast, and his armies struck Israel’s northern towns, Ijon, Dan and Abel-beth-maacah, and the land of Naphtali down to Chinnereth by the lake. Baasha pulled back to Tirzah, and Asa used Ramah’s stones to build Geba and Mizpah close by. Ijon’s site is probable.

Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days. Baasha king of Israel went to war against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

Early morning on a stony road through the hills of northern Israel: Asa's servants lead a short line of donkeys laden with heavy leather sacks and small corded wooden chests north toward Damascus, snow-capped Mount Hermon far ahead, under a calm, clear sky.

So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace. He entrusted it to his servants and sent them with this message to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus: “Let there be a treaty between me and you as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the whole land of Naphtali, including the region of Chinnereth.

0:40

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Afternoon on the hilltop at Ramah: a half-built wall of large rough-dressed stones being taken apart, and a long line of the men of Judah, young and old, carrying stones on their shoulders and timbers between pairs of men down the road southward, loaded donkeys among them.

When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. Then King Asa summoned all the men of Judah, with no exceptions, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials King Asa built up Geba of Benjamin, as well as Mizpah.

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

Judah

Asa’s last years

  1. His might and his cities

    Now the rest of the acts of Asa, along with all his might, all his accomplishments, and the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

  2. Diseased in his feet

    In his old age, however, he became diseased in his feet.

  3. Buried; Jehoshaphat reigns

    And Asa rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David, and his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.

Question

Quick question

Asa’s reform reached into his own family.

Where did Asa burn the Asherah pole his grandmother had made?

Nadab Reigns in Israel

Israel

Nadab of Israel · 2 years

  1. Asa’s 2nd year

    Nadab son of Jeroboam

    In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel, and he reigned two years.

  2. did evil

    In his father’s way and sin

    And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Then Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon of the Philistines while Nadab and all Israel were besieging the city. In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha killed Nadab and reigned in his place.

As soon as Baasha became king, he struck down the entire household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone who breathed, but destroyed them all according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he had provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger.

according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite

1 Kings 15:29

As for the rest of the acts of Nadab, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days.

Baasha Reigns in Israel

Morning over Tirzah: a walled town of stone and mud brick on a low mound at the head of a green valley, a spring and stream running down past it, flat-roofed houses and a plain gate, and a road winding down toward the Jordan valley.

Israel

Baasha of Israel · 24 years

  1. Asa’s 3rd year

    Baasha king in Tirzah

    In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah twenty-four years.

  2. did evil

    In the way of Jeroboam

    And Baasha did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Pray

He keeps His word

Jeroboam’s house fell “according to the word that the LORD had spoken.” Thank Him that He keeps every word, in judgment and in mercy, and that “for the sake of David” He kept a lamp burning in Jerusalem. Ask Him for a heart “fully devoted to the LORD all his days,” and for grace to trust Him, not silver or strong allies, when you are pressed.

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1 Kings 15

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A verse to carry with you

The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days.

1 Kings 15:14

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