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

Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's² name was Maachah³, the daughter of Abishalom.

And he walked in all the sins⁶ of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart⁷ was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

Nevertheless for David's⁸ sake did the LORD his God give him⁹ a lamp¹⁰ in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish¹¹ Jerusalem:

Because David¹² 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 only¹³ in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

And there was war¹⁴ between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

Now the rest¹⁵ 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 war¹⁶ between Abijam and Jeroboam.

And Abijam¹⁷ slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa¹⁸ his son reigned in his stead.

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

¶ And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's¹⁹ name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

And Asa²⁰ did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

And he took away the sodomites²¹ out of the land, and removed all the idols²² that his fathers had made.

And also Maachah²³ his mother²⁴, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed²⁵ her idol, and burnt²⁶ it by the brook²⁷ Kidron.

But the high places²⁹ were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect³⁰ with the LORD all his days.

And he brought³¹ in the things³² which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.

³³And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

And Baasha³⁴ king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah³⁵, that he might not suffer³⁶ any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Then Asa³⁷ 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 Benhadad³⁸, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus³⁹, saying,

There is a league⁴⁰ 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 league⁴¹ with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart⁴² from me.

¶ So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon⁴³, and Dan⁴⁴, and Abelbethmaachah⁴⁵, and all Cinneroth⁴⁶, with all the land of Naphtali.

And it came to pass, when Baasha⁴⁷ heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah⁴⁸.

Then king Asa made a proclamation⁴⁹ throughout all Judah; none was exempted⁵⁰: 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 Mizpah⁵².

The rest of all⁵⁴ 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 time⁵⁵ of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried⁵⁶ with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat⁵⁷ his son reigned in his stead.

¶ And Nadab⁵⁹ the son of Jeroboam began to reign⁶⁰ over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.

And he did evil⁶¹ in the sight of the LORD, and walked⁶² in the way of his father, and in his sin⁶³ wherewith he made Israel to sin.

And Baasha the son⁶⁴ of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired⁶⁵ against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon⁶⁶, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.

⁶⁷Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not⁶⁸ 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:

¶ Because of the sins⁶⁹ of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation⁷⁰ wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.

Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written⁷¹ in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

And there was war⁷² between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years⁷³.

And he did evil⁷⁴ in the sight of the LORD, and walked⁷⁵ in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.