New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
1 Kings 15
1
Abijah became king of Judah. It was in the 18th year of Jeroboam's rule over Israel. Jeroboam was the son of Nebat.
2
Abijah ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother's name was Maacah. She was Abishalom's daughter.
Reference
People
Kingdom
2 Chronicles 13:2
3
Abijah committed all of the sins his father had committed before him. Abijah didn't follow the Lord his God with all his heart. He didn't do what King David had done.
Reference
4
But the Lord still kept the lamp of Abijah's kingdom burning brightly in Jerusalem. He did it by giving him a son to be the next king after him. He also did it by making Jerusalem strong. The Lord did those things because of David.
Reference
5
David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He had kept all of the Lord's commands. He had obeyed them all the days of his life. But he hadn't obeyed the Lord in the case of Uriah, the Hittite.
Reference
6
There was war between Jeroboam and Abijah's father Rehoboam. The war continued all through Abijah's life.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Kings 14:30
7
The other events of Abijah's rule are written down. Everything he did is written down. All of those things are written in the official records of the kings of Judah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
8
Abijah joined the members of his family who had already died. His body was buried in the City of David. His son Asa became the next king after him.
Reference
10
Asa ruled in Jerusalem for 41 years. His grandmother's name was Maacah. She was Abishalom's daughter.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Kings 15:2
11
Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. That's what King David had done.
Reference
References Lord
2 Chronicles 14:2
12
Asa threw out of the land the male prostitutes who were at the temples. He got rid of all of the statues of gods his people before him had made.
Reference
13
He even removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother. That's because she had made a pole that was used to worship the goddess Asherah. The Lord hated it. So Asa cut it down. He burned it in the Kidron Valley.
Reference
Creation
Exodus 32:20
14
Asa didn't remove the high places from Israel. But he committed his whole life completely to the Lord.
Reference
15
He and his father had set apart silver, gold and other articles to the Lord. He brought them into the Lord's temple.
Reference
References Lord
1 Kings 7:51
16
There was war between Asa and Baasha, the king of Israel. It lasted the whole time they were kings.
Reference
People
Kingdom
1 Kings 15:32
17
Baasha was king of Israel. He marched out against Judah. He built up the walls of Ramah. He did it to keep people from leaving or entering the territory of Asa, the king of Judah.
Reference
18
Asa took all of the silver and gold that was left among the treasures of the Lord's temple and his own palace. He put his officials in charge of it. He sent the officials to Ben-Hadad. Ben-Hadad was king of Aram. He was ruling in Damascus. He was the son of Tabrimmon and the grandson of Hezion.
Reference
People
19
"Let's make a peace treaty between us," Asa said. "My father and your father had made a peace treaty between them. Now I'm sending you a gift of silver and gold. So break your treaty with Baasha, the king of Israel. Then he'll go back home."
20
Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa. He sent his army commanders against the towns of Israel. He attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah and the whole area of Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.
Reference
📍 Locations
Kingdom
2 Kings 15:29
Joshua 11:2
Parallel theme
Joshua 12:3
1 Kings 12:29
References Israel
Judges 18:29
21
Baasha heard about it. So he stopped building up Ramah. He went back home to Tirzah.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Kings 14:17
22
Then King Asa gave an order to all of the men of Judah. Everyone was required to help. They carried away from Ramah the stones and wood Baasha had been using there. King Asa used them to build up Geba in the territory of Benjamin. He also used them to build up Mizpah.
Reference
23
All of the other events of Asa's rule are written down. Everything he accomplished is written down. Everything he did and the cities he built are written down. They are written in the official records of the kings of Judah. But when Asa became old, his feet began to give him trouble.
24
He joined the members of his family who had already died. His body was buried in his family tomb. It was in the city of King David. Asa's son Jehoshaphat became the next king after him.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Matthew 1:8
25
Nadab became king of Israel. It was in the second year that Asa was king of Judah. Nadab ruled over Israel for two years. He was the son of Jeroboam.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Kings 14:20
26
Nadab did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He lived the way his father had lived. He sinned as his father had sinned. Jeroboam had also caused Israel to commit the same sins.
Reference
27
Baasha was from the tribe of Issachar. He was the son of Ahijah. Baasha made plans against Nadab and struck him down at Gibbethon. It was a Philistine town. Baasha struck him down while Nadab and all of the men of Israel were getting ready to attack Gibbethon.
Reference
People
28
He killed Nadab in the third year that Asa was king of Judah. Baasha became the next king after Nadab.
29
As soon as Baasha became king, he killed Jeroboam's whole family. He didn't leave any of them alive. He destroyed every one of them. He did what the Lord had said would happen. The Lord had spoken that message through his servant Ahijah from Shiloh.
30
The Lord judged Jeroboam's family because of the sins Jeroboam had committed. He had also caused Israel to commit those same sins. He had made the Lord very angry. The Lord is the God of Israel.
Reference
Creation
1 Kings 15:26
31
The other events of Nadab's rule are written down. Everything he did is written down. All of those things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Kings 14:19
32
There was war between Asa and Baasha, the king of Israel. It lasted the whole time they were kings.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Kings 15:16
33
Baasha became king of Israel in Tirzah. It was in the third year that Asa was king of Judah. Baasha ruled for 24 years. He was the son of Ahijah.
Summary of 1 Kings 15
This chapter describes the contrasting spiritual paths of the kings of Judah and Israel during the early years of the divided kingdom. The chapter highlights God's faithfulness to His covenant with David while showing the consequences of continued rebellion among Israel's rulers.
The chapter begins with Abijam, son of Rehoboam, becoming king of Judah. Although he belonged to David's royal line, he followed the sinful practices of his father and failed to fully obey God. Nevertheless, God preserved Jerusalem and the Davidic dynasty because of His promise to David.
After Abijam's short reign, Asa became king of Judah. Asa stands out as one of the first kings after David who actively sought to restore proper worship. He removed idols, eliminated immoral religious practices, and even removed his own grandmother Maacah from her position because of her involvement in idol worship. His reforms showed courage and commitment to God.
However, Asa's reign also revealed human weakness. When Baasha king of Israel threatened Judah by fortifying Ramah, Asa formed an alliance with Syria and used Temple treasures to gain military assistance. Although the strategy succeeded, it demonstrated that Asa relied on political solutions rather than fully trusting God.
The chapter then returns to northern Israel and describes the downfall of Jeroboam's dynasty. Nadab, Jeroboam's son, continued his father's sinful ways and was assassinated by Baasha. Baasha destroyed all of Jeroboam's descendants, fulfilling God's judgment against Jeroboam's house.
Despite removing Jeroboam's family, Baasha repeated the same spiritual mistakes. He continued the false worship system that Jeroboam had established.
The chapter presents two important contrasts:
- Asa showed that reform and obedience can bring renewal, even in difficult times.
- Israel's kings showed that political change without spiritual transformation does not solve the deeper problem.
Ultimately, the chapter teaches that God's promises remain faithful, but leaders and nations still face consequences when they turn away from Him.
The chapter begins with Abijam, son of Rehoboam, becoming king of Judah. Although he belonged to David's royal line, he followed the sinful practices of his father and failed to fully obey God. Nevertheless, God preserved Jerusalem and the Davidic dynasty because of His promise to David.
After Abijam's short reign, Asa became king of Judah. Asa stands out as one of the first kings after David who actively sought to restore proper worship. He removed idols, eliminated immoral religious practices, and even removed his own grandmother Maacah from her position because of her involvement in idol worship. His reforms showed courage and commitment to God.
However, Asa's reign also revealed human weakness. When Baasha king of Israel threatened Judah by fortifying Ramah, Asa formed an alliance with Syria and used Temple treasures to gain military assistance. Although the strategy succeeded, it demonstrated that Asa relied on political solutions rather than fully trusting God.
The chapter then returns to northern Israel and describes the downfall of Jeroboam's dynasty. Nadab, Jeroboam's son, continued his father's sinful ways and was assassinated by Baasha. Baasha destroyed all of Jeroboam's descendants, fulfilling God's judgment against Jeroboam's house.
Despite removing Jeroboam's family, Baasha repeated the same spiritual mistakes. He continued the false worship system that Jeroboam had established.
The chapter presents two important contrasts:
- Asa showed that reform and obedience can bring renewal, even in difficult times.
- Israel's kings showed that political change without spiritual transformation does not solve the deeper problem.
Ultimately, the chapter teaches that God's promises remain faithful, but leaders and nations still face consequences when they turn away from Him.