1 Kings 15 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah.

He ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

He walked in all the failures of his father before him. His heart was not completely devoted to Yahweh his God, not like the heart of his ancestor David.

But for David's sake, Yahweh his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem — raising up his son after him and keeping Jerusalem standing —

because David did what was right in Yahweh's eyes and never turned away from anything he commanded him — except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite — for his entire life.

Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout his entire life.

The rest of what Abijam did — everything he accomplished — isn't it all written down in the official records of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

Then Abijam lay down with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa became king in his place.

In the twentieth year of King Jeroboam of Israel, Asa became king over Judah.

He ruled in Jerusalem for forty-one years. His grandmother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

Asa did what was right in Yahweh's eyes, just like his ancestor David.

He expelled the cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his ancestors had made.

He even removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a disgusting idol for Asherah. Asa cut down her disgusting idol and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

But the high places were not removed. Still, Asa's heart was completely devoted to Yahweh his entire life.

He brought into Yahweh's house the things his father had set apart and the things he himself had set apart — silver, gold, and various articles.

Now there was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their reigns.

King Baasha of Israel came up against Judah and fortified Ramah to cut off all traffic going to or from King Asa of Judah.

So Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of Yahweh's house and the treasuries of the royal palace. He handed them to his officials and sent them to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion, king of Aram, who was living in Damascus, with this message:

"There's a treaty between me and you, just like between my father and your father. Look — I'm sending you a gift of silver and gold. Go break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so he'll pull back from me."

Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent his army commanders against the cities of Israel. He struck down Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, all of Chinnereth, and the entire region of Naphtali.

When Baasha heard about it, he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah.

Then King Asa issued a proclamation to all Judah — no one was exempt — and they hauled away the stones and timber that Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. King Asa used them to fortify Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

The rest of everything Asa did — all his strength, everything he accomplished, and the cities he fortified — isn't it all written down in the official records of the kings of Judah? But in his old age, he developed a disease in his feet.

Then Asa lay down with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoshaphat became king in his place.

Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of King Asa of Judah. He ruled over Israel for two years.

He did what was wrong in Yahweh's eyes, walking in the ways of his father and in his father's failure that he made Israel commit.

Baasha son of Ahijah, from the house of Issachar, plotted against him. Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon.

Baasha killed him in the third year of King Asa of Judah and became king in his place.

As soon as he became king, he struck down Jeroboam's entire family. He didn't leave a single person breathing from Jeroboam's line — he wiped them all out, exactly as Yahweh had spoken through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite,

because of the failures Jeroboam had committed and the failures he made Israel commit, and because of the anger he provoked in Yahweh, the God of Israel.

The rest of what Nadab did — everything he accomplished — isn't it all written down in the official records of the kings of Israel?

There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their reigns.

In the third year of King Asa of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah. He ruled for twenty-four years.

He did what was wrong in Yahweh's eyes, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in his failure that he made Israel commit.