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BOOK 11 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

1 Kings 15

1 Kings book home•Chapter 15 of 22•34 verses
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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

1 Kings 15 Overview

Abijam reigns in Judah and is compared unfavorably with David, though God preserves a lamp in Jerusalem for David’s sake. Asa then reigns forty-one years and is commended for doing right, removing idols and Maachah from royal position, though the high places remain. In Israel, Nadab son of Jeroboam is killed by Baasha, who destroys Jeroboam’s house in fulfillment of prophecy. Baasha nevertheless continues in Jeroboam’s sins and wars with Asa.

1 KingsBook
15Chapter
34Verses
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Before you read 1 Kings 15

Coming from

Chapter 14 announced destruction of Jeroboam’s house and showed Judah’s own corruption under Rehoboam.

In this chapter

Kings on both sides are evaluated, with Asa providing a reforming contrast while Baasha fulfills judgment and repeats the sin of the dynasty he destroys.

Leads into

Chapter 16 turns judgment on Baasha’s house and rapidly moves through Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Kings repeatedly uses David as a royal standard, especially regarding loyalty to the LORD and preservation of the dynasty. That does not make David sinless; verse 5 itself recalls Uriah. Asa is positively evaluated while the high places remain, showing that Scripture can commend a reign overall without pretending reform was complete.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God’s promise to David preserves the dynasty through flawed kings.

Truth 2

Asa’s reform reaches even into his own family.

Truth 3

Baasha fulfills judgment on Jeroboam but then chooses the same condemned worship.

Truth 4

Being used to judge someone else does not make the agent righteous.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Second Samuel 7 stands behind the preserved ‘lamp’ for David.

Connection 2

Second Chronicles 14-16 gives a fuller account of Asa.

Connection 3

First Kings 14 foretold the destruction of Jeroboam’s house fulfilled by Baasha.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not read Asa’s positive evaluation as sinless perfection.

Keep this clear 2

The David standard does not erase David’s adultery and bloodshed.

Keep this clear 3

Baasha’s role in fulfilling prophecy does not excuse his own murders or idolatry.

Read 1 Kings 15 watching for…

How Abijam and Asa are compared with David.

Asa’s reforms.

What remains unreformed.

How Nadab’s death fulfills prophecy.

The irony of Baasha repeating Jeroboam’s sins.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline6 sections
1-8Abijam reigns in Judah and dies9-15Asa reigns and removes much idolatry16-22Asa and Baasha war, and Asa hires Ben-hadad to attack Israel23-24Asa dies, and Jehoshaphat reigns25-32Nadab reigns, and Baasha kills him and destroys Jeroboam’s house33-34Baasha reigns and continues Jeroboam’s sins
1

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

2

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

3

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

4

Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:

5

Because David 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 only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

6

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

7

Now the rest 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 war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

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

13

And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

Then Asa 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 Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

19

There is a league 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 league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

20

So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

21

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

22

Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: 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 Mizpah.

23

The rest of all 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 time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

24

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

25

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

26

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

27

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

28

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

29

And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not 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:

30

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

31

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

32

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

33

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 years.

34

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

STUDY THIS VERSE

1 Kings 15:3

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