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.
The book of 1 Kings is part of the Old Testament in the Bible and it is the eleventh book in the order of the Old Testament. It is believed that the book was written by the prophet Jeremiah, however, there is no concrete evidence to support this claim. The book of 1 Kings is a historical account of the reign of King Solomon and the division of the kingdom of Israel after his death. It also covers the reigns of his successors, including King Rehoboam, King Abijam, and King Asa. Chapter 15 of 1 Kings continues with the account of the kings of Judah and Israel, focusing mainly on the reign of King Abijam of Judah and King Nadab of Israel.
The main themes of 1 Kings chapter 15 revolve around the disobedience of the kings of Israel and Judah, the consequences of their actions, and the faithfulness of God towards his people. This chapter also highlights the importance of following God’s commandments and the consequences of straying away from them.
The Disobedience of the Kings
The chapter begins with the reign of King Abijam of Judah, who is described as walking in the ways of his father, King Rehoboam, and not departing from them. However, it is mentioned that he did not have a heart devoted to the Lord like his ancestor King David. Despite this, the Lord allowed him to reign for three years because of his father David’s sake. This shows that God is faithful to his promises and his covenant with David, even though Abijam may not have been fully devoted to him.
On the other hand, King Nadab of Israel, the son of King Jeroboam, is described as doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and following in the footsteps of his father. He only reigned for two years before being assassinated by Baasha, one of his officials, who then became the king of Israel. This shows the consequences of disobedience and straying away from God’s commandments. The Lord had warned Jeroboam about the consequences of his actions, and this is now being fulfilled in the life of his son.
The Consequences of Disobedience
The consequences of disobedience are further highlighted in the story of Baasha, who becomes the king of Israel after assassinating Nadab. He is described as doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and walking in the ways of Jeroboam. The Lord sends a message to Baasha through the prophet Jehu, saying that he will wipe out his entire family because of his disobedience and the sins he has caused Israel to commit. This shows the seriousness of disobeying God’s commandments and the consequences that follow.
The consequences of disobedience are also seen in the life of King Asa of Judah, who is described as doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. However, he failed to remove the high places where the people still sacrificed and burned incense, which was against God’s commandments. As a result, the Lord sent a disease upon Asa’s feet and he did not seek help from the Lord, but from physicians. This shows that even though Asa was a good king, he still had areas in his life where he disobeyed God’s commandments, and this had consequences.
The Faithfulness of God
Despite the disobedience of the kings of Israel and Judah, God remained faithful to his people and his promises. He allowed Abijam to reign for three years and continued to bless Judah because of his covenant with David. He also sent prophets to warn the kings of Israel and Judah about the consequences of their actions and to call them back to his ways. This shows that no matter how many times his people may stray away, God is always faithful and ready to forgive and restore them when they turn back to him.
The book of 1 Kings is a historical account of the reign of the kings of Israel and Judah, but it also carries a deeper meaning and message for us today. The disobedience of the kings and their eventual downfall serve as a warning to us about the consequences of straying away from God’s commandments. It also shows us the importance of having a heart devoted to the Lord, just like King David did.
The faithfulness of God towards his people is also a prominent theme in this chapter. Despite their disobedience, God remained faithful to his promises and his covenant with David. This serves as a reminder for us that no matter how many times we may fail or disobey God, he is always faithful and ready to forgive and restore us when we turn back to him.
Furthermore, the story of Asa’s disease serves as a reminder that even when we are doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord, we must still be careful not to disobey his commandments. This shows that even the smallest areas of disobedience can have consequences in our lives.
In conclusion, 1 Kings chapter 15 teaches us about the importance of obedience to God’s commandments and the consequences that come with disobedience. It also reminds us of God’s faithfulness towards his people and the need for a heart devoted to him. This chapter serves as a warning and a call to us to examine our own lives and make sure that we are following God’s commandments and walking in his ways.
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