וּבִשְׁנַת שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַמֶּלֶךְ יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט מָלַךְ אֲבִיָּם עַל־יְהוּדָה׃ 15:1
1Kin. 15:1 Now in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat Abijam became king over Judah. [Return to 2Chr. 13:1]
שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ מַעֲכָה בַּת־אֲבִישָׁלוֹם׃ 15:2
1Kin. 15:2 He reigned in Jerusalem three years. And the name of his mother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. [Return to 2Chr. 13:2]
וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּכָל־חַטֹּאות אָבִיו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה לְפָנָיו וְלֹא־הָיָה לְבָבוֹ שָׁלֵם עִם־יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו כִּלְבַב דָּוִד אָבִיו׃ 15:3
1Kin. 15:3 And he walked in all the sins of his father that he had done before him, and his heart was not whole with the Lord, his God, like the heart of David, his father.
כִּי לְמַעַן דָּוִד נָתַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו לוֹ נִיר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם לְהָקִים אֶת־בְּנוֹ אַחֲרָיו וּלְהַעֲמִיד אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ 15:4
1Kin. 15:4 But for the sake of David the Lord, his God, gave a lamp in Jerusalem to him to establish his son after him and to make Jerusalem continue,
אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה דָוִד אֶת־הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וְלֹא־סָר מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּהוּ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו רַק בִּדְבַר אוּרִיָּה 15:5 הַחִתִּי׃
1Kin. 15:5 because David had done right in the eyes of the Lord and had not turned aside from anything that He had commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah, the Hittite.
וּמִלְחָמָה הָיְתָה בֵין־רְחַבְעָם וּבֵין יָרָבְעָם כָּל־יְמֵי חַיָּיו׃ 15:6
1Kin. 15:6 And there was war between Rechoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
This verse is peculiar for at least two reasons. First, its appearance at this point doesn’t make sense. It is a close repetition of 1Kin. 14:30, the difference being the phrase all the days of his life in this verse was all the time in that verse. And therein lies the other peculiarity in this verse. Who is being referred to by the pronoun his above. If it refers to Abijam, then the wars between Rechoboam and Jeroboam had to have been fought before Abijam became king, as Rechoboam had died when Abijam began his short reign. This doesn’t begin to eliminate the peculiarity, because all the days of his life generally means his whole life, and the wars (between Rechoboam and Jeroboam) couldn’t have continued into Abijam’s reign. And it’s also possible -- likely? -- that the scribe simply absent-mindedly repeated the phrase appearing in the midst of v. 15:5, there referring to David.
וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי אֲבִיָּם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הֲלוֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה וּמִלְחָמָה 15:7 הָיְתָה בֵּין אֲבִיָּם וּבֵין יָרָבְעָם׃
1Kin. 15:7 And the rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written on the scroll of the chronicles of the days of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֲבִיָּם עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ בְּעִיר דָּוִד וַיִּמְלֹךְ אָסָא בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃ 15:8
1Kin. 15:8 And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David. Then Asa, his son, became king in his place. [Return to 2Chr. 13:22]
וּבִשְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים לְיָרָבְעָם מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מָלַךְ אָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה׃ 15:9
1Kin. 15:9 And in the twentieth year for Jeroboam, king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah.
וְאַרְבָּעִים וְאַחַת שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ מַעֲכָה בַּת־אֲבִישָׁלוֹם׃ 15:10
1Kin. 15:10 Then he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. And the name of his mother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.
Is this the same woman who was Abijam’s mother? See v. 15:2 above. Scholars believe they are the same. In that case, Abijam and Asa, his son, had the same mother. Then among all his many sins, he also committed incest.
וַיַּעַשׂ אָסָא הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה כְּדָוִד אָבִיו׃ 15:11
1Kin. 15:11 And Asa did right in the eyes of the Lord like David, his father.
וַיַּעֲבֵר הַקְּדֵשִׁים מִן־הָאָרֶץ וַיָּסַר אֶת־כָּל־הַגִּלֻּלִים אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתָיו׃ 15:12
1Kin. 15:12 And he removed the Sodomites from the land and withdrew all the idols that his fathers had made.
Does the phrasing of this verse make it sound like the Sodomites might have been professionals who performed in the high places? I get the impression that they were indeed, as they were apparently easy to recognize and to get rid of as a group.
וְגַם אֶת־מַעֲכָה אִמּוֹ וַיְסִרֶהָ מִגְּבִירָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשְׂתָה מִפְלֶצֶת לָאֲשֵׁרָה וַיִּכְרֹת אָסָא אֶת־מִפְלַצְתָּהּ 15:13 וַיִּשְׂרֹף בְּנַחַל קִדְרוֹן׃
1Kin. 15:13 And also Maacah, his mother, as he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol to Asherah, and Asa cut down and burned her idol by the brook Kidron.
[Return to 2Chr. 14:1] [Return to 2Chr. 15:16]
וְהַבָּמוֹת לֹא־סָרוּ רַק לְבַב־אָסָא הָיָה שָׁלֵם עִם־יְהוָה כָּל־יָמָיו׃ 15:14
1Kin. 15:14 Although the high places were not taken away, the heart of Asa was still wholly with the Lord all his days. [Return to 2Chr. 14:4] [Return to 2Chr. 15:17]
וַיָּבֵא אֶת־קָדְשֵׁי אָבִיו (וקדשו) [וְקָדְשֵׁי] בֵּית יְהוָה כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב וְכֵלִים׃ 15:15
1Kin. 15:15 And he brought the holy things of his father and the holy things of the house of the Lord of silver and of gold, and vessels. [Return to 2Chr. 15:18]
The word in parentheses is misspelled in that the last vav should be a yad. The correction appears in the brackets.
וּמִלְחָמָה הָיְתָה בֵּין אָסָא וּבֵין בַּעְשָׁא מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־יְמֵיהֶם׃ 15:16
1Kin. 15:16 And there was war between Asa and Baasa, king of Israel, all of their days.
וַיַּעַל בַּעְשָׁא מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל־יְהוּדָה וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הָרָמָה לְבִלְתִּי תֵּת יֹצֵא וָבָא לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה׃ 15:17
1Kin. 15:17 And Baasa, king of Israel, arose against Judah and he built Ramah so as not to allow going out or coming in for Asa, king of Judah.
Ramah is thought to have been a city some five miles north of Jerusalem. However, we learn later in v. 22 that it was never completely finished.
וַיִּקַּח אָסָא אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב הַנֹּותָרִים בְּאֹוצְרֹות בֵּית־יְהוָה וְאֶת־אֹוצְרֹות בֵּית (מֶלֶךְ) [הַמֶּלֶךְ 15:18
וַיִּתְּנֵם בְּיַד־עֲבָדָיו וַיִּשְׁלָחֵם הַמֶּלֶךְ אָסָא אֶל־בֶּן־הֲדַד בֶּן־טַבְרִמֹּן בֶּן־חֶזְיוֹן מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם הַיֹּשֵׁב בְּדַמֶּשֶׂק
לֵאמֹר׃
1Kin. 15:18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold left in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the house of the king and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who dwelled in Damascus saying,
The word in parentheses is missing a heh. The letter is added in the corrected version after the right bracket.
בְּרִית בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ בֵּין אָבִי וּבֵין אָבִיךָ הִנֵּה שָׁלַחְתִּי לְךָ שֹׁחַד כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב לֵךְ הָפֵרָה אֶת־בְּרִיתְךָ 15:19 אֶת־בַּעְשָׁא מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיַעֲלֶה מֵעָלָי׃
1Kin. 15:19 “There is a league between me and you, between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent a gift of silver and gold to you. Go break your league with Baasa, king of Israel, so he will go away from me.”
וַיִּשְׁמַע בֶּן־הֲדַד אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אָסָא וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת־שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ עַל־עָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּךְ אֶת־עִיּוֹן 15:20 וְאֶת־דָּן וְאֵת אָבֵל בֵּית־מַעֲכָה וְאֵת כָּל־כִּנְרוֹת עַל כָּל־אֶרֶץ נַפְתָּלִי׃
1Kin. 15:20 And Ben-haddad listened to king Asa and he sent the captains of the armies that were his against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon and Dan and Abel-beth-maachah and all Chinneroth next to all the land of Naphtali.
וַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ בַּעְשָׁא וַיֶּחְדַּל מִבְּנוֹת אֶת־הָרָמָה וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּתִרְצָה׃ 15:21
1Kin. 15:21 And it was when Baasha heard, then he stopped building Ramah and remained in Tirzah.
וְהַמֶּלֶךְ אָסָא הִשְׁמִיעַ אֶת־כָּל־יְהוּדָה אֵין נָקִי וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־אַבְנֵי הָרָמָה וְאֶת־עֵצֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה בַּעְשָׁא 15:22 וַיִּבֶן בָּם הַמֶּלֶךְ אָסָא אֶת־גֶּבַע בִּנְיָמִן וְאֶת־הַמִּצְפָּה׃
1Kin. 15:22 Then king Asa called together all Judah, none exempted, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timbers with which Baasha had built, and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
וְיֶתֶר כָּל־דִּבְרֵי־אָסָא וְכָל־גְּבוּרָתוֹ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה הֲלֹא־הֵמָּה כְתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר 15:23 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה רַק לְעֵת זִקְנָתוֹ חָלָה אֶת־רַגְלָיו׃
1Kin. 15:23 And the rest of all the exploits of Asa and all his might and all that he did and the cities that he built, are they not written on the scroll of the chronicles of the days of the kings of Judah? Only at the time of his old age He weakened his feet.
The final sentence in this verse is a strict translation of the Hebrew. As such it differs from that of other bibles, which translate it as something like “Only at the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.” This translation ignores the grammar of the last two Hebrew words. The difference between the two translations is rather significant in that my translation continues to reveal the scribe’s view of God’s role in the lives of the kings. It was God Who weakened (or diseased) Asa’s feet. This little tidbit is also found in 2Chr. 16:12.
וַיִּשְׁכַּב אָסָא עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר עִם־אֲבֹתָיו בְּעִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָט בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃ 15:24
1Kin. 15:24 And Asa slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, his father, and Jehoshaphat, his son, became king in his place.
[Return to 2Chr. 16:13] [Return to 2Chr. 17:1]
וְנָדָב בֶּן־יָרָבְעָם מָלַךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁנָתָיִם׃ 15:25
1Kin. 15:25 And Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year for Asa, king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.
וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אָבִיו וּבְחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 15:26
1Kin. 15:26 And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in his sins that he caused Israel to commit.
וַיִּקְשֹׁר עָלָיו בַּעְשָׁא בֶן־אֲחִיָּה לְבֵית יִשָּׂשכָר וַיַּכֵּהוּ בַעְשָׁא בְּגִבְּתוֹן אֲשֶׁר לַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְנָדָב 15:27 וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִים עַל־גִּבְּתוֹן׃
1Kin. 15:27 And Baasha son of Achijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha smote him in Gibbethon, which was the Philistines', as Nadab and all Israel were laying siege against Gibbethon.
וַיְמִתֵהוּ בַעְשָׁא בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלֹשׁ לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו׃ 15:28
1Kin. 15:28 And Baasha slew him in the third year for Asa, king of Judah, and became king in his place.
The pronoun him must refer to Nadab son of Jeroboam.
וַיְהִי כְמָלְכוֹ הִכָּה אֶת־כָּל־בֵּית יָרָבְעָם לֹא־הִשְׁאִיר כָּל־נְשָׁמָה לְיָרָבְעָם עַד־הִשְׁמִדוֹ כִּדְבַר יְהוָה 15:29 אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּיַד־עַבְדּוֹ אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילֹנִי׃
1Kin. 15:29 And it was during his reign he smote the entire house of Jeroboam. He did not leave any of Jeroboam's who breathed until he had destroyed it, like the word of the Lord that He had spoken by the hand of His servant, Achijah, the Shilonite,
עַל־חַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַעְסוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִכְעִיס אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי 15:30 יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Kin. 15:30 because of the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and by which he caused Israel to sin with his provocation, which vexed the Lord, God of Israel.
וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי נָדָב וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 15:31
1Kin. 15:31 And the rest of the exploits of Nadab and all that he accomplished, are they not written on the scroll of the chronicles of the days of the kings of Israel?
וּמִלְחָמָה הָיְתָה בֵּין אָסָא וּבֵין בַּעְשָׁא מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־יְמֵיהֶם׃ 15:32
1Kin. 15:32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, all their days.
Here’s something strange and interesting. This verse is identical in both Hebrew and English to v. 15:16 above. What happened to make the scribe unnecessarily repeat this bit of information? And it’s actually out of place in this context, breaking the flow.
בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלֹשׁ לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מָלַךְ בַּעְשָׁא בֶן־אֲחִיָּה עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתִרְצָה עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע 15:33 שָׁנָה׃
1Kin. 15:33 In the third year for Asa, king of Judah, Baasha son of Achijah reigned over all Israel in Tirzah twenty-four years. [Return to 2Ch. 16:1]
וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם וּבְחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 15:34
1Kin. 15:34 And he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he caused Israel to sin.
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