20140528 Wednesday, May 28 2014
1 Kings 15: How Many Kings Reigned In The United Kingdom?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"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"

The united kingdom of Israel was founded by King David of Judah after the civil war with Israel's first king, King Saul of Benjamin. Saul was the first king of the united kingdom of Israel (see King Saul of Israel). The kingdom became divided during Saul's disqualified reign (see Saul's Impeachment) by the start of the civil war (see The War Between The Houses of David and Saul). It was then reunited under victorious King David (see How Long Was Jerusalem The Capital Of Israel?).

Israel remained united only through the latter part of King David's reign, then through the entire reign of King Solomon. The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) divided Israel into the independent countries of "Israel" and "Judah" as a punishment for King Solomon's idolatry (see What Caused Solomon's Idolatry? and When Will The United Kingdom Be Restored?). As declared by the LORD, the separation occurred at the beginning of the reign of King Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon. From that time on, Israel and Judah were very often at war, beginning with Rehoboam of Judah and Jeroboam of Israel ("there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days"; see The First Kings Of Israel and Judah).

Rehoboam was succeeded by his son Abijam / Abijah (the name is rendered both ways, not only by different translations, but often in Kings and Chronicles in the same translation e.g in the King James Version; see Abijah Of Judah) as king of Judah. "And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam." The kings of both Israel and Judah, with a few good exceptions, were corrupt - including Abijam / Abijah.

"15:1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. 15:2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

15:3 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. 15:4 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: 15:5 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.

15:6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 15:7 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. 15:8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead." (1 Kings 15:1-8 KJV)

Asa was the next king of Judah (see Asa Of Judah). He was much better than most ("he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made"), but the wars continued.

"15:9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 15:13 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. 15:14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. 15:15 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.

15:16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 15:17 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. 15:18 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, 15:19 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.

15:20 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. 15:21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. 15:22 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.

15:23 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. 15:24 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." (1 Kings 15:9-14 KJV)

Jeroboam was succeeded by his son Nadab as king of Israel (see Nadab Of Israel). "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."

"15:25 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. 15:26 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.

15:27 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. 15:28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

15:29 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: 15:30 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.

15:31 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? 15:32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days." (1 Kings 15:25-32 KJV)

The original Holy Scriptures had no chapter divisions; they were added by European printers in the Middle Ages - not always with seeming logic. The account of Baasha (see Baasha Of Israel) begins in the last verses of "chapter" 15 but is completed in the first verses of "chapter" 16.

"15:33 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. 15:34 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." (1 Kings 15:33-34 KJV)

Fact Finder: Although Israel and Judah both had numerous kings, what was the Messianic difference between the royal lines of Judah and Israel?
See Israelite Dynasties