I Kings 15, Abijah, Asa, and Nadab, Baasha,

Rehoboam and Jeroboam, kings of the southern and northern kingdoms, respectively, have died. The date is about 910 BC. 

I Kings 15: 1-5, Abijah

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been.

Nevertheless, for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life--except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

Abijah of Judah only lasts three years. David is given as an example of one who did right in the eyes of YHWH... with the one obvious exception.

Does the mother of Abijah differ in chapter 14? Some ancient manuscripts give Abijam in place of Abijah. Abijah's reign is described more fully in 2 Chronicles 13.

Abishalom is a variant of Absalom. The phrase translated "daughter of Absalom" could also mean "granddaughter of Absalom". According to 2 Samuel 14: 27 , Absalom has one daughter, Tamar and according to 2 Chronicles 13: 2, Maacah is a daughter (or granddaughter) of Uriel who probably married Tamar. Maacah's appearance several times in Old Testament scripture is due to the fact that she was the favorite wife of Rehoboam (see 2 Chronicles 11: 21.)

I Kings 15: 6-8, Death of Abijah

There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout [Abijah's] lifetime. As for the other events of Abijah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

Asa succeeds Abijah in Judah.

Most ancient Hebrew manuscripts give Rehoboam in verse 6 but some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac manuscripts give Abijam/Abijah.

I Kings 15: 9-15, Asa

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.  He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

After Rehoboam and Abijah there is Asa in Judah. Asa is described as following YHWH. He attempts to root out the idols and he returns the precious medals to the temple in Jerusalem.

Maacah shows up again. Hubbard argues that the adjective "repulsive", describing the Asherah pole built by Macaah, probably indicates a sexually suggestive idol. (The ancients had their own pornography.)

I Kings 15: 16-19, Blockade by Baasha

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

Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah. Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD's temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.

"Let there be a treaty between me and you," he said, "as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me."

Baasha becomes king of Israel and fortifies the important city of Ramah to prevent the people of the southern kingdom from easily trading with the people of Israel. (Ramah was only about five miles north of Jerusalem.) Meanwhile, Asa, in the southern kingdom, makes a treaty with Ben-Hadad in Damascus. Ben-Hadad's territory is east and northeast of the northern kingdom and provides a threat to Baasha's reign.

I Kings 15: 20-24, Aid of Ben-Hadad

Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.

When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah.

Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah--no one was exempt--and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.

As for all the other events of Asa's reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. Then Asa rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.
 

Ben-Hadad, to the northeast of Judah, is an important ally, as he can attack the northern kingdom.  He forces Baasha to back off of his blockage of Israel.

We are briefly told that Jehoshaphat follows Asa.  We will return to the story of Jehoshaphat in I Kings 22. Before we do this, we will cover the reign of a number of kings of the northern kingdom.

I Kings 15: 25-28, Nadab

Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, walking in the ways of his father and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit. Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

In Israel, Nadab followed Jeroboam and then was murdered by Baasha.  This paragraph seems to be a flashback to explain the occurrence of Baasha.

I Kings 15: 29-31, Massacre of Jeroboam's family

As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam's whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the LORD given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite-- because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger.

As for the other events of Nadab's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

In taking the crown, Baasha massacres Jeroboam's family.

I Kings 15: 32-34, Asa and Baasha at war

There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.

The kings of Judah after Rehoboam are Asa and the Jehoshaphat.  The kings of Israel after Jeroboam are Abijah and Baasha, with a brief interlude of Nadab.