Abijah King of Judah
1In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah15:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 12:16); most Hebrew manuscripts Abijam; also in verses 7 and 8 became king of Judah, 2and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.15:2 A variant of Absalom; also in verse 10
3He 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. 4Nevertheless, 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. 5For 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.
6There was war between Abijah15:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Abijam (that is, Abijah); most Hebrew manuscripts Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. 7As 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. 8And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.
Asa King of Judah
9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.
11Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. 12He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. 13He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. 15He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
16There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 17Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.
18Asa 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. 19“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.”
20Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. 21When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. 22Then 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.
23As 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. 24Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.
Nadab King of Israel
25Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.
27Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.
29As 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. 30This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.
31As 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? 32There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.
Baasha King of Israel
33In 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. 34He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
Abiya Mfumu ya Yuda
1Mʼchaka cha 18 cha ulamuliro wa Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati, Abiya anakhala mfumu ya Yuda, 2ndipo analamulira mu Yerusalemu zaka zitatu. Amayi ake anali Maaka, mwana wa Abisalomu.
3Abiya anachita zoyipa zonse zimene abambo ake anazichita. Sanali wangwiro pamaso pa Yehova Mulungu wake, monga linachitira kholo lake Davide. 4Komabe chifukwa cha Davide, Yehova Mulungu wake anamupatsa nyale mu Yerusalemu pomupatsa mwana wolowa mʼmalo mwake ndi kumukhazikitsa kukhala wamphamvu mu Yerusalemu; 5pakuti Davide anachita zolungama pamaso pa Yehova ndipo sanalephere kusunga chilichonse chimene Yehova anamulamula masiku onse a moyo wake kupatula nkhani ija ya Uriya Mhiti.
6Panali nkhondo pakati pa Rehobowamu ndi Yeroboamu masiku onse a moyo wa Abiya. 7Tsono ntchito zina za Abiya, ndi zina zonse anachita, kodi sizinalembedwe mʼbuku la mbiri ya mafumu a Yuda? Panali nkhondo pakati pa Abiya ndi Yeroboamu. 8Ndipo Abiya anamwalira nayikidwa mʼmanda momwe anayikidwa makolo ake mu Mzinda wa Davide. Ndipo Asa, mwana wake analowa ufumu mʼmalo mwake.
Asa Mfumu ya Yuda
9Mʼchaka cha makumi awiri cha Yeroboamu mfumu ya Israeli, Asa anakhala mfumu ya Yuda, 10ndipo analamulira mu Yerusalemu kwa zaka 41. Agogo ake akazi anali Maaka mwana wa Abisalomu.
11Asa anachita zolungama pamaso pa Yehova monga anachitira Davide kholo lake. 12Iye anachotsa mʼdzikomo amuna onse ochita zadama pochita chipembedzo chawo ndiponso anachotsa mafano onse amene makolo ake anawapanga. 13Iye anachotsanso gogo wake Maaka pa udindo wake wa amayi a mfumu, chifukwa choti anapanga fano lonyansa la Asera. Asa anagwetsa fanolo nakalitentha ku Chigwa cha Kidroni. 14Ngakhale sanachotse malo opembedzerapo mafano, mtima wa Asa unali wodzipereka kwathunthu kwa Yehova masiku onse a moyo wake. 15Asa anabweretsa ku Nyumba ya Yehova zinthu zimene abambo ake anazipereka, ndiponso zinthu zimene iye mwini anazipereka: zagolide, siliva ndi ziwiya zotengera.
16Panali nkhondo pakati pa Asa ndi Baasa mfumu ya Israeli nthawi yonse ya ulamuliro wawo. 17Baasa mfumu ya Israeli anapita kukathira nkhondo dziko la Yuda, ndipo anamangira linga mzinda wa Rama kuletsa kuti wina aliyense asatuluke kapena kulowa mʼdziko la Asa, mfumu ya Yuda.
18Tsono Asa anatenga siliva yense pamodzi ndi golide zimene zinatsala ku malo osungira chuma cha ku Nyumba ya Yehova ndiponso ku nyumba yake yaufumu. Anazipereka kwa atumiki ake, nawatuma kupita nazo kwa Beni-Hadadi mwana wa Tabirimoni, mwana wa Heziyoni, mfumu ya Aramu, amene ankakhala ku Damasiko ndipo anakamuwuza kuti, 19“Tiyeni tigwirizane inu ndi ine, monga panali mgwirizano pakati pa abambo anu ndi abambo anga. Onani, ndikukutumizirani mphatso za siliva ndi golide. Tsopano kathetseni mgwirizano wanu ndi Baasa mfumu ya Israeli kuti andisiye.”
20Choncho Beni-Hadadi anamvera zimene ananena mfumu Asa ndipo anatumiza olamulira magulu ake ankhondo ku mizinda ya Israeli. Ndipo iye anagonjetsa Iyoni, Dani, Abeli-Beti-Maaka ndi dera lonse la Kinereti kuphatikiza dziko lonse la Nafutali. 21Baasa atamva zimenezi, anasiya kumangira linga Rama ndipo anakakhala ku Tiriza. 22Pamenepo Mfumu Asa analamula anthu onse a ku Yuda osasiya ndi mmodzi yemwe, ndipo anachotsa ku Rama miyala ndi matabwa amene Baasa ankamangira kumeneko. Zipangizo zimenezi Mfumu Asa inamangira linga la Geba ku Benjamini ndi la ku Mizipa.
23Tsono ntchito zina za Asa, za mphamvu zake ndi mizinda imene anayimanga ndi zina zonse zimene anachita, kodi sizinalembedwe mʼbuku la mbiri ya mafumu a Yuda? Koma pa nthawi ya ukalamba wake anadwala nthenda ya mapazi. 24Ndipo Asa anamwalira nayikidwa mʼmanda momwe anayikidwa makolo ake mu mzinda wa Davide kholo lake. Ndipo Yehosafati mwana wake analowa ufumu mʼmalo mwake.
Nadabu Mfumu ya Israeli
25Nadabu, mwana wa Yeroboamu anakhala mfumu ya Israeli mʼchaka chachiwiri cha Asa mfumu ya Yuda, ndipo analamulira Israeli zaka ziwiri. 26Nadabu anachita zoyipa pamaso pa Yehova, anayenda mʼnjira za abambo ake ndi mu uchimo womwe anachimwitsa nawo Israeli.
27Baasa mwana wa Ahiya, wa banja la Isakara anakonzera Nadabuyo chiwembu, ndipo anamukantha ku Gibetoni, mzinda wa Afilisti, pamene Nadabu ndi anthu onse a ku Israeli anali atawuzungulira. 28Baasa anapha Nadabu mʼchaka chachitatu cha Asa, mfumu ya ku Yuda ndipo analowa ufumu mʼmalo mwake.
29Iye atangoyamba kulamulira, anapha anthu onse a banja la Yeroboamu. Sanasiye ndi mmodzi yemwe wamoyo pa banjapo, koma anawononga anthu onse, molingana ndi mawu a Yehova amene anayankhula mwa mtumiki wake Ahiya wa ku Silo 30chifukwa cha machimo amene Yeroboamu anachita, ndiponso kuchimwitsa anthu a ku Israeli, naputa mkwiyo wa Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli.
31Tsono ntchito za Nadabu ndi zina zonse zimene anazichita, kodi sizinalembedwe mʼbuku la mbiri ya mafumu a Israeli? 32Panali nkhondo pakati pa Asa ndi Baasa mfumu ya Israeli pa nthawi yonse ya ulamuliro wawo.
Baasa Mfumu ya Israeli
33Chaka chachitatu cha Asa mfumu ya Yuda, Baasa mwana wa Ahiya anakhala mfumu ya Aisraeli onse ku Tiriza, ndipo analamulira zaka 24. 34Anachita zoyipa pamaso pa Yehova, nayenda mʼnjira za Yeroboamu ndi kuchita tchimo lake limene linachimwitsa anthu a ku Israeli.
