Abias rei de Judá
(2 Cr 13.1-2; 13.22–14.1)
1-2Abias começou o seu reinado de apenas 3 anos, como rei de Judá, em Jerusalém, 18 anos após o início do reinado de Jeroboão, filho de Nebate, rei de Israel. A mãe de Abias chamava-se Maacá e era filha de Absalão.
3Pecou ainda mais do que o seu pai; o seu coração não foi reto para com o Senhor, seu Deus, como tinha sido o do rei David. 4Apesar do pecado de Abias, o Senhor lembrou-se do amor que tinha por David e não fez terminar a sua linhagem real. 5Porque David obedecera ao Senhor durante todo o tempo da sua vida, exceto naquele assunto de Urias, o hitita.
6Durante o reinado de Roboão continuou a haver guerra entre ele e Jeroboão. 7O resto da história deste reinado está relatado no Livro das Crónicas dos Reis de Judá. Abias e Jeroboão guerrearam entre si. 8Quando morreu, Abias foi enterrado em Jerusalém e o seu filho Asa sucedeu-lhe no trono.
Asa rei de Judá
(2 Cr 14.2-3; 15.16–16.6, 11-14)
9Asa tornou-se rei de Judá, em Jerusalém, 20 anos depois de Jeroboão ter começado a reinar sobre Israel. 10Reinou 41 anos. A sua avó era Maacá, filha de Absalão.
11Asa fez o que era reto aos olhos do Senhor, à semelhança do seu antepassado David. 12Expulsou do país os que praticavam a prostituição e mandou retirar todos os ídolos que os seus antepassados mandaram fazer. 13O rei Asa retirou à sua avó Maacá a distinção de rainha-mãe, por ter sido ela quem fizera o abominável ídolo de Achera; destruiu esse ídolo desprezível, despedaçou-o e queimou-o, deitando as cinzas no ribeiro de Cedron. 14Contudo, não foram removidos os santuários pagãos sobre as colinas, apesar do coração de Asa se manter fiel ao Senhor todo o tempo da sua vida. 15Tornou a trazer para o templo as taças e as bacias de prata e de ouro que o seu pai tinha consagrado ao Senhor.
16Houve guerra permanente entre o rei Asa de Judá e o rei Bacha de Israel. 17O rei Bacha de Israel declarou-lhe guerra e construiu a fortaleza de Ramá, a fim de poder controlar a estrada de acesso a Judá.
18Asa juntou toda a prata e ouro que ficara no templo do Senhor e no palácio real e entregou tudo aos líderes do seu reino, para levarem a Damasco como presente ao rei de Aram, Ben-Hadade, filho de Tabrimom e neto de Hezion, com esta mensagem: 19“Vamos renovar a aliança que existia entre o teu pai e o meu. Mando-te prata e ouro para te convencer a quebrares a aliança com Bacha, rei de Israel, para que me deixe tranquilo.”
20Ben-Hadade aceitou a proposta de Asa e mobilizou o seu exército com o fim de atacar Israel. Destruiu Ijom, Dan, Abel-Bete-Maacá, toda a Quinerete e todas as povoações de Naftali. 21Ouvindo o que acontecera, Bacha suspendeu os trabalhos que estava a fazer na fortaleza de Ramá e voltou para Tirza. 22O rei Asa fez circular em Judá uma proclamação pedindo a todos os homens, sem exceção, que viessem ajudar a deitar abaixo as construções de pedra e madeira. Essas pedras e madeiras foram usadas para construir Geba, em Benjamim, e a cidade de Mizpá.
23O resto dos feitos de Asa, as suas conquistas e feitos e os nomes das povoações que mandou construir, estão escritos no Livro das Crónicas dos Reis de Judá. Na sua velhice o rei começou a padecer dos pés. 24Quando morreu foi sepultado no cemitério real na Cidade de David. O seu filho Jeosafá tornou-se o novo rei de Judá.
Nadabe rei de Israel
25Entretanto, em Israel, Nadabe, filho de Jeroboão, tornara-se rei. Reinou durante 2 anos, começando a reinar no segundo ano do reinado de Asa, rei de Judá. 26Ele fez o que era mau aos olhos do Senhor. À semelhança do seu pai, adorou muito ídolos e levou Israel a pecar.
27Foi então que Bacha, filho de Aías da tribo de Issacar, conspirou contra Nadabe e o assassinou, quando com o exército de Israel estava a sitiar a cidade filisteia de Gibetom.
Bacha rei de Israel
28Assim, Bacha substituiu Nadabe como rei de Israel, em Tirza, durante o terceiro ano do reinado de Asa, rei de Judá. 29Imediatamente mandou matar todos os descendentes do rei Jeroboão, não tendo ninguém da família real ficado com vida, tal como o Senhor dissera que haveria de acontecer, quando falou por intermédio de Aías, o profeta de Silo. 30Isto aconteceu porque Jeroboão acendeu a ira do Senhor, o Deus de Israel, pecando e levando o resto de Israel a pecar. 31Outros acontecimentos do reinado de Nadabe estão registados no Livro das Crónicas dos Reis de Israel. 32Houve sempre guerra entre o rei Asa de Judá e o rei Bacha de Israel.
33No terceiro ano de Asa, rei de Judá, Bacha, filho de Aías, tornou-se rei sobre Israel em Tirza, e reinou durante 24 anos. 34Mas todo esse tempo fez o que era mau aos olhos do Senhor. Seguiu os maus caminhos de Jeroboão, levando Israel a pecar.
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 for 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 for 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 that 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 for 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 for 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.
