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 Mfalme Wa Yuda
(2 Nyakati 13:1–14:1)
1Katika mwaka wa kumi na nane wa utawala wa Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati, Abiya akawa mfalme wa Yuda, 215:2 2Nya 11:20naye akatawala huko Yerusalemu miaka mitatu. Mama yake aliitwa Maaka binti Abishalomu.15:2 Yaani Absalomu, maana yake Baba wa amani.
315:3 1Fal 8:61Alitenda dhambi zote baba yake alizotenda kabla yake; moyo wake haukuwa mkamilifu kwa Bwana Mungu wake kama moyo wa Daudi baba yake ulivyokuwa. 415:4 2Sam 21:17Pamoja na hayo, kwa ajili ya Daudi, Bwana Mungu wake akampa taa katika Yerusalemu kwa kumwinua mwana atawale badala yake na kwa kuifanya Yerusalemu kuwa imara. 515:5 2Sam 11:2-27Kwa kuwa Daudi alifanya yaliyo mema machoni pa Bwana na hakushindwa kushika maagizo yote ya Bwana siku zote za uhai wake, isipokuwa katika habari ya Uria, Mhiti.
615:6 1Fal 12:21; 2Nya 16:9Kulikuwa na vita kati ya Rehoboamu na Yeroboamu wakati wote wa maisha ya Abiya. 7Kwa habari ya matukio mengine ya utawala wa Abiya na yote aliyofanya, je, hayakuandikwa katika kitabu cha kumbukumbu za wafalme wa Yuda? Kulikuwa na vita kati ya Abiya na Yeroboamu. 8Naye Abiya akalala na baba zake akazikwa katika Mji wa Daudi. Asa mwanawe akawa mfalme baada yake.
Asa Mfalme Wa Yuda
(2 Nyakati 15:16–16:6)
9Katika mwaka wa ishirini wa utawala wa Yeroboamu mfalme wa Israeli, Asa akawa mfalme wa Yuda, 10naye akatawala katika Yerusalemu miaka arobaini na mmoja. Bibi yake aliitwa Maaka binti Abishalomu.
1115:11 1Fal 9:4Asa akatenda yaliyo mema machoni mwa Bwana, kama alivyokuwa ametenda Daudi baba yake. 1215:12 1Fal 14:24Akawafukuza mahanithi wa mahali pa kuabudia miungu kutoka nchi na kuondoa sanamu zote ambazo baba zake walikuwa wametengeneza. 13Hata akamwondoa bibi yake Maaka kwenye wadhifa wake kama mama malkia, kwa sababu alikuwa ametengeneza nguzo ya Ashera ya kuchukiza. Asa akaikata hiyo nguzo na kuiteketeza kwa moto katika Bonde la Kidroni. 1415:14 2Nya 14:5; 1Fal 8:61Ijapokuwa hakuondoa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu, moyo wa Asa ulikuwa umejiweka kwa Bwana kikamilifu maisha yake yote. 1515:15 2Sam 8:11Akaleta ndani ya Hekalu la Bwana fedha na dhahabu na vile vyombo ambavyo yeye na baba yake walikuwa wameviweka wakfu.
1615:16 1Fal 12:21Kulikuwa na vita kati ya Asa na Baasha mfalme wa Israeli siku zote za utawala wao. 1715:17 Yos 18:25Mfalme Baasha wa Israeli akashambulia Yuda na kuweka ngome mji wa Rama ili kumzuia yeyote asitoke wala kuingia nchi ya Mfalme Asa wa Yuda.
1815:18 Yoe 3:5; Yer 49:27Kisha Asa akachukua fedha yote na dhahabu iliyokuwa imeachwa katika hazina za Hekalu la Bwana na za jumba lake mwenyewe la kifalme. Akawakabidhi maafisa wake na kuwatuma kwa Ben-Hadadi mwana wa Tabrimoni, mwana wa Hezioni, mfalme wa Aramu,15:18 Yaani Shamu (ambayo leo ni Syria). aliyekuwa akitawala Dameski. 19“Akasema na pawepo mkataba kati yangu na wewe, kama ulivyokuwepo kati ya baba yangu na baba yako. Tazama, nimekuletea zawadi ya fedha na dhahabu. Sasa vunja mkataba wako na Baasha mfalme wa Israeli ili aniondokee mimi.”
20Ben-Hadadi akakubaliana na Mfalme Asa na kutuma majemadari wa majeshi yake dhidi ya miji ya Israeli. Akaishinda miji ya Iyoni, Dani, Abel-Beth-Maaka na Kinerethi yote, pamoja na Naftali. 21Wakati Baasha aliposikia hili, akaacha kuijenga Rama na akaenda kuishi Tirsa. 2215:22 Yos 18:24; 2Fal 23:8Kisha Mfalme Asa akatoa amri kwa Yuda yote, pasipo kumbagua hata mmoja, kubeba mawe na mbao kutoka Rama, ambazo Baasha alikuwa akitumia huko. Mfalme Asa akazitumia kujengea Geba iliyoko Benyamini na Mispa pia.
23Kwa matukio yote ya utawala wa Asa, mafanikio yake yote, yote aliyofanya na miji aliyoijenga, je, hayakuandikwa katika kitabu cha kumbukumbu za wafalme wa Yuda? Katika uzee wake, hata hivyo, alipata ugonjwa wa miguu. 2415:24 Mt 1:8Kisha Asa akalala pamoja na baba zake na kuzikwa pamoja nao katika mji wa Daudi baba yake. Naye Yehoshafati mwanawe akawa mfalme baada yake.
Nadabu Mfalme Wa Israeli
25Nadabu mwana wa Yeroboamu akawa mfalme wa Israeli katika mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Asa wa Yuda, naye akatawala Israeli kwa miaka miwili. 2615:26 1Fal 12:30; Kum 4:25Akafanya maovu machoni pa Bwana, akienenda katika njia za baba yake na katika dhambi yake, ambayo alisababisha Israeli kuifanya.
2715:27 1Fal 14:14; Yos 19:44Baasha mwana wa Ahiya wa nyumba ya Isakari akafanya shauri baya dhidi yake, naye akamuua huko Gibethoni, mji wa Wafilisti, wakati Nadabu na Israeli yote walipokuwa wameuzingira. 28Baasha akamuua Nadabu katika mwaka wa tatu wa utawala wa Asa mfalme wa Yuda, naye Baasha akaingia mahali pake kuwa mfalme.
29Mara tu alipoanza kutawala, aliua jamaa yote ya Yeroboamu. Hakumwachia Yeroboamu yeyote aliyekuwa hai, bali aliwaangamiza wote, kulingana na neno la Bwana lililotolewa kupitia kwa mtumishi wake Ahiya Mshiloni, 30kwa sababu ya dhambi alizokuwa amezitenda Yeroboamu na kusababisha Israeli kuzitenda, tena kwa sababu alimkasirisha Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli.
31Kwa matukio mengine ya utawala wa Nadabu na yote aliyofanya, je hayakuandikwa katika kitabu cha kumbukumbu za wafalme wa Israeli? 32Kulikuwa na vita kati ya Asa na Baasha mfalme wa Israeli wakati wote wa utawala wao.
Baasha Mfalme Wa Israeli
33Katika mwaka wa tatu wa utawala wa Asa mfalme wa Yuda, Baasha mwana wa Ahiya akawa mfalme wa Israeli yote huko Tirsa, naye akatawala kwa miaka ishirini na minne. 34Akatenda maovu machoni pa Bwana, akienenda katika njia za Yeroboamu na dhambi yake, ambayo alikuwa amesababisha Israeli kuitenda.
