The big picture
1 Kings 15 opens in verse 1 with “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not…”, and closes in verse 34 with “And he did evil in the sight of the LORD , and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his…” Repeated or prominent terms include Israel, king, LORD, Baasha, Judah. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Kings · King James Version · 341 Kings 15:1-7
1–7: In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam…
1 Kings 15:1–7 opens with “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.” and reaches “Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, LORD, Baasha, Judah, with particular weight carried by Abijam, Jeroboam, Jerusalem.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.” Naming Abijam and Jeroboam keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Kings 15:1-7
King James Version1Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
3And 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.
4Nevertheless 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:
5Because 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.
6And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
7Now 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.
1 Kings 15:8-14
8–14: Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David…
1 Kings 15:8–14 opens with “And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son…” and reaches “But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, LORD, Baasha, Judah, with particular weight carried by reigned, removed, David.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.” Naming Abijam and Asa keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Kings 15:8-14
King James Version8And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
9And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
10And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
11And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD , as did David his father.
12And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
13And 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.
14But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
1 Kings 15:15-21
15–21: He brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things…
1 Kings 15:15–21 opens with “And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had…” and reaches “And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, LORD, Baasha, Judah, with particular weight carried by king, Baasha, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include dedicated, father, gold. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.” Naming Asa and Baasha keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” Naming Judah and Asa keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Kings 15:15-21
King James Version15And 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.
16And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
17And 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.
18Then 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 Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
19There 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.
20So Ben-hadad 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 Abel-beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
21And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
1 Kings 15:22-28
22–28: King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted…
1 Kings 15:22–28 opens with “Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away…” and reaches “Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, LORD, Baasha, Judah, with particular weight carried by Baasha, Israel, Judah.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and…” Naming Asa and Baasha keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
1 Kings 15:22-28
King James Version22Then 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.
23The 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.
24And 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.
25And 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.
26And 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.
27And 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.
28Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
1 Kings 15:29-34
29–34: It came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of…
1 Kings 15:29–34 opens with “And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to…” and reaches “And he did evil in the sight of the LORD , and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, LORD, Baasha, Judah, with particular weight carried by Israel, Jeroboam, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
1 Kings 15:29-34
King James Version29And 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:
30Because 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.
31Now 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?
32And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
33In 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.
34And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Kings 15:1 begins with “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.”
Where the chapter turns
1 Kings 15:18 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
1 Kings 15:34 leaves the reader with “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.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Israel, king, LORD, Baasha, Judah, Jeroboam help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What is Abram invited to trust?
God's promise of an heir and innumerable descendants despite his present childlessness.
Why does the delay matter?
The covenant is larger than one lifetime and includes suffering before deliverance.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thy
- your
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.
