1,2 Abias 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.

3 Pecou 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. 4 Apesar do pecado de Abias, o Senhor lembrou-se do amor que tinha por David e não fez terminar a sua linhagem real. 5 Porque David obedecera ao Senhor durante todo o tempo da sua vida, exceto naquele assunto de Urias, o hitita.

6 Durante o reinado de Roboão continuou a haver guerra entre ele e Jeroboão. 7 O resto da história deste reinado está relatado no Livro das Crónicas dos Reis de Judá. Abias e Jeroboão guerrearam entre si. 8 Quando morreu, Abias foi enterrado em Jerusalém e o seu filho Asa sucedeu-lhe no trono.

9 Asa tornou-se rei de Judá, em Jerusalém, 20 anos depois de Jeroboão ter começado a reinar sobre Israel. 10 Reinou 41 anos. A sua avó era Maacá, filha de Absalão.

11 Asa fez o que era reto aos olhos do Senhor, à semelhança do seu antepassado David. 12 Expulsou do país os que praticavam a prostituição e mandou retirar todos os ídolos que os seus antepassados mandaram fazer. 13 O 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. 14 Contudo, 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. 15 Tornou a trazer para o templo as taças e as bacias de prata e de ouro que o seu pai tinha consagrado ao Senhor.

16 Houve guerra permanente entre o rei Asa de Judá e o rei Bacha de Israel. 17 O rei Bacha de Israel declarou-lhe guerra e construiu a fortaleza de Ramá, a fim de poder controlar a estrada de acesso a Judá.

18 Asa 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."

20 Ben-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. 21 Ouvindo o que acontecera, Bacha suspendeu os trabalhos que estava a fazer na fortaleza de Ramá e voltou para Tirza. 22 O 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.

23 O 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. 24 Quando morreu foi sepultado no cemitério real na Cidade de David. O seu filho Jeosafá tornou-se o novo rei de Judá.

25 Entretanto, 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. 26 Ele fez o que era mau aos olhos do Senhor. À semelhança do seu pai, adorou muito ídolos e levou Israel a pecar.

27 Foi 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.

28 Assim, Bacha substituiu Nadabe como rei de Israel, em Tirza, durante o terceiro ano do reinado de Asa, rei de Judá. 29 Imediatamente 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. 30 Isto aconteceu porque Jeroboão acendeu a ira do Senhor, o Deus de Israel, pecando e levando o resto de Israel a pecar. 31 Outros acontecimentos do reinado de Nadabe estão registados no Livro das Crónicas dos Reis de Israel. 32 Houve sempre guerra entre o rei Asa de Judá e o rei Bacha de Israel.

33 No terceiro ano de Asa, rei de Judá, Bacha, filho de Aías, tornou-se rei sobre Israel em Tirza, e reinou durante 24 anos. 34 Mas todo esse tempo fez o que era mau aos olhos do Senhor. Seguiu os maus caminhos de Jeroboão, levando Israel a pecar.

1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. 2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.*15.2 Maachah…: also called, Michaiah the daughter of Uriel*15.2 Abishalom: also called, Absalom 3 And 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. 4 Nevertheless 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:*15.4 lamp: or, candle 5 Because 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. 6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 Now 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. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. 10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.*15.10 mother’s: that is, grandmother’s 11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. 12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 And 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.*15.13 destroyed: Heb. cut off 14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. 15 And 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.*15.15 things: Heb. holy

16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 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 Asa king of Judah. 18 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 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, 19 There 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.*15.19 depart: Heb. go up 20 So 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. 21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. 22 Then 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.*15.22 exempted: Heb. free 23 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 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. 24 And 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.*15.24 Jehoshaphat: Gr. Josaphat

25 And 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.*15.25 began…: Heb. reigned 26 And 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.

27 And 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. 28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. 29 And 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: 30 Because 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.

31 Now 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? 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 33 In 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. 34 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.