1 Kings Chapter 15
The Reigns of Abijam and Asa
A. Two Kings of Judah
1. The Reign of King Abijam (Abijah)
(1 Kings 15:1-8)
KJV TEXT
1 Kings 15:1-8
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 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. 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. 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. And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 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. And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
a. “Abijam became king over Judah”
Abijam inherited the throne from his father Rehoboam, but his reign lasted only three years. The brevity of his rule reflects the absence of divine blessing and the spiritual weakness that marked his time on the throne. God allowed David’s line to continue, but the king himself did not experience the prolonged stability his ancestor enjoyed.
Abijam possessed knowledge of the Lord and the ability to speak about Him, as demonstrated in 2 Chronicles 13, yet he refused to purge Judah of the idolatry and sexual immorality that Rehoboam had allowed. The text emphasizes his responsibility as king to uphold righteousness in the land, something he neglected. His son Asa would later remove those centers of idolatrous immorality, which confirms that Abijam should have done the same.
b. “His heart was not loyal to the Lord his God”
This is the central indictment against Abijam. He lacked the devoted heart that characterized David. David sinned, sometimes grievously, but his heart never departed from the Lord. Abijam maintained external religion but lacked the inward loyalty that produces true obedience.
Second Chronicles 13 records an incident that reveals both the potential and the failure of Abijam’s leadership. He confronted Jeroboam in battle and challenged Israel on the basis of covenant faithfulness. Jeroboam attempted a surprise ambush, yet when Abijam cried out to the Lord, the Lord intervened and gave Judah victory.
2 Chronicles 13:18 KJV
Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.
That statement reveals what Abijam was capable of, but it also highlights his inconsistency. He relied on the Lord in crisis, yet he did not walk with the Lord in daily life.
Chronicles records the disappointing outcome of this inconsistency:
2 Chronicles 13:21 KJV
But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
He became politically strong, but spiritually shallow. His victories did not translate into personal transformation or national reformation.
c. “For David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem”
This remarkable phrase reveals the covenantal faithfulness of God. The Lord preserved the Davidic line, not because of Abijam’s worthiness but because of David’s faithfulness and God’s promise. David became the standard by which all future kings would be measured. Even when his descendants failed, God maintained the dynasty for David’s sake.
This also protected the Messianic line, which would ultimately culminate in the birth of Jesus Christ.
A detail in the name itself may indicate Abijam’s spiritual decline. Chronicles calls him Abijah, meaning “Yahweh is my Father.” Kings calls him Abijam, which could mean “my father is Yam,” referring to a Canaanite sea god. If this is intentional, it suggests he began with a confession of Yahweh yet drifted into idolatry during his later life. Whatever the case, his actions reveal a divided heart.
2. Summary of the Reign of King Asa
(1 Kings 15:9-11)
KJV TEXT
1 Kings 15:9-11
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.
a. “Asa became king over Judah”
Asa was the great grandson of Solomon and ascended the throne after the short reign of his father. He began ruling near the end of Jeroboam’s life in the northern kingdom. Unlike Abijam, Asa was given a long reign of forty one years, which in Scripture generally indicates God’s blessing and approval.
b. “Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did his father David”
Here again David is the benchmark. Asa’s heart mirrored David’s in sincerity, loyalty, and commitment to righteousness. He did not imitate the idolatry or compromise of his immediate predecessors. He looked back to the founder of the dynasty and patterned his reign after David’s faithfulness.
Although the text calls David his “father,” the Hebrew term commonly refers to an ancestor. David was Asa’s great great grandfather. Scripture uses the term father to emphasize spiritual lineage as much as physical lineage.
Asa represents a return to godly leadership in Judah after the failures of Rehoboam and Abijam. His reforms would be detailed in the verses that follow, revealing that he not only loved the Lord, he acted upon that love by removing idolatry and restoring proper worship.
3. The Reforms of King Asa
(1 Kings 15:12-15)
KJV TEXT
1 Kings 15:12-15
And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 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. But the high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days. 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.
Commentary
a. “He banished the perverted persons from the land”
Asa confronted the moral corruption that had flourished under his predecessors. The term “sodomites” (KJV) refers to male temple prostitutes associated with pagan fertility rites, a practice directly tied to idolatry and sexual perversion. First Kings 14:24 records that these practices were established during the reign of Rehoboam. Abijam ignored this evil, but Asa acted decisively. His reforms demonstrate biblical leadership that confronts sin in the culture rather than accommodating it.
Judah’s kings were commanded to uphold the purity of worship and guard the nation from pagan influence. Asa obeyed the standard set in the Law, which condemned these practices as abominations and as direct violations of the covenant. Removing the idol-prostitutes was both a spiritual and moral cleansing of the land.
b. “He removed Maachah his grandmother from being queen mother”
Asa’s reforms reached even into his own household. The queen mother held a position of high visibility and authority in Judah. Removing his grandmother from this honored position was a bold act of righteousness.
Maachah was deeply connected to rebellion and idolatry. Scripture traces her lineage carefully:
2 Chronicles 13:2 KJV
He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
This Michaiah or Maachah was descended from Tamar, daughter of David, through Absalom (2 Samuel 14:27). This means she inherited both royal prestige and a family history marked by defiance. Her influence encouraged idolatrous practices, and Asa removed her to break the spiritual corruption at its source.
i. Her obscene image of Asherah
Maachah crafted a vile representation of Asherah, the Canaanite fertility goddess. The image is called “an idol” in the KJV, yet the Hebrew conveys something horrifying and abominable. Many scholars believe it was a phallic image associated with depraved worship rituals. Asa not only removed her from office but also destroyed the idol publicly.
ii. “Burned it by the Brook Kidron”
The Kidron Valley served as a dumping ground for refuse and as a site for ceremonial destruction. Asa’s choice of location was intentional. He did not merely cut down the idol. He burned it in a place identified with judgment and removal. Later kings, including Hezekiah and Josiah, would use the same valley for the destruction of idolatrous objects, showing Asa’s action set a precedent for true reform.
iii. Asa’s courage
Asa’s action affirms a timeless spiritual principle. Godly obedience often requires confronting sin inside our own family. His righteousness exceeded family loyalty. He honored God above blood ties. As Knapp rightly observed, the home circle tests a man’s fidelity to the Lord more than any public arena.
c. “But the high places were not removed”
This statement must be understood alongside 2 Chronicles 14:3, which states that Asa removed high places. The resolution is straightforward. The high places associated with idol worship were destroyed, but the high places associated with worship of the Lord remained. These were unauthorized worship sites, contrary to God’s command to worship only at the Temple. Asa tolerated these locations even though his reforms were otherwise thorough.
This detail shows that even strong and righteous leaders may fail to address every area requiring correction. Asa removed the high places connected to idolatry because they were obviously evil. Yet he did not remove the ones that appeared religious or culturally acceptable, even though they were still contrary to the Law. This is a reminder that spiritual compromise often survives in forms that appear harmless or traditional.
d. “Nevertheless Asa’s heart was loyal to the Lord all his days”
Despite his incomplete reform, Scripture affirms Asa’s wholehearted devotion. The KJV uses the phrase “his heart was perfect with the Lord.” This describes sincerity, integrity, and steadfast direction, not perfection of achievement. His loyalty was proven through decisive acts of obedience, moral courage, and a commitment to restore proper worship.
Asa’s dedication was also visible in his restoration of the temple treasury. He brought into the house of the Lord the silver, gold, and sacred vessels that had been dedicated by previous kings but had been neglected or misused. Returning these treasures symbolized a renewed commitment to the centrality of temple worship and covenant faithfulness.
Asa stands as a model of biblical reformation. He confronted cultural perversion, family idolatry, public sin, and religious corruption. His heart remained firmly directed toward the Lord throughout his reign.
4. Asa Buys the Favor of Ben Hadad, King of Syria
(1 Kings 15:16-24)
KJV TEXT
1 Kings 15:16-24
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 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. 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, 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. 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. And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. 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 was building, and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that 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. 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.
Commentary
a. “Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah”
The northern and southern kingdoms were hostile toward one another for decades. Baasha, king of Israel, attempted to pressure Judah by fortifying the border city of Ramah. Ramah sat on a major route that connected the northern territories to Jerusalem. By fortifying it, Baasha could cut off trade, restrict travel, prevent religious pilgrimage, and exert military leverage.
This blockade was designed to force Judah into submission. Economically, politically, and militarily, control of Ramah would weaken Asa and exert constant pressure on Jerusalem.
Baasha’s policy was strategic. If the people of Israel could not travel freely into Judah, particularly to Jerusalem for worship, it would strengthen Baasha’s political stability and diminish Judah’s influence. The text indicates Baasha sought to control Judah by limiting its access and isolating it from surrounding regions.
b. “Asa took all the silver and gold... and sent them to Ben Hadad”
Under pressure from Baasha’s blockade, Asa resorted to political alliance and human strategy instead of relying on the Lord. He took the remaining treasures from both the temple and the royal palace and offered them to Ben Hadad of Syria. This payment was meant to persuade Ben Hadad to break his treaty with Israel and turn against Baasha.
This was a failure of faith. Earlier in Asa’s reign, he had trusted the Lord and witnessed supernatural victory. Yet now he leaned on worldly alliances and political maneuvering. This shift marks the beginning of his decline.
i. God’s rebuke through Hanani the prophet (2 Chronicles 16:7-9)
Scripture does not leave Asa’s choice unaddressed. Second Chronicles 16:7-9 records the Lord’s displeasure through the prophet Hanani:
2 Chronicles 16:7-9 KJV
Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen. Yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly, therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
This passage provides one of the clearest statements of God’s active involvement in supporting His people. The Lord looks throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are wholly loyal to Him. Asa had once known that strength, yet at this point trusted a pagan king instead.
ii. Asa’s tragic response
Instead of repenting, Asa hardened his heart. Chronicles records:
2 Chronicles 16:10 KJV
Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house, for he was in a rage with him because of this, and Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.
This marks a spiritual downturn. A man who once stood boldly for truth now silenced the very voice that called him to repentance. His reaction mirrors the pattern of many kings who fell: anger at correction, oppression, and pride.
iii. Poole’s threefold analysis of Asa’s sin
As Poole observes, Asa committed three major errors:
He took what belonged to the Lord and used it for political bribery.
He acted from fear rather than faith, trusting a pagan king instead of the Lord.
He used those consecrated resources to encourage another king to break covenant and seize territory that belonged to Israel by divine gift.
These errors reveal Asa’s misplaced confidence and the shift from spiritual zeal to political pragmatism.
c. “The rest of the acts of Asa… are they not written…”
The writer of Kings summarizes Asa’s reign briefly, but Chronicles provides a fuller picture.
Asa’s earlier years were marked by genuine devotion:
He promoted national obedience.
2 Chronicles 14:4 KJV
And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.He fortified the land and enjoyed peace.
God gave miraculous victory over a massive Ethiopian army when Asa prayed (2 Chronicles 14:9-13).
The prophet Azariah encouraged renewed reform (2 Chronicles 15:1-7).
Judah made a national covenant renewal under Asa’s leadership (2 Chronicles 15:10-15).
Asa’s life is a paradox. His early reign was strong, faithful, and devoted. His later years were marked by decline.
d. “But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet”
The text records that Asa developed a severe disease in his feet. Chronicles elaborates:
2 Chronicles 16:12 KJV
Yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.
It was not wrong to seek medical care, but Asa refused to seek the Lord at all, displaying the same hardened heart that imprisoned Hanani. God used this affliction to expose the spiritual decay that had settled in Asa’s old age.
i. Possible medical diagnosis
Some have suggested gout, but Wiseman notes that gout was uncommon in that region. The severity and rapid decline suggest a vascular disease that resulted in gangrene. Regardless of the physical diagnosis, the spiritual lesson is clear: Asa did not turn to the Lord.
ii. Morgan’s reflection on Asa
As Morgan observed, Asa’s life reveals the pattern of a man whose deepest desire was for God, yet who faltered late in life. He began well and influenced the nation for righteousness, but failed to persevere in faith.
iii. A warning for believers
Asa was a good man who did not finish well. His old age was marred by unbelief, hardness, oppression, and physical suffering. Scripture shows that longevity alone does not ensure spiritual growth. Only those who continue walking in faith remain steadfast.
iv. The fear of man
Jeremiah 41:9 makes a passing reference to a pit Asa constructed because of fear of Baasha. Knapp uses this as a reminder that Asa’s decline began with fear rather than trust. Fear led to desperate alliances, spiritual compromise, and ultimately spiritual decline.
B. Two Kings of Israel
1. The Short Reign of Nadab, King of Israel
(1 Kings 15:25-32)
KJV TEXT
1 Kings 15:25-32
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. 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. 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. Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. 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. 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. 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. And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
Commentary
a. “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father”
Nadab continued the legacy of rebellion begun by his father. Jeroboam’s sin was not merely personal idolatry. He institutionalized false worship, created a false priesthood, established golden calves, and prohibited the people from going to Jerusalem. Nadab inherited that entire system and perpetuated it.
i. Nadab shared the guilt of driving out the priests
2 Chronicles 11:14 KJV
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord.
This reveals that Jeroboam and his sons jointly expelled the legitimate priesthood. Nadab therefore directly participated in the removal of God’s appointed worship and the replacement of that worship with idolatry.
ii. Nadab’s character corresponds to his name
Knapp notes that the name Nadab means “willing.” Tragically, he was willing in the wrong direction. He willingly continued the sins of his father, willingly upheld the idolatrous system, and willingly walked in rebellion. He did not attempt reform, repentance, or correction.
Nadab’s willingness was not toward the Lord but toward evil.
b. “Baasha killed him… and reigned in his place… he killed all the house of Jeroboam”
Baasha assassinated Nadab while the army of Israel was besieging the Philistine stronghold of Gibbethon. This assassination ended the brief dynasty of Jeroboam and fulfilled the prophecy given by Ahijah the Shilonite.
If Jeroboam had obeyed God, the Lord promised to establish him a lasting dynasty like David’s (1 Kings 11:38). Instead, his rebellion resulted in his line being wiped out within two generations.
i. God used a wicked man to judge another wicked man
Clarke captures the point well: “Thus God made use of one wicked man to destroy another.” The Lord does not endorse the righteousness of Baasha, but He sovereignly used Baasha’s ambition as an instrument of judgment.
ii. Nadab’s “two year” reign
Dilday notes that Nadab appears to have reigned barely more than one year, but in Hebrew reckoning, if a reign touches two different years, it is counted as two. His reign was short, insignificant, and spiritually corrupt.
c. “According to the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servant Ahijah”
This refers to the prophecy recorded in 1 Kings 14:7-16, where Ahijah foretold the complete destruction of Jeroboam’s house because of his idolatry and rebellion.
i. The first of many dynasties comes to an end
Knapp remarks that this moment marks the end of the first of nine dynasties that ruled the northern kingdom during its 250 year history. Unlike Judah, which maintained one God ordained dynasty, Israel cycled through families who seized the throne by force, intrigue, or assassination. This instability reflects the spiritual instability of the nation itself.
2. The Reign of Baasha, King of Israel
(1 Kings 15:33-34)
KJV TEXT
1 Kings 15:33-34
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. 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.
Commentary
a. “Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel”
Baasha came to the throne through assassination rather than succession. He did not inherit legitimacy. His reign began in violence, and it continued in wickedness. A man who seizes power by murder typically governs with the same corrupt heart that brought him to the throne.
He reigned twenty four years, which is a long tenure compared to many northern kings. Length of reign, however, does not imply blessing. Israel often enjoyed political durability under spiritually corrupt rulers.
b. “He did evil… and walked in the way of Jeroboam”
Even though Baasha destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty, he embraced Jeroboam’s idolatry. He wiped out Jeroboam’s sons politically, yet he followed Jeroboam spiritually.
This is the key to understanding Israel’s decline. The problem was never merely political. It was theological. The standard for evaluating Israel’s kings is uniform and simple:
Did they oppose Jeroboam’s system of idolatry
Or did they perpetuate it
Baasha perpetuated it. Though he was not Jeroboam’s genetic descendant, he certainly became Jeroboam’s spiritual descendant.
This is the tragedy of Israel: dynasty after dynasty multiplied idolatry rather than repenting of it.
