Baasha (1 Kings 15:16–22; 1 Kings 15:27–30; 1 Kings 15:33–34; 1 Kings 16:1–4; 1 Kings 16:5–7; 1 Kings 16:8–13; 1 Kings 21:22; 2 Kings 9:9; 2 Chronicles 16:1–6; Jeremiah 41:9)

Son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, king of Israel

Baasha the son of Ahijah, who conspired against Nadab at Gibbethon, smote all the house of Jeroboam, reigned in Tirzah twenty and four years, warred with Asa and built Ramah, and against whose house the word of the LORD came by Jehu the son of Hanani.

The text introduces him as “Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar,” (1 Kings 15:27) who “conspired against” (1 Kings 15:27) Nadab the son of Jeroboam, “and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon” (1 Kings 15:27). “As soon as he was king, 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 Jehovah” (1 Kings 15:29). The text does not say why he conspired.

He reigned “over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty and four years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin” (1 Kings 15:33-34). “There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days” (1 Kings 15:16); he built Ramah against Judah, and when Asa sent silver and gold to Ben-hadad of Syria, Baasha “left off building Ramah” (1 Kings 15:21).

“The word of Jehovah came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha” (1 Kings 16:1): “I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house” (1 Kings 16:3). The text records no word of Baasha's own and no answer to the prophet. “Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his stead” (1 Kings 16:6). Zimri then killed Elah and “smote all the house of Baasha” (1 Kings 16:11). Later, the house of Ahab is made “like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah” (2 Kings 9:9).

Weaknesses

• Conspired against his king
• Walked in the way of Jeroboam
• Made Israel to sin
• Provoked the LORD to anger

Themes

• Conspiracy and the throne
• The way of Jeroboam
• War with Judah
• The word of the prophet
• The house swept away

Slays Nadab and smites the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:25–30)

Baasha conspires against Nadab while Israel besieges Gibbethon, slays him, and as soon as he is king smites all the house of Jeroboam.

Slays Nadab and smites the house of Jeroboam

Nadab the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel two years, and “did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father” (1 Kings 15:26).

“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 were laying siege to Gibbethon. Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead” (1 Kings 15:27-28).

“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 Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite; for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and wherewith he made Israel to sin” (1 Kings 15:29-30).

Reigns in Tirzah (1 Kings 15:33–34)

Baasha begins to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty and four years, does evil, and walks in the way of Jeroboam.

War with Asa and the building of Ramah (1 Kings 15:16–22; 2 Chronicles 16:1–6)

Baasha goes up against Judah and builds Ramah; Asa sends the treasures to Ben-hadad of Syria, and Baasha leaves off building and dwells in Tirzah.

War with Asa and the building of Ramah

“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 one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah” (1 Kings 15:16-17).

Asa sent silver and gold to Ben-hadad king of Syria: “go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel” (1 Kings 15:19-20).

“And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah” (1 Kings 15:21). Asa made a proclamation unto all Judah, and they “carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built therewith Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah” (1 Kings 15:22). The account in Chronicles tells the same course of events (2 Chronicles 16:1-6).

The word of the LORD by Jehu the son of Hanani (1 Kings 16:1–4; 1 Kings 16:7)

The word of the LORD comes against Baasha: he was exalted out of the dust, walked in the way of Jeroboam, and his house will be swept away.

The word of the LORD by Jehu the son of Hanani

“And the word of Jehovah came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins” (1 Kings 16:1-2).

“Behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the field shall the birds of the heavens eat” (1 Kings 16:3-4).

The text later says the word came “both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he smote him” (1 Kings 16:7).

Dies; Elah reigns (1 Kings 16:5–6)

The rest of Baasha's acts are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel; he sleeps with his fathers and is buried in Tirzah, and Elah his son reigns.

Zimri destroys the house of Baasha (1 Kings 16:8–13)

Zimri, captain of half Elah's chariots, kills Elah in Tirzah and smites all the house of Baasha, according to the word by Jehu.

Zimri destroys the house of Baasha

Elah the son of Baasha reigned in Tirzah two years. “And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him … and Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him … and reigned in his stead” (1 Kings 16:9-10).

“And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he smote all the house of Baasha: he left him not a single man-child, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends” (1 Kings 16:11).

“Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and wherewith they made Israel to sin” (1 Kings 16:12-13).

Asa (1 Kings 15:16–22; 2 Chronicles 16:1–6)

There was war between Asa and Baasha all their days; Asa bought Ben-hadad's help and carried away the stones of Ramah.

Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:29; 1 Kings 15:34; 1 Kings 16:2–3)

Baasha smote all the house of Jeroboam, and yet walked in the way of Jeroboam; his own house was made like the house of Jeroboam.

Nadab (1 Kings 15:25–28)

The son of Jeroboam, king over Israel, whom Baasha conspired against and smote at Gibbethon.

Ben-hadad king of Syria (1 Kings 15:18–21; 2 Chronicles 16:2–5)

At Asa's request he broke his league with Baasha and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel.

Elah (1 Kings 16:6; 1 Kings 16:8–10)

His son, who reigned in his stead and was killed by Zimri.

Zimri (1 Kings 16:9–12)

Elah's servant, captain of half his chariots, who conspired, killed Elah, and destroyed all the house of Baasha.

Jehu the son of Hanani (1 Kings 16:1; 1 Kings 16:7; 1 Kings 16:12)

The prophet to whom the word of the LORD came against Baasha and his house.

Major sections

• 1 Kings 15:16–16:13
• 2 Chronicles 16:1–6

More illuminations · Harbinger's Lamp