Baasha of Israel

Last updated
Baasha
Baasha of Israel.png
King of Northern Israel
Reign909–886 BCE
Predecessor Nadab
Successor Elah

Baasha (Hebrew : בַּעְשָׁא, Baʿšāʾ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the third king of the northern Israelite Kingdom of Israel. He was the son of Ahijah of the Tribe of Issachar. Baasha's story is told in 1 Kings 15:16–16:7.

Reign

Baasha became king of Israel in the third year of Asa, king of Judah. (1 Kings 15:28) William F. Albright has dated his reign to 900–877 BCE, while E. R. Thiele offers the dates 909–886 BCE. [1] Baasha came to power by murdering the previous king, Nadab, at Gibbethon, followed by the entire House of Jeroboam (Nadab's father and predecessor). Baasha had previously been a captain in Nadab's own army. Like many military leaders, he appears to have risen from obscurity. The Jewish Encyclopedia suggests that because he came from the tribe of Issachar, "he may have represented a local faction". [2]

Over the course of his 24-year reign, [3] Baasha was at war with Asa, king of Judah. He allied Israel with Aram and endeavored to strangle Judah's trade by fortifying Ramah, a city five miles north of Jerusalem. [4] King Asa of Judah then bribed King Ben-hadad of Syria to switch sides and attack Israel, prompting the loss of extensive territory in Dan and Naphtali northwest of the Sea of Galilee. Baasha was forced to withdraw from Ramah. Asa of Judah utilized the materials of the abandoned fort for the fortification of his own frontier towns, Geba and Mizpah. [2]

Though Baasha remained in power for life, he was not without his opponents. The prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani, foretold the destruction of his dynasty, which came to pass with the assassination of Baasha's son Elah.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeroboam</span> Biblical figure and monarch

Jeroboam I was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel following a revolt of the ten northern Israelite tribes against Rehoboam that put an end to the United Monarchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omri</span> Biblical King of Israel

Omri was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the sixth king of Israel. He was a successful military campaigner who extended the northern kingdom of Israel. Other monarchs from the House of Omri are Ahab, Ahaziah, Joram, and Athaliah. Like his predecessor, king Zimri, who ruled for only seven days, Omri is the second king mentioned in the Bible without a statement of his tribal origin. One possibility, though unproven, is that he was of the tribe of Issachar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abijah of Judah</span> Second King of Judah according to the Hebrew Bible

Abijam was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the fourth king of the House of David and the second of the Kingdom of Judah. He was the son of Rehoboam and the grandson of Solomon. The Books of Chronicles refer to him as Abijah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elah (king)</span> King of Israel in the 9th century BCE

Elah was the fourth king of Israel, the son and successor of Baasha. William F. Albright has dated his reign to 877–876 BCE, while E. R. Thiele offers the dates 886–885 BCE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athaliah</span> Queen regnant of Judah

Athaliah was the daughter of either king Omri, or of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel, the queen consort of Judah as the wife of King Jehoram, a descendant of King David, and later queen regnant c. 841–835 BCE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pekahiah</span>

Pekahiah was the seventeenth and antepenultimate king of Israel and the son of Menahem, whom he succeeded, and the second and last king of Israel from the House of Gadi. He ruled from the capital of Samaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jehoram of Israel</span> Biblical King of Israel

Jehoram was the ninth king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. He was the son of Ahab and Jezebel, and brother to Ahaziah and Athaliah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jehoram of Judah</span> King of Ancient Judah

Jehoram of Judah or Joram, was the fifth king of Judah, and the son of king Jehoshaphat. Jehoram rose to the throne at the age of 32 and reigned for 8 years, although he was ill during his last two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asa of Judah</span> King of Judah

Asa was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the third king of the Kingdom of Judah and the fifth king of the House of David. Based on the Biblical chronology, Biblical scholars suggest that he reigned from the late 10th to early 9th century BCE. He was succeeded by Jehoshaphat, his son. According to Edwin R. Thiele chronology, when Asa became very ill, he made Jehoshaphat coregent. Asa died two years into the coregency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nadab of Israel</span> King of Israel in the 10th century BCE

Nadab was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the second king of the northern Israelite Kingdom of Israel. He was the son and successor of Jeroboam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kings of Judah</span>

The Kings of Judah were the monarchs who ruled over the ancient Kingdom of Judah. According to the biblical account, this kingdom was founded after the death of Saul, when the tribe of Judah elevated David to rule over it. After seven years, David became king of a reunited Kingdom of Israel. However, in about 930 BCE the united kingdom split, with ten of the twelve Tribes of Israel rejecting Solomon's son Rehoboam as their king. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to Rehoboam, and re-formed the Kingdom of Judah, while the other entity continued to be called the Kingdom of Israel, or just Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mizpah in Benjamin</span>

Mizpah was a city of the tribe of Benjamin referred to in the Hebrew Bible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zimri (king)</span>

Zimri, was the fifth king of Israel. His reign lasted only seven days. William F. Albright has dated his reign to 876 BCE, while E. R. Thiele offers the date 885 BCE. His story is told in 1 Kings, Chapter 16.

The House of Baasha or Baasha dynasty was a reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Israel. They are depicted in the first of the Books of Kings. Their estimated reign is placed in the 10th century BCE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 Kings 22</span> 1 Kings, chapter 22

1 Kings 22 is the 22nd chapter of the First Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the first part of Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible. The book is a compilation of various annals recording the acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE, with a supplement added in the sixth century BCE. This chapter belongs to the section comprising 1 Kings 16:15 to 2 Kings 8:29 which documents the period of Omri's dynasty. The focus of this chapter is the reign of king Ahab and Ahaziah in the northern kingdom, as well as of king Jehoshaphat in the southern kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 Chronicles 15</span> Second Book of Chronicles, chapter 15

2 Chronicles 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles the Old Testament in the Christian Bible or of the second part of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible. The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE. This chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingdom of Judah until its destruction by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar and the beginning of restoration under Cyrus the Great of Persia. The focus of this chapter is the reign of Asa, king of Judah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 Chronicles 16</span> Second Book of Chronicles, chapter 16

2 Chronicles 16 is the sixteenth chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles the Old Testament in the Christian Bible or of the second part of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible. The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE. This chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingdom of Judah until its destruction by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar and the beginning of restoration under Cyrus the Great of Persia. The focus of this chapter is the reign of Asa, king of Judah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 Kings 14</span> 1 Kings, chapter 14

1 Kings 14 is the fourteenth chapter of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is a compilation of various annals recording the acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE, with a supplement added in the sixth century BCE. 1 Kings 12:1 to 16:14 documents the consolidation of the kingdoms of northern Israel and Judah: this chapter focusses on the reigns of Jeroboam and Nadab in the northern kingdom and Rehoboam in the southern kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 Kings 15</span> 1 Kings, chapter 15

1 Kings 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is a compilation of various annals recording the acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE, with a supplement added in the sixth century BCE. 1 Kings 12:1-16:14 documents the consolidation of the kingdoms of northern Israel and Judah. This chapter focusses on the reigns of Abijam and Asa in the southern kingdom, as well as Nadab and Baasha in the northern kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 Kings 16</span> 1 Kings, chapter 16

1 Kings 16 is the sixteenth chapter of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is a compilation of various annals recording the acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE, with a supplement added in the sixth century BCE. 1 Kings 12:1-16:14 documents the consolidation of the kingdoms of northern Israel and Judah. This chapter focusses on the reigns of Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri and Ahab in the northern kingdom during the reign of Asa in the southern kingdom.

References

  1. Edwin Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings , (1st ed.; New York: Macmillan, 1951; 2d ed.; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965; 3rd ed.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan/Kregel, 1983). ISBN   0-8254-3825-X, 9780825438257
  2. 1 2 "Baasha", Jewish Encyclopedia
  3. 1 Kings 15:33
  4. Barnes' Notes on 1 Kings 15, accessed 26 October 2017
Baasha of Israel
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Israel
909–886 BCE
Succeeded by