1 Reis 15
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Reis 15
Guzik - These state-sanctioned homosexual idol-temple prostitutes were introduced into Judah during the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:24). Asa’s father Abijam didn’t remove these perversions and idols, but King Asa did. And removed all the idols (gillul/gillulim) which his fathers had made - His fathers who made these idols undoubtedly alludes to his father Abijah, grandfather Rehoboam and sadly his great-grandfather Solomon! All sounds like Asa did a thorough cleansing of the idols with one slight exception (see 1Ki 15:14). If you seek Him [the LORD], He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you” -- Prophet Azariah to Asa (2Ch 15:2) Tony Merida - The Chronicler highlights Asa’s spiritual leadership saying that he “told the people of Judah to seek the LORD … and to carry out the instruction and the commands” (2 Chr 14:4; emphasis added). Asa points the nation in the right direction. Have you ever been serious about seeking the Lord? If not, follow Asa’s example: put away the idols and seek the Lord. James says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (Jas 4:8). This happened to me in college. I had been around the church growing up, but I didn’t earnestly seek the Lord until then. Perhaps you have some religious practices but no living relationship with the God of the Bible. Let me urge you to follow this model of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. (See Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings) Male cult prostitutes (06945) qadesh from qodesh = holy, apartness, sacredness) refers to a male temple prostitute. The sad irony is that the root word signifies "holy" or "sacred" and in context of the pagan idolatrous temples the word signifies a man who has been set apart for male prostitution, likely reflecting homosexual and bisexual activities. Yahweh did not permit the Israelites, male or female, to be set aside for sacred prostitution. The name qadesh is a sad commentary on the licentiousness of Canaanite worship which infiltrated and destroyed the true worship of Yahweh! Male and female prostitutes were only one feature of Canaanite fertility religion, but they were a central feature, one that violated the morality and ethics of the Covenant that the Lord had made with Israel at Sinai. The veneration of other Canaanite goddesses, such as Astarte and Anath, helped foster cultic prostitution. Male or female cult prostitutes were explicitly outlawed in Israel (with good cause) by the Sinai Covenant (Deut. 23:17). Idols (01544) gillul/gillulim - latter is the plural form = all OT uses are plural) means logs, blocks, shapeless things. This word describes "an object (not necessarily three dimensional) which has been formed to resemble a person, god, animal." (Louw-Nida). It is used to mock the pagan gods, and it always views idols as contemptuous things (1 Ki. 15:12; Deut. 29:17; Ezek. 6:4). Idols are always an abomination, and they pollute the people and the land. The word is often used by Ezekiel parallel to the noun tāmfi', "to be unclean," "to defile oneself", thus strengthening the etymological argument to associate the noun with dung. The prime indictment of Judah communicated by Ezekiel was idolatry (see ch. 16). This defilement forced the Spirit of Yahweh to depart from the Temple (chs. 9-11), as the Temple itself was defiled by idolatry (Ezek 8:9f). Other words for idols are: selem "image," which emphasizes its representational character (used seven times); semel of uncertain etymology (5x); terapim, apparently meaning a "thing of shame" used for Laban's household gods stolen by Rachel; mippeleset "thing of horror"; 'elil "empty or meaningless thing"; 'awen "sinful thing" BDB (KB suggests, a "thing of mystery" from a possible etymology, but BDB is better on the basis of the usage of 'awen). ashera, which are cult objects, perhaps sacred poles, but are more symbols of the goddess 'ashera rather than idols in the normal sense. NET NOTE on idols - The word used here, גִלּוּלִים [gillulim], is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as “worthless things” (אֱלִילִים, ’elilim), “vanities” or “empty winds” (הֲבָלִים, havalim). 1 Kings 15:13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron. LXE 1 Kings 15:13 And he removed Ana his mother from being queen, forasmuch as she gathered a meeting in her grove: and Asa cut down her retreats, and burnt them with fire in the brook of Kedron. NET 1 Kings 15:13 He also removed Maacah his grandmother from her position as queen because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. CSB 1 Kings 15:13 He also removed his grandmother Maacah from being queen mother because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. Asa chopped down her obscene image and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ESV 1 Kings 15:13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. NIV 1 Kings 15:13 He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. NLT 1 Kings 15:13 He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. NRS 1 Kings 15:13 He also removed his mother Maacah from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah; Asa cut down her image and burned it at the Wadi Kidron. NJB 1 Kings 15:13 He even deprived his grandmother Maacah of the dignity of Great Lady for having made an obscenity for Asherah; Asa cut down her obscenity and burnt it in the ravine of the Kidron. NAB 1 Kings 15:13 He also deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made an outrageous object for Asherah. Asa cut down this object and burned it in the Kidron Valley. YLT 1 Kings 15:13 and also Maachah his mother -- he turneth her aside from being mistress, in that she made a horrible thing for a shrine, and Asa cutteth down her horrible thing, and burneth it by the brook Kidron; Maachah: 1Ki 15:2,10 2Ch 15:15,16-19 his mother: De 13:6-11 33:9 Zec 13:3 Mt 10:37 12:46-50 2Co 5:16 Ga 2:5,6,14 Cut down, Lev 26:30 De 7:5 2Ki 18:4 23:12-15 2Ch 34:4 and burned: Ex 32:20 De 9:21 Jos 6:24 the brook: 2Sa 15:23 2Ki 23:6 Joh 18:1, Cedron 1 Kings 15 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: Exodus 32:20 He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it. Deuteronomy 9:21 “I took your sinful thing, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small until it was as fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the brook that came down from the mountain. 2 Chronicles 15:16 He also removed Maacah, the mother of King Asa, from the position of queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah, and Asa cut down her horrid image, crushed it and burned it at the brook Kidron. PURGING THE PALACE He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother (gebirah) - Don't be confused because Maacah was not Asa's mother but his grandmother, for she was the wife of King Rehoboam and the mother of Abijam (Abijah), who was the father of King Asa (2Ch 14:1+). In addition Maacah was the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah (2Ch 13:2) and Tamar (2Sa 14:27) and hence was the granddaughter of Absalom.Think about what King Asa was up against! His own grandmother who had the prestige of "queen mother," who in general had a highly honored position in the royal court, often second in status only to the king himself. King Asa has a heart wholly devoted to Yahweh and "bucks the system," canning his grandmother because of her godless, abominable worship! THOUGHT - It cost Asa to follow Jehovah, for he was forced to break family ties with his own grandmother. Beloved, following Jesus will cost us also, and some of you may have already experienced broken family ties (I have and it was very painful!) Jesus warned us that "from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Lk 12:52,53+, cp Mk 8:34-40+, Lk 14:26,27,33+). Have you counted the cost? Because (term of explanation) she had made a horrid (loathsome, obscene) image as an Asherah - Horrid image is the Hebrew word miphletseth/mipleset used only here and in 2Ch 15:16+, both times describing the sin of Maacah. The root word (palats) means to shudder from fear. Maacah's image was so horrible that it caused shuddering from fear! Fortunately, King Asa had the fear of the LORD and was not intimidated but took swift action against the horrid image! As someone has said fear God and you will have nothing else to fear! The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted. -- Proverbs 29:25 And Asa cut down (karath) her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron - Asa treated Maacah's horrid image like Moses treated the golden calf, totally eradicating all traces of this sinful object. Her horrid image received a fitting "burial," for the Kidron Valley was the main garbage dump for Jerusalem! Adam Clarke is a bit graphic but probably not far from the truth - From the whole, it is pretty evident that the image was a mere Priapus, or something of the same nature, and that Maachah had an assembly in the grove where the image was set up, and doubtless worshipped it with the most impure rites. What the Roman Priapus was I need not tell the learned reader; and as to the unlearned, it would not profit him to know (ED: I AGREE AND FOR THAT REASON GIVE NO LINKS TO THAT VILE TERM). Queen (01377)(gebirah from gebir = lord; a cognate is gibbor which means mighty) is a feminine noun depicting a queen, a lady, a woman or mistress (Ge 16:4, 8, 9; 2 Ki. 5:3). Gebirah is the title of the king's mother (or in Asa's case his grandmother), the so called "queen mother" (1 Ki. 15:13; 2 Ki. 10:13). Gebirah is used as the title of Pharaoh's wife in Egypt (1 Ki. 11:19). Sons of this female were considered full brothers of the king (2 Ki. 10:13). Queen Mother often served as a trusted counselor to the king as when Bathsheba advised Solomon in 1 Kings 1:11-21. In 1 Kings 2:19, King Solomon bowed before his mother, Bathsheba, showing the deep respect accorded to the Queen Mother. In many ancient Near Eastern cultures, the Queen Mother acted as a diplomatic figure. She may have played a role in forming alliances, negotiating treaties, and managing court affairs. As Israel and Judah faced decline and foreign invasions, the role of the Queen Mother lost some of its prestige. However, the concept of the powerful mother of a king continued to influence later traditions, including the idea of the Virgin Mary as the "Queen Mother" (which of course she was NOT! -- SEE Queen of Heaven) Complete Biblical Library - (NOTE THIS SOURCE CITES MORE USES OF GEBIRAH/GEVIRAH THAN OTHER SOURCES) Gevîrāh is a technical term which denotes legal superiority. It occurs fifteen times in the Hebrew Bible. Seven times it appears in the context of the female superior of a female servant. Six times it refers to either the queen or queen mother (the female superior of all in society). Twice it is used metaphorically in Isaiah as "queen." Three times it occurs in the account of Hagar's flight from Sarah and her discussion with the angel in the desert, ultimately leading to her return to her superior (Gen. 16:4ff). Naaman, a Syrian military official, became aware of the potential healing power of Elisha through the Israelite female slave of his wife (2 Ki. 5:3). The word is coupled with shiphah in poetic contexts. The psalmist states that the collective eyes of the people look upon Yahweh as servants look to masters and mistresses for mercy (123:2). In Isaiah 24, it is prophesied that Yahweh will punish the unrighteous. All will suffer identical fates. "As with the female servant, so with her mistress" (v. 2). Finally, among those things that cause the earth to tremble is "a female servant when she succeeds her mistress" (Prov. 30:23). The remaining occurrences of the word are those associated with the position of queen mother (with the exception of 1 Ki. 11:19, where the context implies the term is used to denote the queen of Egypt). This position is one which is associated with Judah, as the formula employed at the ascension of Judaean kings include the mother of the king; Israelite kings do not mention them. Precisely what powers were held by the women in this position is not clear, although it is clear they wielded enough power to cause problems. Four queen mothers are mentioned, three of them in a negative light. Bathsheeba (the non-negative example), wife of David and mother of Solomon, appears with access to and a position near her son's throne (perhaps as reward for her efforts in the harem intrigue which brought her son to power; 2 Sam. 11:3; 12:24). The only Israelite queen mother who is recorded in the Hebrew Bible is Jezebel. Her influence in the courts of her sons Ahaziah and Jehoram was undeniable (1 Ki. 16:31; 22:15; 2 Ki. 3:2; 9:22). Her prominence in the narratives is a stark contrast to the involvement of other queen mothers in Israel. This may be attributed to her being the daughter of the king of Sidon. It is clear that the queen played some role in neighboring Ugarit, although the extent of her role is unknown. The uniqueness and negativity of Jezebel's role is an indictment against allowing foreign influences to enter into Hebrew political and religious life. The prime charge against the evil queen mother involves the introduction of foreign religions. Jezebel was zealous concerning the worship of Phoenician deities of her native Sidon. She had 450 prophets of Baal and 400 of Asherah seated at the royal table, indicating state support of the religion (1 Ki. 18:19). Given the intolerance of normative Yahwism for other gods, she persecuted all members of the Yahwistic religious structure, including prophets (e.g., Elijah, 1 Ki. 18:4). She violated the royal role in Israel by her seizure of Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21). Murder is by no means the only serious offense in this incident (21:19). The ultimate violation by Jezebel's action is the seizure of inalienable property as her own. Yahweh owned the land; all property was his, and He allowed individuals to inherit the use of fields. To usurp ownership outside the clan structure was to take land from Yahweh, to usurp his role. Her inglorious end at the hand of eunuchs obeying the command of Jehu during his successful coup underscores her lack of power in the face of Yahweh. Her lack of burial is antithetical to her position of prominence, as the powerful secured elaborate tombs and a period of public mourning. The next evil queen mother recorded in the Hebrew Bible was a Judahite queen, Athaliah, who was either the daughter or (less likely) sister-in-law (cf. 2 Ki. 8:26; see ABD 1, 511f) of Jezebel. First Kings 22:44 states that Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, made peace with Israel, doubtless sealed by the marriage of the crown prince Jehoram to Athaliah (2 Ki. 8:18). Jehoram reigned for eight years (most of which scholars hold was as coregent with his father), and was labeled as an evil king, especially in contrast to his father and grandfather (2 Ki. 8:18; 2 Chr. 22:11ff). His sin was that "he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife." This indictment had to do with the tolerance of worship for foreign gods. Given Jezebel's influence and zeal for Sidonian gods, it is not at all surprising that her daughter (or any royal family member) would push for the same religious circumstances that existed in the Northern kingdom. The Chronicler blames her for the reign of her son Ahaziah, which was done in the fashion of the "ways of the house of Ahab" (2 Chr. 22:3ff). He was killed in the course of Jehu's coup in Israel, along with the entirety of Ahab's descendants and forty-two Davidic descendants who were in the Northern kingdom (2 Ki. 9:27ff; 10:13ff). Athaliah seized upon the political chaos by attempting to obliterate all male descendants of the royal line, inadvertently missing Ahaziah's son Joash (2 Kings 11). Joash was protected by the high priest of the Temple of Yahweh, who six years later would instate him as king in a palace coup (2 Ki. 11:4-20; 2 Chr. 22:11-12). Meanwhile, Athaliah became sole ruler in Judah, the lone queen to rule either kingdom. The animosity of the Yahwistic priesthood and the destruction of the temple of Baal in the coup which ended her reign and life confirm her commitment to Baalism. Her ability to stage a coup, to order male Davidic descendants to be slaughtered, speaks of the power of the position of the queen mother. Her ability to firmly establish Baalism as an official cult likewise is testimony to the power wielded by this woman. It is not clear if this represents the normal power wielded by her office or if it is representative of the enormous strength of personality of this woman. The latter certainly must play a role in her ascension to the rulership of the country; how much of a base her office provided is not clear. The other person labeled gevîrāh in the Hebrew Bible was Maacah, the mother of Abijah and Asa, wife of Rehoboam the son of Solomon. Abijah did evil in the sight of Yahweh (1 Ki. 15:3-8). Asa did away with most forms of idolatry (1 Ki. 15:11-15). In order to do so, he had "to remove his mother Maacah from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah" (1 Ki. 15:13). Her power of office was sufficient to be enough of a nuisance to the king that Asa had to remove her from her power base. Isaiah uses this noun metaphorically twice in ch. 47 in the course of an oracle against Babylon and its impending demise. Babylon is called the "mistress of kingdoms" (v. 5) and considers herself to be "mistress forever" (v. 7). Here the imagery is best understood as that of queen or superior. Verse 8 contains the boast of Babylon that she "shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children." Gebirah - queen(1), queen mother(5), mistress (3) Ge 16:4, 8, 9 1 Ki. 11:19; 1 Ki. 15:13; 2 Ki. 10:13; 2 Chr. 15:16; Jer. 13:18; Jer. 29:2 John Kitto - The Queen—I Kings 15:13 The disproportion of daughters to sons which was noticeable in the case of Rehoboam, was counter-balanced in the case of Abijah by a preponderance of sons. Of these he had twenty-two, and of daughters sixteen. His wives were fourteen; and that the number was so much below that which constituted the harem of his father, shows an increasing deference to public opinion, which was undoubtedly unfavorable to this “multiplication of wives” by the kings, of which Solomon, or perhaps we may say David, had set the example. Even this number is named with the marked emphasis which implies disapprobation; and as nothing is said of the number of his son Asa’s wives, and as it appears he had but one child, it is to be inferred that he so far respected the national feeling and the dignity of woman as to be content with the one wife, whose recorded name is Azubah. After that reign we hear no more of the numerous wives of the kings of Judah, so that this abuse appears to have been rectified; and in the other kingdom it does not seem to have had any existence, for we do not meet with any king who is known to have had more than one wife. King Abijah reigned but three years; but his son Asa, who succeeded him, reigned forty-one years, and beheld the close of the reign of Jeroboam in Israel, and the commencement of that of Ahab,—so that this one reign in the house of David covered the entire reigns of five, and parts of the reigns of two, kings in Israel—seven in all, including four different families or dynasties.541 The contrast is striking; and there can be no doubt that this long, and, upon the whole, prosperous and meritorious reign, while Israel was torn by internal factions and revolutions, and stained with the blood of fallen princes, massacred by the successful competitors for the perilous crown, tended much to consolidate the strength of Judah, and to raise it to that equality with the rival kingdom, which might not in the first instance have appeared feasible when the great disproportion of territory is considered. The mention of royal wives, in connection with this reign, may remind us of the remarkable fact, that it is in this reign the word translated queen first occurs, as applied to one not a reigning sovereign, as the queen of Sheba appears to have been. If the reader reflects a little, he will see that the practice of polygamy is incompatible with the existence of the rank of queen-consort. Where there are many wives—some of them of equal or nearly equal rank—how can any one of them be queen? Hence David, Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijah, who had many wives, could have had no “queen,” in the European sense of the word, which is that of female-king. So it is still in the polygamous courts of the East; and hence the court of the anti-penultimate king of Persia, Futteh Ali Shah, was greatly perplexed when a British ambassador appeared with a letter from queen Charlotte, addressed to “the queen of Persia,” and bearing presents for her. However, that the presents might not be lost for the want of a lady to receive them, and that the “king of kings,” known to be the husband of many wives and the father of many children, might not appear to be destitute of that which the princes of Europe appeared to consider so necessary to him as a queen, the favorite lady of the day was instructed to take the part—to receive the presents and the letter,—the latter being also answered in her name. The fact is, that there can be no queen-consort where there is more than one wife; and, in the East, when there is no more than one, she is not a queen—she has no recognized public position in the state—she is simply the zan-i-shah, “the king’s wife”—that is all. There is, however, in most cases, some one in the harem who, on one account or another, is recognized as the chief lady. This position is seldom fixed by the king’s mere arbitrary will or personal liking, but is determined by circumstances which usage compels him to respect. Hence the favorite wife or concubine is not always, or even generally, the chief lady. The circumstances which usually fix that position are either high birth, priority of marriage, or giving birth to the heir of the throne; and if these three conditions, or the first and the last, concur in the same person, the superiority over the others becomes clear and indisputable; and, in any case, the fact of becoming mother of the future king over-rides every other consideration, and renders the happy woman so privileged the chief lady, even though she be not a favorite wife. Now, to apply this. It is likely that the one of David’s wives who was recognized as the chief, was the mother of his eldest son, Amnon, although, perhaps, Absalom’s mother, by virtue of her high rank as the daughter of a king, asserted her claim to scarcely less consideration, and had a separate establishment of her own; and when, by the death of Amnon, her son became the heir, and these two high claims were united in her person, her pre-eminence must have been beyond question or dispute. When Absalom was slain, she necessarily lost the maternal part of her pre-eminence, but retained that which her high birth conferred. So, when Solomon became the acknowledged heir to the crown, his mother became the chief lady of the harem,—though, perhaps, at first, Haggith, the mother of Adonijah,—really the elder son, made some pretensions to that enviable station. Amid these changes, arising from births and deaths of sons, the fixed position which her rank gave to king Talmai’s daughter may have seemed not the least enviable, but for this—that the one who was chief lady by virtue of her maternity, had to look forward to the still higher state which she might expect to enjoy when her son reached the throne. Solomon had among his thousand wives one of the most exalted rank, being no other than the king of Egypt’s daughter. She was treated with great distinction, and had a separate palace for herself; and the only claim to be regarded as the chief wife that could at all interfere with hers, was that of the mother of Rehoboam, the heir to the throne. As, however, the rank is not one of public or official recognition, and as Pharaoh’s daughter had a separate establishment, there is no likelihood that their claims came into conflict. There was in fact one whose claim to be chief lady of “queen,” was superior to either of theirs, and to which both could not but submit—and this was that of the MOTHER of the king. The chief wife claimed that distinction as mother of the future king; but the chief lady was the mother of the king himself. This is in conformity with the prevalent usage of the East, which assigns the first rank in every household, not to the wife of the master, but his mother, to whom the wife merely becomes another daughter. Thus, so far as there was any woman who could be called “queen” in the time of Solomon, it was Bathsheba who enjoyed that distinction. We see a trace of this in the ceremonious respect with which she is received by her son, who rose to meet her, bowed himself to her, and caused a seat to be set for “the king’s mother” on his right hand. It was this rank, that of “the king’s mother,” which really constituted the distinction, making the nearest approach to the rank and dignity of a non-regnant queen. So, now, we come to the remarkable fact by which these observations have been suggested. We have already had occasion to mention, that Rehoboam’s favored wife was Maachah, the grand-daughter of Absalom. On the accession of her son Abijah, she of course became, as “the king’s mother,” the chief lady in the land, or “queen;” and it appears that she would have retained it under her grandson Asa, but for a cause which is thus stated:—“And also concerning Maachah, the mother (grandmother) of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove.” The rights which she enjoyed as the king’s mother were not lessened, but rather strengthened, by her becoming the king’s grandmother—the maternal head of the royal house. But she might lose the conventional pre-eminence and state rights (if any) which this position conferred upon her, by her misconduct; and doubtless Asa, by this decided act, intended to express, and was understood to express, in the strongest possible manner, his abomination of idolatry, and his determination to put it down. The rank of which she was thus deprived, doubtless then devolved on the king’s own mother. The most striking analogy to this is found in the high rank, eminent privileges, and even political influence, to which the mother of the sovereign of the Turkish empire succeeds when her son ascends the throne. We hear little or nothing in Turkish history of any woman except the validé sultan,—of empress-dowager,—but of her often, and under various circumstances, which indicate her exalted position and high influence. It was much the same in ancient Persia, where the king’s mother enjoyed a peculiar rank and title, corresponding to that of the validé sultan, and with privileges much higher than those of his wife. As the true distinction lay in being the king’s mother, the mother of his father probably retained that title whenever—which the course of nature rendered unusual—she continued to enjoy the rank and privileges of the chief lady under her grandson, as in the case before us. It is, however, so common in Scripture for a grandmother to be called a mother, that perhaps even this explanation is scarcely necessary to account for Maachah being called the mother of king Asa. SOME ABOMINATIONS OF THE PAGAN RELIGIONS THAT INFECTED GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE - The Canaanite religion, as described in ancient texts, including the Bible, was often depicted as highly corrupt, particularly in terms of sexual immorality and other practices considered abominable by Israelite standards. Here are some of the key aspects: 1. Cultic Prostitution Many Canaanite religious practices involved ritual prostitution in temples dedicated to their gods, such as Baal and Asherah. Both male and female temple prostitutes (often called "sacred prostitutes") engaged in sexual acts as part of religious ceremonies, believed to ensure fertility for the land and people. 2. Worship of Baal and Asherah Baal was a storm and fertility god, and Asherah was a mother goddess. Their worship included orgiastic rites, where sexual acts were performed as acts of devotion. These acts were meant to imitate divine fertility and secure agricultural prosperity. 3. Incest and Bestiality Ancient Canaanite texts, such as the Ugaritic texts, reveal mythologies that normalize incestuous relationships among their deities, suggesting that such behaviors were tolerated or even encouraged in some social contexts. The laws in Leviticus 18:1-30 specifically prohibit incest, bestiality, and other sexual perversions, implying that these practices were common among the Canaanites. 4. Child Sacrifice & Sexual Perverse Worship The worship of Molech included child sacrifice, where children were burned alive as offerings. Some scholars suggest that these ceremonies may have involved sexual rituals alongside human sacrifice. The combination of sexual immorality and violent practices made Canaanite religion particularly detestable to the Israelites. 5. Homosexual Practices & Sodomy Sodomy and same-sex relations (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13) were tied to Canaanite religious practices, where such acts were often performed in temples. 6. God’s Judgment Against the Canaanites Due to these extreme corruptions, God commanded the Israelites to completely destroy Canaanite religious sites (Deuteronomy 7:5) and to avoid intermarrying or adopting their practices (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). The conquest of Canaan (Joshua's campaign) was not just about land but also about eradicating these abominable religious customs. Unfortunately for Israel this "spiritual cancer" was never totally removed! And like untreated cancer usually does, it spread throughout both the northern kingdom bringing death to the nation in 722 BC and then to the southern kingdom bringing death to Judah and destruction of Yahweh's Temple in 586 BC. To summarize, the Canaanite religion was deeply intertwined with sexual perversion, idolatry, and human sacrifice, making it one of the most corrupt in ancient times. These practices were considered an abomination in Israelite law, leading to God's command for their destruction. 1 Kings 15:14 But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the LORD all his days. the high places: 1Ki 22:43 2Ki 12:3 14:4 15:4 2Ch 14:3,5 was perfect: 1Ki 15:3 8:61 11:4 2Ch 15:17,18 16:9 25:2 1 Kings 15 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 14:3+ for he (ASA) removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, 2 Chronicles 20:33+ (KING JEHOSHAPHAT) The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers. (ED: IN THIS CONTEXT, HIGH PLACES SEEM TO BE A "BAROMETER" OF THE PEOPLE'S HEART AFFECTION TOWARD YAHWEH). Deuteronomy 12:2-3+ (GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE HIGH PLACES) “You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. 3 “You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place. THE MYSTERY OF THE HIGH PLACES But - Term of contrast. Note that the parallel passage above says Asa did remove the high places. The high places (bamah) were not taken away - The implication is that the high places should have been taken away and apparently some were according to 2Ch 14:3. Why were they said to not be removed in this verse? The text does not tell us (see Norman Geisler's explanation and G Campbell Morgan's comments). Many think that Asa tore down the idolatrous high places and retained high places that were dedicated to the LORD. While that is a reasonable comment, it is not perfectly compatible with God's instruction in Dt 12:5 which says "you shall seek the LORD at the place which the LORD your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come." (cf Ps 132:13) And of course the place He had establish His Name was the Temple in Jerusalem. Therefore the persistence of ANY high places at this time is at the very least problematic (see also 2Ch 20:33b+)! John
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Guzik - "Asa shows us the tragedy of a man who rules well and seeks the LORD for many years, yet fails in a significant challenge of his faith and then refuses to hear God’s correction.") Map of David's Kingdom-ESV Global See DAMASCUS, SYRIA (ARAM) IN THE NORTH LET'S MAKE A DEAL Then - Time phrase usually marking progression in a narrative. In this case, the then marks a sad "digression" or declension in the narrative of King Asa. Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants - Asa strips the Temple of treasure (TOOK ALL). It is surprising that Asa could find silver and gold given that Shishak had stripped the Temple of gold in Rehoboam's day. Recall that it was Asa himself who had placed dedicated gold and silver vessels in the Temple (1Ki 15:15+). The irony is that Asa now appears to be a "fair-weather giver" taking back what he had given to Yahweh's Temple! Clearly, we are beginning to see a backsliding of Asa's wholehearted devotion to the LORD. Baaha's move to fortify Ramah prompts a man whose heart is wholly devoted to the LORD to fall to rely on God's help and instead rely on Gold's help! For most of us the threat of life is not so much that we should plunge into disaster, but that we should drift into sin. THOUGHT - Webster says that to backslide means to lapse morally, to fall off; to turn gradually from one's faith and practice of the truth of the Gospel. To backslide means to drift into sinful habits from a prior state of Spirit enabled holiness. William Barclay sounds a warning for all believers, for NONE of us are immune to backsliding - "For most of us the threat of life is not so much that we should plunge into disaster, but that we should drift into sin. There are few people who deliberately and in a moment turn their backs on God; there are many who day by day drift farther and farther away from Him. There are not many who in one moment of time commit some disastrous sin; there are many who almost imperceptibly involve themselves in some situation and suddenly awake to find that they have ruined life for themselves and broken someone else's heart. We must continually be on the alert against the peril of the drifting life (cf 1Pe 1:13-17+, Heb 2:1+, Mt 26:41+, etc). The Word will never drift from us. The danger is our drifting from the anchor provided by the Truth of God's Word (cf Heb 6:19+). The harbor of salvation is absolutely secure. It is Jesus Christ, Who never moves, never changes, (Heb 13:8) and is always available to anyone who wants the protection and security of His righteousness. (William Barclay on Hebrews And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram (Syria), who lived in Damascus, saying - Asa has fallen for the snare of every man ever born. He now thinks gold will buy him protection. He forgets to remove the letter "L" for it is only God Who gives true protection. As shown on the map Aram (Syria) is in the north and strategically just to the north of King Baasha's kingdom. ESV Archaeological Note - A marker dedicated to the god Baal Melqart (ED: the chief god of Tyre) has been found at Aleppo in northern Syria. It bears an Aramaic inscription that mentions Barhada (ED: the Aramean equivalent of Ben-Hadad), son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion. (Borrow ESV Study Bible) QUESTION - Who was Ben-Hadad in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - Ben-Hadad seems to have been the title of the reigning king of Aram (Syria). Ben-Hadad means “son of Hadad.” Hadad or Adad was the god of storm and thunder, and, as was common in that epoch of history, kings were seen as sons of the primary god of the region. In the Bible, Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, is mentioned in 1 Kings 15:18–22; throughout 1 Kings 20; 2 Kings 6:24; 8:9; 13:24–25; 2 Chronicles 16:2–4; Jeremiah 49:27; and Amos 1:4. Since Ben-Hadad is a title much like Pharaoh or President, the term can refer to different individuals at different times. The context of each passage must be studied to determine just who is involved. Most students of history accept the existence of three Ben-Hadads who ruled in Damascus: Ben-Hadad I, who ruled c. 900–860 BC; his son (or grandson) Ben-Hadad II, who ruled 860–841; and another, unrelated Ben-Hadad, the son of the man who assassinated Ben-Hadad II. In 1 Kings 15:18, Ben-Hadad is designated as the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion. In this passage, King Asa of Judah makes a treaty with Ben-Hadad to help protect himself against the king of Israel, who was threatening Judah. (This is also recorded in 2 Chronicles 16:2–4.) Ben-Hadad sent soldiers against Israel and King Baasha and conquered a number of towns, bringing some relief to Judah. In 1 Kings 20, Ben-Hadad once again attacks the northern kingdom of Israel, where Ahab is now the king. It is possible that this is the same Ben-Hadad who attacked in 1 Kings 15, or it could be a son, Ben-Hadad II. It seems that this time Ben-Hadad is attacking on his own without consideration for any treaty with Judah. And this time, although he had 32 kings helping him (1 Kings 20:1), he is defeated by King Ahab and the army of Israel. About three years later, Israel and Syria renew their conflict, leading to Ahab’s final battle and death (1 Kings 22). In 2 Kings 6–7, about nine years after Ahab’s death, Ben-Hadad II invades Israel and lays siege to Samaria, the capital. The siege went on for so long that the people in the city were starving to death. However, in the middle of the night, the Lord caused the Aramean army to hear sounds of an advancing army. Thinking the king of Israel was receiving help from foreign nations, all of Ben-Hadad’s men fled, leaving everything behind. In 2 Kings 8, the prophet Elisha travels to Damascus and relays a paradoxical prophecy to Ben-Hadad II, who was ill: “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die” (verse 10). Just as Elisha said, Ben-Hadad began to recover from his illness, but then a man named Hazael murdered Ben-Hadad and took the throne of Aram. In 2 Kings 13, Hazael is succeeded by his son, who is also named Ben-Hadad. This final Ben-Hadad was defeated three times by King Jehoash of Israel, fulfilling another prophecy of Elisha (2 Kings 13:1–25). In Jeremiah 49:27, the word of the Lord says, “I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.” At the time of Jeremiah’s prophecy, none of the Ben-Hadads mentioned above would have been alive. The reference may be to the current king of Aram or perhaps to a fortress that had been built by and now bore the name of a former king. In Amos 1:4 we have a similar prophecy: “I will send fire on the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.” By this time, the original Ben-Hadad had been killed, and Hazael was king. As above, “the fortress of Ben-Hadad” could simply refer to a fortress of the current king or to a specific fortress that was known by that name. In summary, Ben-Hadad is the title of the Aramean king, “son of Hadad,” a prominent deity in the region. Several kings of Aram had extensive interaction with the kingdom of Israel and attacked several times. The Lord used Ben-Hadad and the Arameans to bring judgment on rebellious Israel, but He punished Aram for her evil, as well. 1 Kings 15:19 “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” Let there be a treaty: 2Ch 19:2 Isa 31:1 break your treaty: 2Sa 21:2 2Ch 16:3 Eze 17:13-16 Ro 1:31 3:8 1 Kings 15 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 16:3+ “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” KING ASA'S WORLDLY WISDOM Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father - Ben-hadad is a pagan idol worshiper. To make an alliance with him is utter foolishness. Asa maneuver to buy off Ben-hadad is a reflection of his unbelief. For some reason he forgets the prior faithfulness of Yahweh and resorts to human reasoning in the face of Baasha's threat. How do we respond when the pressure is on? Do we abandon our convictions and chose compromise over confidence in the LORD? THOUGHT - Have you ever done the "Asa two-step"? It's not a very attractive "dance move!" Let's say you have just experienced deliverance by the good hand of the LORD from a trial, but then you experience another "attack" (affliction, trial, test, etc) and instead of seeking the LORD's help, you choose to rely on your wisdom or the wisdom of others (even Christians). Remember, even if you have what you deem to be a positive outcome (like Asa), that does not mean your reliance on self instead of God was pleasing to Him. I love the words of the writer of Chronicles "Seek (Command and in Lxx -aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) the LORD and His strength; Seek (Command and in Lxx -aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) His face continually." (1Ch 16:11) O, how I wish I would always yield to the Spirit and obey these simple commands! Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me - Note Asa's human wisdom. If Ben-hadad (Aram/Syria) broke his alliance with Baasha and aligned with Asa, Baaha would be forced to withdraw from Ramah lest he be fighting a war on two fronts (Ben-hada in north, Asa in south). One can also question Asa's ethics in bribing Ben-hadad to break an alliance. God's prophet certainly called Asa out because of his actions (2Ch 16:7-10+). 1 Kings 15:20 So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali. Ijon: 2Ki 15:29 Dan: 1Ki 12:29 Ge 14:14 Jdg 18:29, Abel-beth-maachah, 2Sa 20:14,15 Chinneroth: Jos 11:2 12:3 1 Kings 15 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries Source: ESV Study Bible p. 762 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 16:4+ So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim and all the store cities of Naphtali. MONEY TALKS BEN-HADAD BRIBED So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali - Ben-hadad broke the treaty with Baasha and conquered some of his land. See map above (look at top of map) for location of the cities conquered. See nice map "Campaign of Ben-hadad" in MacMillan Bible Atlas page 90. 1 Kings 15:21 When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah. when Baasha: 2Ch 16:5 Tirzah: 1Ki 14:17 16:15-18 Song 6:4 1 Kings 15 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 16:4+ So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim and all the store cities of Naphtali. Source: ESV Study Bible p. 762 SEEMING SUCCESS OF ASA'S WORLDLY WISDOM When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah - The withdrawal of Baasha from Ramah must have convinced Asa he had made the right move by bribing Ben-hadad with the LORD's Temple treasures. And remained in Tirzah - Tirzah (modern Tell el-Farah North) was about 50 miles north of Jerusalem and was the capital city for the early kings of the the Northern Kingdom (1Ki 14:17; 15:21, 33; 1Ki 16:6, 8, 9, 15, 17, 23) I disagree with this the second part of the comment by Constable that Asa's treaty with Ben-hadad "evidenced some lack of trust in Yahweh (2Ch16:7-9). Asa’s strategy was one that God blessed." I submit Asa's humanistic strategy is one God allowed, but he definitely did not bless Asa's failure to rely on Him to defend Judah from Baasha! Warren Wiersbe agrees noting that "Everyone was happy with the results of the treaty except the Lord. He sent the prophet Hanani to rebuke the king and give him the Word of the Lord....The prophet’s message was clear: if Asa had relied on the Lord, the army of Judah would have defeated both Israel and Syria. Instead, Judah merely gained a few towns, the Lord’s treasury was robbed and the king was now in a sinful alliance with the Syrians." Mark it down that worldly success does not always equate with the blessing of the LORD! 1 Kings 15:22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah–none was exempt–and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. made a proclamation: 2Ch 16:6 Geba: Jos 18:24, Gaba, Jos 21:17 Mizpah: Jos 18:26 1Sa 7:5, Mizpeh, Jer 40:6,10 1 Kings 15 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 16:6+ Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he fortified Geba and Mizpah. Source: ESV Study Bible p. 762 ASA DISMANTLES RAMAH & REBUILDS GEBA & MIZPAH Then - Marks progression in the narrative. King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah–none was exempt–and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built - Asa must have felt vindicated by trusting in Gold instead of God this time. Judah even received "spoils" from Ramah without even having to lift a finger! All they had to do was bribe Ben-hadad. Judah used Baasha's materials to fortify their own defenses. This surely looks like a win for King Asa and Judah. Look at his approval rating skyrocketing in the polls! But the writer of Kings leaves out the significant "disclaimer" recorded in 2Ch 16:7-9+. And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah - See the map above for locations of Geba and Mizpah, both at the junction of the border with Baasha's Northern Kingdom. Fortification of these border towns would further convince King Asa he had made a wise move in bribing Ben-Hadad. See Plan of wall Asa built around Mizpah in MacMillan Bible Atlas page 89 1 Kings 15:23 Now 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? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. rest of all: 1Ki 15:7,8 14:29-31 in the time: 2Ch 16:12-14 Ps 90:10 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 16:12-14+ In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians. 13 So Asa slept with his fathers, having died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled with spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him. ASA'S "EPILOGUE" - "DISEASED IN HIS FEET" Now 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? - Note that all three (acts...might...built) speak of worldly, transient human achievements. But - Term of contrast. Asa's acts, might and building are now dramatically contrasted. In the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet - This is the "bad hand of the LORD" on Asa, a man who will still be remembered as one of the kings whose heart was wholly devoted to the LORD. "His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians." (2Ch 16:12+)' Sadly, his great start did not have a great ending. He had been walking by faith, not sight, but he began to focus on the problem (Baasha in Ramah) rather than on the "Problem Solver!" Asa's foot disease only served to further worsen or reveal his heart disease (hardening 2Ch 16:12+)! Age and time do not necessarily make us better; they only do if we continue to follow God in faith. -- David Guzik THOUGHT - 1Cor 10:6, 11+ warn NT believers to avoid the examples of Old Testament saints who were disobedient and experienced the disciplining hand of God. So many start the race strong, but sadly many fail to finish strong. God grant each of us grace and Spirit empowerment to run our race with endurance, to fight the good fight of faith, to press on toward the goal for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, all for Your glory. Amen Adam Dooley - After thirty-five years of leading with integrity and enjoying peace, Asa stumbled near the finish during his last five years by depending more on his personal strength and wisdom than on Yahweh. (See Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Chronicles) As a physician I agree with Donald Wiseman's "likely diagnosis" of Asa's severe foot disease - "Some think that Asa’s foot ailment was gout, “but gout was uncommon in Palestine and ancient Egypt and it is more likely, in view of Asa’s age, the severity of the disease and death within two years, to have been a peripheral obstructive vascular disease with ensuing gangrene (ED: I WOULD ADD IT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO DIABETIC NEUROPATHY WHICH COMMONLY AFFECTS THE LOWER EXTREMITIES)” (See 1 and 2 Kings: An Introduction and Commentary - Page 168) G Campbell
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Guzik - 2 Chronicles 14-16 provides many more details regarding the reign of Asa. He encouraged national piety: He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. (2 Chronicles 14:4). He built fortified cities and presided over a long period of peace (2 Chronicles 14:6). In response to Asa’s prayer, God defeated a huge Ethiopian army that came against Judah (2 Chronicles 14:9-13). He had an encouraging word from the prophet Azariah that encouraged him to continue his reforms (2 Chronicles 15:1-9). Asa led a national re-commitment to the covenant (2 Chronicles 15:10-15). Peter Pett: There are numerous lessons from Asa’s long life. The first is that we need to walk faithfully in accordance with God’s requirements, with a heart that is right towards God. The second is that we need to root out of our lives all our ‘idols’. The third is that we need to learn to trust fully in God rather than in men. The fourth is that we need to take every opportunity to build up our defences (Ephesians 6:10-18). John Kitto - Physicians—I Kings 15:23; II Chronicles 16:12 Asa was in his latter days afflicted with “a disease in his feet,” which is generally supposed to have been the gout. Here, again, the king incurs some blame for having resorted to “the physicians instead of relying upon God.” We cannot suppose that he was blameworthy for taking proper means for his recovery, but he was for relying upon them instead of upon the Lord’s blessing upon the means they employed. It was therefore a new manifestation of that lapse of faith, to which he had unhappily become too prone. Much had been given to him—even large capacities of faith—and much more therefore was required from him than from men less favored. It may have been something even worse. It is even probable that the “physicians” may have been foreigners and idolaters, whose practice consisted much in superstitious arts and idolatrous rites, instead of the priests, or rather Levites, in whose hands the medical practice of the Jews chiefly rested. In this case his offence was the same in kind as that of the king of Israel (Jehoram) in the next generation, who sent to Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, respecting the disease with which he was afflicted, and who incurred thereby a dreadful rebuke for not having rather consulted the God of Israel. This shows, that since diseases were considered the immediate act of God, so was also the cure; and it was usual to ascertain his will through the priests or prophets. It was also sought to propitiate Him by vows, by prayers, and by sacrifices. Under the same views as to the cause of the disease, the heathen resorted to their gods, and sought to will their favor or to pacify them by various strange, superstitious, and often brutal rites. In any case, certainly, under such a state of things, to apply to a foreign physician was but an indirect mode of application to the god he served. We will take this opportunity of stating a few particulars respecting the state of medicine among the ancient Hebrews. There have been some curious speculations among them as to the medical knowledge of Adam—founded on the idea that the knowledge of all creatures, implied in his bestowal of appropriate names upon them, must have comprised a knowledge of their medicinal properties and uses. The mere conjecture shows the extent to which animal substances were applied in the materia medica of the Hebrews. In this age, where more potent medicinal agents have been found, it is hard to conceive the extent to which the parts of animals were used, not only by the ancients, but, until a comparatively recent date, by the moderns. Indeed, most of the practices as to applications of animal simples, which, where found in use among our peasantry, are cited, under such headings as “Folk-Lore,” as rural superstitions, are often little other than remnants of ancient and legitimate medical practice. The point is curious; and in proof of it we might quote largely from a work bearing the date of 1664, which sets forth the medical uses of most animals, citing ancient and medical authorities for most of the statements—including Jewish medical writers.545 We wish our space allowed quotation from this book; but can only give a sample or two. The first article is “Ape,”—in which, among other things, we are told “an ape eaten by a lion, cureth his diseases”—a fact we most potently believe, having often noted a lion to seem greatly refreshed after demolishing an ape. Under “Asse” we are told, among other delectable matter, that “a little of the water being drunke, of which the cow or asse hath drunke, doth effectually help the headach.” “The dryed brain of an asse, being drunke daily in water and honey, helpeth the epilepsie in 30 daies.”—“The heart of a black male asse, being eaten with bread, helpeth the falling sicknesse.”—“The gall doth asswage the signes of abscesses.”—“The flesh helpeth against the paine of the back-bone and hipps. The marrow anointed cureth the gout, and easeth the paine. The ashes of the hoofes burned help the falling sickness. The dung mixed with the yolk of an egge, and applied to the forehead, stoppeth the fluxe of blood, and, with a bull’s gall, curleth the haire.” Of the mouse it is said,—“The flesh causeth oblivion. A mouse dissected and applied draweth out reeds, darts, and other things that stick in the flesh. Being eaten by children, when rosted, they dry up their spittle. The water in which they have been boiled helpeth against the quinsey.The ashes, with honey, used ten dayes, clear the eyes. The head, worne in a cloth, helpeth the headache and epilepsy. The liver, rosted in the new of the moon, trieth the epilepsie. The brain, being steeped in wine and applied to the forehead, helpeth the headach. The gall, with vinegar, dropped into the eare, bringeth out live creatures in the eare. The dung, given in any liquour, helpeth the colick,” and is further stated to be good, as are other of its parts and products, for a variety of other uses, which must have rendered this little creature formerly of much more estimation in public opinion than it now bears. The first mention of physicians in Scripture is in the time of Joseph, and with reference to Egypt, which may be regarded as the western cradle of this and many other ancient sciences and arts. These physicians were those who embalmed Jacob; and were, therefore, rather embalmers than physicians, whose profession is to cure the living, not to embalm the dead. Nevertheless, we know from other sources that the Egyptians had early made great progress in the study of medicine, and acquired high reputation; so that the aid of Egyptian physicians was much sought for even in foreign lands. Indeed, it is far from unlikely that the physicians whose skill Asa so unwisely relied on were of Egypt. It was believed that they had a knowledge of materia medica more extensive than any other men by whom medical science was cultivated, and that in this their great strength lay. Indeed, there is clear enough allusion to this in one of the prophets, who exclaims, “O, virgin daughter of Egypt, in vain shalt thou use many medicines, for thou shalt not be cured.” Jeremiah 46:11. No one can doubt that the Hebrews must have brought some considerable portion of this knowledge of medicine with them from Egypt. The proof of the knowledge actually possessed is strikingly manifested in the indication of the characters by which the priest was to recognize the leprosy, as well as of the sanitary measures to be taken, and the means of cure to be adopted. All this may be seen in Leviticus 13; and it suffices to observe, that modern physicians,546 who have given attention to the subject, have only found occasion to attest the exact accuracy of these indications. The knowledge thus possessed by, and required from the priests, sufficiently indicates that medicine was in all essential respects a sacred pursuit, and was, as such, in the hands of the Levitical priesthood, whose learned leisure and dispersion through the country, as well as their superior education, rendered them in these remote ages the best and fittest depositaries of medical science. Indeed, nothing is more certain than the essential identity among all ancient nations of the professions—religion, law, and medicine, which the progress of civilization has separated into three. Indeed, in our own country even, the profession of the law still bears the outward and visible marks of its ancient connection with religion; and the time is not distant when every parish priest was expected to possess some knowledge of medicine. Among the Hebrews, leprosy, and all other diseases, were deemed to be the immediate effect of the omnipotence of God. They were sent for punishment or fatherly correction to those who had offended Him or incurred His rebuke; and they were cured when they had appeased Him by their contrition and their prayers, or when the object of their chastening had been accomplished. This true theory of disease and cure among the Hebrews will, in its application, throw much light upon all the passages which more or less bear upon the subject. As we shall, in the Illustrations of the New Testament, have to take up the further developments of a subject which is most conspicuously produced in that portion of Divine revelation, we here limit our view, as much as possible, to the state of the matter before Christ. For the elucidation of this, there is a most remarkable passage in the Apocrypha, which has been much overlooked in the consideration of the question. It is in Ecclesiasticus; and as the apocryphal books are not now generally accessible, we give it entire below.547 It appears to us that this passage very exactly defines the position of the physician. It allows him honor, and gives due weight to his skill and the real use of the means he employs, but admirably refers all to God. The skill of the physician is His; the medicaments are His; and the cure is His. Even the skill of the physician is proportioned to the faculty he possesses of rendering God honor, by his knowledge and employment of the healing properties which he has imparted to various productions of the earth. In the last clause there is, however, something which would be regarded as a sarcasm on the profession if it were met with in a modern writing:—“He that sinneth before his Maker, let him fall into the hands of the physician!” 1 Kings 15:24 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 place. was buried: 2 Ch 16:14. Jehoshaphat: 1Ki 22:41-43 2Ch 17:1-9 Mt 1:8 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 16:13-14+ So Asa slept with his fathers, having died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled with spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him. ASA'S REST AND JEHOSHAPHAT'S RULE 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 place - R D Patterson observes "For his funerary observance Asa had the air filled with sweet spices (2 Chron 16:12-14); but no amount of manmade perfume can hide the noxious stench of the life of a believer alienated from God! How far he had fallen and from what great spiritual heights! Asa’s life remains as an exemplary admonition to the believer to abide humbly in Christ, lest his life become totally unproductive for God (cf. John 15:5-6+; 1 Cor 9:27+)." (1 and 2 Kings) QUESTION - Who was King Jehoshaphat in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - King Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah under the divided monarchy, the son of Asa. We are first introduced to him in 1 Kings 15:24 but are told nothing more than that he succeeded Asa. Later, 1 Kings 22:42 tells us that he was 35 years old when he began his reign and that he reigned 25 years (from 873 to 848 BC). First Kings 22 gives a brief account of his reign with 2 Chronicles 17–22 giving a more comprehensive account. Spiritually, Jehoshaphat began his reign in a positive way. 2 Chronicles 17:3–6 gives this commendation: “The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.” In addition, Jehoshaphat sent men throughout the kingdom to teach the people the Law of God (2 Chronicles 17:7–9). Militarily, Jehoshaphat fortified his defenses, primarily against the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Chronicles 17:1–3). The surrounding nations feared Judah and brought tribute (2 Chronicles 17:10–19). After making peace with Israel, Jehoshaphat apparently tried to reach out to Ahab, the king of Israel. Ahab was one of the wickedest kings of Israel, and Jehoshaphat could not have been ignorant of his character. 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18 relate the following account: Ahab asks Jehoshaphat to help him attack Syria. Jehoshaphat wisely requests that they consult the LORD on the matter. Ahab gathers 400 of his prophets who encourage the attack. Jehoshaphat recognizes that these are not genuine prophets of the LORD, and the exchange that follows between Jehoshaphat and Ahab is almost comical: “But Jehoshaphat asked, ‘Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?’ The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.’” So, Micaiah is summoned, and the question is posed. Micaiah responds with high irony: “Attack and be victorious, . . . for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.” This answer exasperates King Ahab: “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” Micaiah then tells Ahab the hard truth: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master’” (1 Kings 22:15–18). In spite of what seems to be an acknowledgement that Micaiah speaks for the LORD, Jehoshaphat joins Ahab in the attack. Ahab is killed, and Jehoshaphat narrowly escapes. When Jehoshaphat returns home, he is reprimanded by a prophet of the Lord for his collaboration with Ahab: “Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, ‘Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you. There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God’” (2 Chronicles 19:2–3). Jehoshaphat continues to make reforms, appointing judges throughout the land to handle disputes and charging them to make righteous judgments and to fear the Lord (2 Chronicles 19:4–11). In 2 Chronicles 20, an alliance of nations decides to march against Judah. Jehoshaphat seeks the Lord and asks all Judah to fast (verse 3). Through a man named Jahaziel, the Lord tells Jehoshaphat that He will deliver Judah without a fight (verses 14–17). Jehoshaphat goes out to battle with singers leading the way, singing praise to the Lord. The alliance of nations turn against each other and begin to kill each other (verses 22–23). The men of Judah spend three days collecting the spoils of war that were abandoned by their enemies (verse 25). Although Jehoshaphat started his reign by removing the idolatrous high places, at the end of his reign, there were still high places that had not been taken away (1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 20). Jehoshaphat started well, but his diligence flagged, and the idol-worship returned. First Kings 22:41–50 and 2 Chronicles 20:35–37 record a joint ship-building venture that Jehoshaphat attempted with the wicked king Ahaziah of Israel. Jehoshaphat, who had already been chastised for an alliance with Ahab, is once again confronted by a prophet with a warning. It seems that Jehoshaphat heeded the warning and did not allow Ahaziah’s men to sail with the Judeans, but the judgment still came to pass: the fleet was wrecked, and Jehoshaphat’s foolish investment with Ahaziah proved futile. Jehoshaphat is still considered a good and godly king, but his reign ended rather badly. He kept trying to build an alliance with Israel, even though the kings of Israel were obviously wicked. Jehoshaphat worshiped the Lord and led his people in seeking the Lord, but the hearts of the people were never fully changed. They reverted to pagan practices. King Jehoshaphat was unable to pass his faith on to his son Jehoram who reigned after him. Jehoram started by killing all of his brothers, and then he married the daughter of Ahab (2 Chronicles 21:4–6). 1 Kings 15:25 Now Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. Nadab: 1Ki 14:12,20 Related Passages: 1 Kings 14:10-11+ therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone. 11 “Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat; for the LORD has spoken it.”’ NOTE - 1 Kings 15:25-30 summarizes the story of the fall of Jeroboam's royal line exactly as prophesied by Ahijah (1Ki 14:10-11). God's Word never fails! And then in 1 Kings 15:25-16:34 we shift entirely to the Northern Kingdom as we look at the the increasingly spiritually dark reigns of 7 evil kings (length of reign in parenthesis) - Nadab (2 yr), Baasha (24 yr), Elah (2 yr), Zimri (7 days), Tibni (3 yr), Omri (11 yr) and Ahab (22 yr), this last king getting most of the press (1Ki 16:29 through 1Ki 22:40. (See ESV Chart which includes dates of their reigns) Now Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years QUESTION - Who was King Nadab in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - Nadab was the son of King Jeroboam I of Israel (1 Kings 14:20; 15:25). Jeroboam had been chosen by God to lead Israel after God divided the kingdom due to Solomon’s sin (1 Kings 11:11, 38). Jeroboam could have handed a great dynasty to his son Nadab, but he turned away from God and led Israel into deeper wickedness. Because of this, God pronounced judgment rather than blessing on the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:10–11). When his father died, Nadab took his place on Israel’s throne while Asa reigned as king in Judah. Nadab only reigned for two years, but he followed in the footsteps of his wicked father, Jeroboam, and led Israel into deeper sin (1 Kings 15:26). Jeroboam’s sin had been idolatry, and when Nadab reigned over Israel, he continued in his father’s footsteps. Then Baasha plotted against Nadab, assassinated him in Philistine territory during wartime, and usurped the throne (1 Kings 15:27–28). “As soon as [Baasha] began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite” (verse 29). The dire prophecy against the house of Jeroboam had come true. King Nadab was one failure in a long list of men who tried to rule God’s people without God. The books of Kings and Chronicles detail the reigns of these men, and a disturbing pattern emerges. Some began well, but power and wealth turned them aside from following God, and they began to compromise with evil. Idolatry was a perennial problem, especially in the northern kingdom of Israel. King Nadab and other kings had a chance to rid the land of idolatry and lead the nation in worshiping the Lord. But they failed. If Nadab had turned away from his father’s evil and torn down the idol shrines and the high places, God may have relented and allowed Nadab the dynasty his father had forfeited (see Jeremiah 15:19). But Nadab had watched his father lead while seeking help from false gods, and he continued that wicked practice. Therefore, King Nadab is simply another example of wasted potential because of his rejection of God. 1 Kings 15:26 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin. he did evil: 1Ki 16:7,25,30 walked: 1Ki 12:28-33 13:33,34 in his sin: 1Ki 15:30,34 14:16 16:19,26 21:22 22:52 Ge 20:9 Ex 32:21 1Sa 2:24 2Ki 3:3 21:11 23:15 Jer 32:35 Ro 14:15 1Co 8:10-13 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 11:14+ For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons (THIS WOULD INCLUDE NADAB!) had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD. LIKE FATHER SINS SO SINS SON He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin - NET = "He followed his father's footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin." (See some of Nadab's evil in 2Ch 11:14+) Note the repeated truth that evil is not done in a vacuum or in secret but is always in the sight of the LORD. This is a poignant reminder to all of us! The metaphor of walked speaks of Nadab's lifestyle, his general conduct, the general direction of his life which was toward evil not good. Fathers can have a massive impact on their children and Jeroboam's sinful ways were clearly passed on to his son Nadab. Note the phrase made Israel sin (a repeated phrase - 1Ki 14:16, 1Ki 15:30, 34) indicating that while the people of course are held guilty for their sins, it was the evil leadership of Jeroboam (and then Nadab) who encouraged and led his people to sin against the LORD (e.g., by setting up centers for false worship at Bethel and Dan). 1 Kings 15:27 Then Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. Baasha the son: 1Ki 15:16,17 14:14 conspired: 1Ki 16:9 2Ki 12:20 Gibbethon: 1Ki 16:15,17 Jos 19:44 21:23 BAASHA'S COUP D'ETAT AGAINST NADAB Then Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired (plotted) against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon - Baasha rises up to strike Nadab when he is not looking for he is focused on the siege of the Philistine town of Gibberthon. Note the divine irony of God using one evil man to slay another evil man! GIBBETHON - gib'-e-thon (gibbethon): A city in the territory of Dan in the plain named with Eltekeh and Baalath (Josh 19:44), and assigned to the Kohathite Levites (Josh 21:23). Later we find it in the hands of the Philistines; and it was while besieging the city that Nadab was slain by Baasha (1 Ki 15:27). After 25 years Omri, the general of Baasha, was here made king of the army when news reached them of Zimri's regicide (1 Ki 16:15 ff). It may possibly be identified with Kibbiah, which lies about 16 miles Southeast of Jaffa; but no certain identification is possible 1 Kings 15:28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. BAASHA'S ASSUMPTION OF NADAB'S THRONE So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place - This assassination effectively accomplished "a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone," exactly as predicted by the prophet Ahijah to Jeroboam's wife (1Ki 14:10+). David Guzik - Had Jeroboam remained obedient to the LORD, God promised him a lasting dynasty like the house of David (1 Kings 11:38). Because of Jeroboam’s sin, though he enjoyed a long reign, his son only reigned two years before the assassination of Nadab and the murder of all Jeroboam’s descendants. QUESTION - Who was King Baasha in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - Baasha was king of Israel from 909–886 BC. (ED: REMEMBER THE DATES OF THE KINGS ARE "BEST APPROXIMATIONS") His contemporary in Judah was King Asa, the great-grandson of King Solomon. The two kings were polar opposites—while Asa “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done” (1 Kings 15:11), King Baasha was an evil ruler and followed idolatrous practices. Baasha took the throne after assassinating King Nadab son of Jeroboam while Nadab was attacking a Philistine town (1 Kings 15:27). Baasha then killed Jeroboam’s entire family. Although Baasha may not have known it, his actions to secure his throne were actually a part of God’s will. Years earlier, through Ahijah the prophet, God had pronounced judgment on Jeroboam and his descendants for their evil practices (1 Kings 14:1–16). It could be that Baasha had heard of the prophecy against Jeroboam, but he did not learn any lessons from Jeroboam’s fate; instead, he continued in Jeroboam’s wickedness. Because of Baasha’s rebellion against God’s Law, God spoke to the prophet Jehu and proclaimed the same judgment on Baasha’s house that Jeroboam’s family had received: complete destruction (1 Kings 16:1–4). Throughout his reign, King Baasha was at war against King Asa (1 Kings 15:16, 32). Baasha originally had a treaty with the king of Syria, Ben-Hadad, but, while Baasha was building fortifications in Ramah to keep anyone from going in or out of Judah, Asa took all the silver and gold from the Jerusalem treasuries and sent it to Ben-Hadad, asking the Syrians to ally with him instead. Ben-Hadad agreed, switched alliances, and sent his armies to attack the northern kingdom of Israel. This proved disastrous for Israel, as Ben-Hadad took the cities of Ijon, Dan, Abel, and Beth Maakah, as well as the region of Kinnereth and the territory of the tribe of Naphtali (verse 20). It seems that Baasha died of natural causes (1 Kings 16:6), but, when his son Elah succeeded him, the Lord’s judgment was swift in coming. After King Elah had reigned only two years, one of his commanders, Zimri, assassinated him while he was getting drunk at the house of one of his administrators (verses 9–10). Zimri then did as Baasha had done to Jeroboam’s household and killed Baasha’s entire family, not sparing “a single male, whether relative or friend” (verse 11). 1 Kings 15:29 It came about as soon as he was king, he struck down all the household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam any persons alive, until he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, He did not leave 1Ki 14:9-16 2Ki 9:7-10,36,37 10:10,11,31 19:25 Related Passages: 1 Kings 14:9-16+ you (JEROBOAM) also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back– 10 therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone. 11 “Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat; for the LORD has spoken it.”’ 12 “Now you, arise, go to your house. When your feet enter the city the child will die. 13 “All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him something good was found toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. 14 “Moreover, the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day and from now on. 15 “For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger. 16 “He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin.” AHIJAH'S PROPHECY FULFILLED It came about as soon as he (Baasha) was king, he struck down all the household of Jeroboam - King Baasha was God's instrument of punishment to the house of Jeroboam. As Daniel 2:21+ says Yahweh sovereignly "removes kings and establishes kings," and even uses evil kings to bring about this purpose (cf Jer 25:9). He did not leave to Jeroboam any persons alive, until he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite - Baasha made a complete purge of Jeroboam's lineage just as God's prophet had predicted. 1 Kings 15:30 and because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger. because of the sins: 1Ki 15:26 14:9-16 because of his provocation: 1Ki 14:22 CONTINUED EXPLANATION OF WHY JEROBOAM'S LINE ANNIHILATED and because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger - Jeroboam did not live to see the end of his line, but his sordid story emphasizes the high cost of sin against Jehovah - Sin will take you farther than you ever thought you’d stray. Sin will leave you so lost, you think you’ll never find your way Sin will keep you longer than you ever thought you’d stay Sin will cost you more than you ever thought you’d pay 1 Kings 15:31 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? are they not written: 1Ki 14:19 16:5,14,20,27 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? - This record has been lost. Peter Pett: The lessons we may learn from Nadab’s life, are: 1). The brevity life. It is a reminder that in the midst of life we are in death. 2). The certainty of God’s judgment on sin. 3). A recognition of the holiness of a God Who so hates sin that He allowed the wiping out of a family because of its sinfulness. 4). The folly of following in the footsteps of those who have turned against God and His ways. If only he had repented he might have avoided God’s judgment. 1 Kings 15:32 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. there was war: 1Ki 15:16 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days That is, there was a constant spirit of hostility kept up between the two kingdoms, and no doubt frequent skirmishing between the bordering parties; but there was no open war till Baasha king of Israel began to build Ramah, which was, according to 2 Ch 15:19; 16:1, in the thirty-sixth year of Asa; but according to 1Ki 16:8, 9, his son was killed by Zimri in the twenty-sixth year of Asa, and consequently he could not make war upon him in the thirty-sixth year of his reign. Chronologers endeavour to reconcile this, by saying that the years should be reckoned, not from the beginning of Asa's reign, but from the separation of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. 1 Kings 15:33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years. reigned twenty-four years: 1Ki 16:8 BAASHA BEGINS HIS EVIL REIGN OVER ISRAEL In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years - Tirzah was the same city Jeroboam choose as his capital. Frankly, given the evil nature of Baasha, I am very surprised Jehovah allowed him such a relatively long reign! Tirzah remained the capital until Omri moved it to Samaria. Tirzah was rich with gardens and groves and abundant water. Reference to Tirzah is made in Song 6:4: “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling.” Mordechai Cogan: The impression that the short text leaves concerning Baasha’s two-decade rule is that it was one of continuous strife. It began in a bloody revolt against the House of Jeroboam, while the army was engaged in the northern Shephelah fighting the Philistines (1Ki 15:27); the lack of success on that front is notable, because a quarter of a century later the same adversaries still stared at each other across the same battle line (1Ki 16:15). Nor did Baasha’s moves against Judah meet with much success: Baasha was outmaneuvered by Asa’s renewal of the treaty between Damascus and Jerusalem, which brought Aramean troops to the Israelite Galilee (1Ki 15:17–21). This dismal record may have instigated the military revolt against Baasha’s son Elah within a year of his assuming the throne. (1 Kings: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary) TIRZAH - A city of Canaan in of Ephraim, to which tribe Jeroboam belonged. Captured by Joshua, Josh. 12:24. Becomes the residence of the kings of Israel, 1 Ki 14:17; 15:21, 33; 16:6, 8, 9, 15, 17, 23. This was the capital after Shechem (cf 1 Kgs. 15:21,33; 16:6-9,15,23). Royal residence moved from, 1 Ki 16:23, 24. Base of military operations of Menahem, 2 Ki 15:14, 16. Beauty of, Song 6:4. 1 Kings 15:34 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin. He did evil in the sight of the LORD: 1Ki 15:26 walked in the way of Jeroboam: 1Ki 15:26 12:28,29 13:33,34 14:16 Isa 1:4 BAASHA FOLLOWS JEROBOAM'S FOOTSTEPS He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked (conducted himself) in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin - We see the way of Jeroboam becomes a pattern for subsequent evil kings of Israel. What a horrible legacy to leave! WAY OF JEROBOAM - 5V - 1 Ki. 15:34; 1 Ki. 16:2; 1 Ki. 16:19; 1 Ki. 16:26; 1 Ki. 22:52 David Guzik - The summary puts it simply. Though Baasha was not a genetic descendent of Jeroboam (having murdered his family), he was certainly a spiritual descendent of Jeroboam. THOUGHT - What spiritual legacy will you leave beloved?