And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
1 Kings 15:16 belongs to the history of the separate, divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel after the kingdom was divided, when the two kingdoms were at times at war and at times at peace. That division followed Solomon's mistake in multiplying wives to himself until they turned away his heart from God, leaving two and a half tribes in Judah and ten tribes in Israel. The war and strife between those two divisions continued through the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel.
The history covers the reigns of several kings in the period from the revolt of the ten tribes to the death of Jehoshaphat, and the history of the divided kingdoms continued until the northern kingdom of Israel was overthrown in 721 B.C. The verse falls within the account of Asa's reign over Judah after Abijah and Baasha's reign over Israel after Nadab. Asa's reign was largely for the better, and the period is described as Asa's better reign and Judah's prosperity. The account of Asa's reign in Judah is more fully detailed in Chronicles.
The verse shows lifelong war and conflict between Asa and Baasha throughout their reigns, sometimes openly at war, as part of the continuing war and strife between the two divisions of the kingdom. In that war Asa sent a present of silver and gold, taken from the treasures of the Lord's house, to the king of Syria to induce him to break his league with Baasha and to help Asa against Baasha, who had built up Ramah. Asa then took the stones and timber of Ramah and used them to build other cities. The division of the kingdom brought lasting financial weakness, beginning when Egypt took the gold shields and Rehoboam replaced them with shields of brass.
The verse is part of the account of Israel's apostasy, as its kings led the nation away from worship of the living God. The chapter containing the verse is part of a record showing the fruits of righteousness and of backsliding and sin.
1 Kings 15:16 belongs to the history of the separate, divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel after the kingdom was divided, when the two kingdoms were at times at war and at times at peace. That division followed Solomon's mistake in multiplying wives to himself until they turned away his heart from God, leaving two and a half tribes in Judah and ten tribes in Israel. The war and strife between those two divisions continued through the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel.
The history covers the reigns of several kings in the period from the revolt of the ten tribes to the death of Jehoshaphat, and the history of the divided kingdoms continued until the northern kingdom of Israel was overthrown in 721 B.C. The verse falls within the account of Asa's reign over Judah after Abijah and Baasha's reign over Israel after Nadab. Asa's reign was largely for the better, and the period is described as Asa's better reign and Judah's prosperity. The account of Asa's reign in Judah is more fully detailed in Chronicles.
The verse shows lifelong war and conflict between Asa and Baasha throughout their reigns, sometimes openly at war, as part of the continuing war and strife between the two divisions of the kingdom. In that war Asa sent a present of silver and gold, taken from the treasures of the Lord's house, to the king of Syria to induce him to break his league with Baasha and to help Asa against Baasha, who had built up Ramah. Asa then took the stones and timber of Ramah and used them to build other cities. The division of the kingdom brought lasting financial weakness, beginning when Egypt took the gold shields and Rehoboam replaced them with shields of brass.
The verse is part of the account of Israel's apostasy, as its kings led the nation away from worship of the living God. The chapter containing the verse is part of a record showing the fruits of righteousness and of backsliding and sin.