Baasha in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE

ba'-a-sha ba`sha', "boldness"): King of Israel. Baasha, son of Ahijah, and of common birth (1 Ki 16:2), usurped the throne of Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, killed Nadab and exterminated the house of Jeroboam. He carried on a long warfare with Asa, the king of Judah (compare Jer 41:9), began to build Ramah, but was prevented from completing this work by Ben-hadad, the king of Syria. He is told by the prophet Jehu that because of his sinful reign the fate of his house would be like that of Jeroboam. Baasha reigned 24 years. His son Elah who succeeded him and all the members of his family were murdered by the usurper Zimri (1 Ki 15:16 ff; 16:1 ff; 2 Ch 16:1 ff). The fate of his house is referred to in 1 Ki 21:22; 2 Ki 9:9. Compare ASA; ELAH; ZIMRI. A.L. Breslich