Baasha in Wikipedia
(Hebrew: בַּעְשָׁא, Basha, "Baal hears") was 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 .
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, followed by the entire House of
Jeroboam (Nadab's father and predecessor). Baasha had
previously been a captain in Nadab's own army. (1 Kings
15:28-29 )
Over the course of his twenty-three year reign, Baasha was
at war with Asa, king of Judah. He allied Israel with Syria
and endeavored to strangle Judah's trade by fortifying
Ramah, a city five miles north of Jerusalem. 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.
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.
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