The Meaning of 1 Kings 15:33 Explained

1 Kings 15:33

KJV: In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.

YLT: In the third year of Asa king of Judah reigned hath Baasha son of Ahijah over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years,

Darby: In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, for twenty-four years.

ASV: In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty and four years.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In the third  year  of Asa  king  of Judah  began Baasha  the son  of Ahijah  to reign  over all Israel  in Tirzah,  twenty  and four  years. 

What does 1 Kings 15:33 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Baasha"s24-year reign (909-886 B.C.), which was the third longest of any king of the Northern Kingdom, fell within that of Asa"s rule over Judah (911-870 B.C.). The Israelite king who rule the longest was Jeroboam II (41years) and the second longest was Jehu (28 years).
Baasha had an outstanding opportunity to lead Israel back to true covenantal worship after he had killed Nadab and terminated Jeroboam"s dynasty. However, he chose not to do so. He evidently regarded his elevation from a lowly origin ( 1 Kings 15:2) to Israel"s throne as an opportunity to fulfill personal ambition rather than to glorify Yahweh. For Baasha"s failure, God announced that He would cut off his line as He had Jeroboam"s ( 1 Kings 15:3-4; cf. 1 Kings 14:11). God ended Baasha"s reign for two primary reasons: his continuation of Jeroboam"s cult, and the motive and manner with which he assassinated Nadab ( 1 Kings 15:7).
"Besides providing information on Baasha"s death, these verses [1] reemphasize the author"s theological approach to history. Three issues deserve mention. First, God"s word dictates history, a fact Jehu"s prophetic rebuke and prediction divulges. Second, Jeroboam and Baasha are judged unfavorably because they use their God-given political authority to preserve their own position rather than to glorify God among the people. Third, the text stresses cause and effect, not fatalistic determinism. God gives both Jeroboam and Baasha the opportunity to follow the covenant. Baasha eliminates Jeroboam"s family, as God said would happen, yet becomes like Jeroboam, which makes him a murderer, not a reformer." [2]

Context Summary

1 Kings 15:16-34 - Warring Brethren
We obtain a fuller view of the events described in the earlier part of this passage by reference to 2 Chronicles 16:1-6. Asa's early piety, which shone out in his drastic purging of idolatry and the corruptions which sprang up like fungi on a damp soil, cannot be questioned. Strange that such a man, who, by faith in God, had driven back Zerah's formidable invasion, should in later years succumb to the craven methods of mere expediency in his conflict with Baasha.
This league with Ben-hadad arose from unbelief. Even true believers are sometimes hard pressed to maintain their integrity, because the trials of faith tend to increase. When Peter looked at the rising billows, his heart became troubled and he began to sink. To Asa's alliance with this heathen king may be traced the beginning of the downfall of both kingdoms-of the ten tribes and of Judah. Palestine was no longer a neutral state, but became involved in the political combinations of the time. Those that honor God are honored, 1 Samuel 2:30; those that put their trust elsewhere rue it all their days. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 15

1  Abijam's wicked reign
7  Asa succeeds him
9  Asa's good reign
16  The war between Baasha and him causes him to make a league with Ben-Hadad
23  Jehoshaphat succeeds Asa
25  Nadab's wicked reign
27  Baasha conspiring against him, executes Ahijah's prophecy
31  Nadab's acts and death
33  Baasha's wicked reign

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 15:33 mean?

In year three of Asa king of Judah became king Baasha son of Ahijah over all Israel in Tirzah [reigned] twenty and four years
בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שָׁלֹ֔שׁ לְאָסָ֖א מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ בַּעְשָׁ֨א בֶן־ אֲחִיָּ֤ה עַל־ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּתִרְצָ֔ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְאַרְבַּ֖ע שָׁנָֽה

בִּשְׁנַ֣ת  In  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שָׁלֹ֔שׁ  three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
לְאָסָ֖א  of  Asa 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָסָא  
Sense: king of Judah, son of Abijam, father of Jehoshaphat.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוּדָ֑ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
מָ֠לַךְ  became  king 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
בַּעְשָׁ֨א  Baasha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעְשָׁא  
Sense: third king of the northern kingdom of Israel and the founder of its second dynasty having killed the second king, Nadab.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֲחִיָּ֤ה  of  Ahijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיָּה 
Sense: grandson of Phinehas.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בְּתִרְצָ֔ה  in  Tirzah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: תִּרְצָה 
Sense: one of the 7 daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher of the tribe of Manasseh.
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים  [reigned]  twenty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: עֶשְׂרִים  
Sense: twenty, twentieth.
וְאַרְבַּ֖ע  and  four 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
שָׁנָֽה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.

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