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Person · Israel

Baasha

King living at the time of Divided Monarchy

Baasha, son of Ahijah, became king of Israel and reigned for 24 years.

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Baasha was the third king of the northern kingdom of Israel, ruling for 24 years (1Ki.15.33). He came to power by assassinating Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, and then proceeded to kill off all of Jeroboam's family (1Ki.15.27-29). Despite this, Baasha continued in the sinful ways of Jeroboam (1Ki.15.34). He engaged in warfare with Asa, king of Judah, who bribed Ben-hadad of Syria to attack Israel (1Ki.15.16-22; 2Ch.16.1-6). The prophet Jehu pronounced judgment on Baasha's dynasty, predicting its downfall (1Ki.16.1-4). After Baasha's death, his son Elah became king (1Ki.16.6). Years later, Baasha's sins were remembered alongside those of other wicked kings (1Ki.21.22; 2Ki.9.9). Jer.41.9 mentions a pit made by Baasha during his war with Asa, which was later used to dispose of bodies.

Family

Father
Ahijah
Children
Elah

Bible dictionary

Baasha Easton Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Bravery, the third king of the separate kingdom of Israel, and founder of its second dynasty (1 Kings 15; 16; 2 Chr. 16:1-6). He was the son of Ahijah of the tribe of Issachar. The city of Tirzah he made the capital of his kingdom, and there he was buried, after an eventful reign of twenty-four years (1 Kings 15:33). On account of his idolatries his family was exterminated, according to the word of the prophet Jehu (1 Kings 16:3, 4, 10-13).

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Baasha Smith Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)

(wicked), B.C. 953-931, third sovereign of the separate kingdom of Israel, and the founder of its second dynasty. He was son of Ahijah of the tribe of Issachar and conspired against King Nadab, (1 Kings 15:27) and killed him with his whole family. He appears to have been of humble origin. (1 Kings 16:2) It was probably in the 13th year of his reign that he made war on Asa, and began to fortify Ramah. He was defeated by the unexpected alliance of Asa with Ben-hadad I. of Damascus. Baasha died in the 24th year of his reign, and was buried in Tirzah, (Song of Solomon 6:4) which he had made his capital. (1 Kings 16:6; 2 Chronicles 16:1-6)

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Baasha Hitchcock Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary (1869)

he that seeks, or lays waste

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Baasha Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)

BA'ASHA (valor), son of Ahijah, of the tribe of Issachar, third king of Israel, and founder of a dynasty, was probably of common birth, 1 Kgs 16:2, but rose to the throne by his slaughter of Nadab, king of Israel, and all his family while the king was besieging Gibbethon, a city of the Philistines. 1 Kgs 15:27. By this cruel act he undesignedly fulfilled the prophecy respecting Jeroboam's posterity. 1 Kgs 14:10. He followed in the wicked ways of Jeroboam, and was visited with the most fearful judgments of God. The warning he received of the consequences of his conduct, 1 Kgs 16:1-5, did not induce him to forsake his evil courses. He attempted to fortify Ramah, but was stopped by the attack of Ben-hadad at Asa's prompting, 1 Kgs 15:16-21; 2 Chr 16:1-6. He reigned twenty-four years, b.c. 953-930. His reign was filled with war and treachery, and his family and relatives were cut off according to the prediction.1 Kgs 16:3-11. See Asa.

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Baasha Schaff Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible

BA'ASHA (valor), son of Ahijah, of the tribe of Issachar, third king of Israel, and founder of a dynasty, was probably of common birth, 1 Kgs 16:2, but rose to the throne by his slaughter of Nadab, king of Israel, and all his family while the king was besieging Gibbethon, a city of the Philistines. 1 Kgs 15:27. By this cruel act he undesignedly fulfilled the prophecy respecting Jeroboam's posterity. 1 Kgs 14:10. He followed in the wicked ways of Jeroboam, and was visited with the most fearful judgments of God. The warning he received of the consequences of his conduct, 1 Kgs 16:1-5, did not induce him to forsake his evil courses. He attempted to fortify Ramah, but was stopped by the attack of Ben-hadad at Asa's prompting, 1 Kgs 15:16-21; 2 Chr 16:1-6. He reigned twenty-four years, b.c. 953-930. His reign was filled with war and treachery, and his family and relatives were cut off according to the prediction.1 Kgs 16:3-11. See Asa.

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where Baasha appears

26 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H1201

1 Kings20
2 Kings1
2 Chronicles4
Jeremiah1

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.