Who is King Baasha in the Bible?

Quick Facts

Father: Ahijah, 1 Kings 15:27, 1 Kings 15:33
Tribe: Issachar, 1 Kings 15:27
Length of reign: 24 years, 1 Kings 15:33
Reign: 909 BC – 886 BC
Succession: 3rd king
Kingdom: Kingdom of Israel
Predecessor: King Nadab, 1 Kings 15:27, 28
Successor: King Elah, 1 Kings 16:16
Morality: evil king,
Tribe: Issachar, 1 Kings 15:27
Bible references: 1Ki 15:27-34; 1Ki 16:1-7

Background

The name Baasha means offensiveness. Baasha was a kingslayer who became a king. He had a triple success for he killed King Nadab, usurped the throne, and held fast to power for life. King Baasha began his reign from 909 BC to 886 BC in the city of Tirzah for 24 years. He was the 3rd king to rule the Kingdom of Israel. He was not of royal descent and his path to power was through conspiracy and coup d’état. When Baasha died, his son Elah succeeded him. During the reign of King Elah, the prophecy against Baasha and his family was fulfilled.

How Baasha became king of Israel

At that time, the army of Israel had besieged the Philistine town of Gibbathon to fight against the Philistines there, and King Nadab was with the army. Baasha successfully conspired against King Nadab and killed him (1Ki 15:28). No sooner had he usurped the throne than he proceeded to kill all the relatives of King Nadab (1Ki 15:29). Baasha exterminated the entire family of King Jeroboam I such that there was none left to contest with him for the throne.

Baasha disappoints God

In the course of his reign, Baasha proved to be no better than King Jeroboam I and King Nadab for he disappointed God. Upon all that befell the family of King Jeroboam I, it was irrational for Baasha to perpetuate the worship of the golden calves that King Jeroboam I made (1Ki 15:34). Now because Baasha forsook the Lord and pursued an idolatrous religion referred to as the way of Jeroboam or the sins of Jeroboam, God, by the mouth of the Prophet Jehu, pronounced on Baasha the curse He pronounced on Jeroboam,saying,   

2 “Inasmuch as I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My people Israel sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins, 3 “surely I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Baasha and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the fields.”(1 Kings 16:2-4 NKJV)

Baasha and King Asa of Judah

Baasha and King Asa never got along well all their days. Along the line, Baasha started a campaign against King Asa and the Kingdom of Judah. He built a military base in the city of Ramah five miles away from Jerusalem in other to impede trading in Jerusalem; that is, he would not allow people – merchants, traders, etc. – to come in or go out of Jerusalem. (2Ch 16:1)

King Asa responded by taking all the gold and silver in the treasures of the Temple of Solomon and that of the king’s palace and used them to bribe King Benhadad I of Syria that he should annul any good terms he had with King Baasha and be an enemy to him. (2Ch 16:2)

Upon receiving the gold and silver, King Benhadad I agreed to Asa’s terms and started a war campaign against the Kingdom of Israel. He invaded and conquered territories and towns of Israel such as Ijon, Dan, Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth with all the land of Naphtali. Having a serious matter as a Syrian invasion on his hands, King Baasha was forced to redraw his forces from Ramah and abandon his campaign against Judah. (Bible reference 2 Chronicles 16:1-6)

Achievement of Baasha

  • He was building a military base at Ramah. (2Ch 16:1)
  • God used him to execute the judgment against the house of Jeroboam. (1Ki 15:28-29)

Contemporaries of Baasha

  • King Asa had reigned for three years when Baasha became the king of the Kingdom of Israel. The Bible that there was war between them all their days. (1Ki 15:32)
  • King Benhadad I was reigning in Syria when Baasha was the king. King Asa bribed him to make war with Baasha. (2Ch 16:2)

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