In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijah became king over Judah and reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah, a daughter of Absalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father. God saw his heart was not perfect, as the heart of David his father. But, for David’s sake of the Lord gave a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him. But there was a continual war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Abijah slept with his fathers, and Asa, his son, became king of Judah.
He did what pleased the Lord. He removed the evil from his country and removed Maacah from being queen, because she made abominable images. He smashed the Asherah at the brook Kidron. He brought the sacred silver and gold back to the house of the Lord. But there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel, who went up and built Rama, so no one could to go out or come in Jerusalem to Asa.
Then Asa took all the gold and silver out of the house of the Lord and out of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his counselors, so they could go to Ben Hadad, king of Aram in Damascus and say, “There is a covenant between me and you, between my father and your father, therefore I am sending you a present so you will break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.” Ben Hadad listened to the request and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. And Baasha stopped building Rama. Then Asa took the stones and timbers and built Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah. Now Asa slept with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Jehoshaphat became king of Judah.