The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
6 But war continued between Abijah and Jeroboam the whole time.
6
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime.
7 The rest of Abijah's life, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. But the war with Jeroboam was the dominant theme.
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As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
8 Abijah died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Asa was king after him.
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And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.
9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began his rule over Judah.
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In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah,
10 He ruled for forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother's name was Maacah.
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and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.
11 Asa conducted himself well before God, reviving the ways of his ancestor David.
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Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done.
12 He cleaned house: He got rid of the sacred prostitutes and threw out all the idols his predecessors had made.
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He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.
13 Asa spared nothing and no one; he went so far as to remove Queen Maacah from her position because she had built a shockingly obscene memorial to the whore goddess Asherah. Asa tore it down and burned it up in the Kidron Valley.
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He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
14 Unfortunately, he didn't get rid of the local sex-and-religion shrines. But he was well-intentioned - his heart was in the right place, in tune with God.
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Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.
15 All the gold and silver vessels and artifacts that he and his father had consecrated for holy use he installed in The Temple.
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He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
16 But through much of his reign there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel.
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There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.