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'''Baasha''' ([[Hebrew]]: "courage") (r. 953-930BC by [[James Ussher|Ussher]],<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pghh. 492, 496-500</ref> or 909-886BC by [[Edwin R. Thiele|Thiele]]<ref name=Wood>Leon J. Wood, ''A Survey of Israel's History'', rev. ed. David O'Brien, Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1986 (ISBN 031034770X), pp. 260-261</ref><ref name=Columbia>Author not available. "[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Baasha.html Entry for Baasha]." ''The Columbia Encyclopedia,'' 6th ed. 2007. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from the HighBeam Encyclopedia.</ref>) was the third King of the [[Northern Kingdom]] of [[Israel]].<ref name=Konig>Konig, George. [http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p102.htm Baasha, King of Israel]. ''AboutBibleProphecy.com,'' 2007. Retrieved June 20, 2007.</ref>
== Accession by assassination ==
Baasha was a general in the Northern Kingdom army. At the siege of [[Gibbethon]], Baasha formed a conspiracy against [[King Nadab]] and murdered him. He then systematically exterminated everyone in Nadab's family, and in the extended family of [[Jeroboam I]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15|verses=27-34}}</ref> This fulfilled an earlier prophecy by [[Ahijah the Shulamite]] against Jeroboam. Baasha continued on the throne for twenty-four years.<ref name=Konig/><ref name=Columbia/>
Among his first acts was to remove his capital from [[Shechem]] to [[Tirzah]].<ref name=WebBible>Authors unknown. "[http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/baasha.html Entry for Baasha]." WebBible Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 20, 2007.</ref> He had one son, [[Elah]], who eventually would succeed him, though not for long.
== The Ramah Skirmish ==
In the fourteenth year of his reign, Baasha began to fortify the city of [[Ramah]], in an attempt to stem the tide of defections from his kingdom to the [[Southern Kingdom]], then under King [[Asa]]. Asa paid an enormous bribe to King [[Benhadad I]] of [[Syria]], and Benhadad then broke his own treaty with Baashs and attacked several Northern Kingdom cities. Benhadad destroyed the cities of [[Ijon]] in the tribal province of [[Asher (tribe)|Asher]], the city of [[Dan (city)]] in the tribal province of [[Dan (tribe)|Dan]], [[Abelbethmaachah]] in the tribal province of [[Manasseh (tribe)]], the borders of [[Chinnereth]], and practically every city of any size in [[Naphthali (tribe)|Naphthali]]. Baasha then had to leave off fortifying Ramah to defend against any further incursions. Subsequently, Asa drafted a large labor force and dismantled Ramah completely.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=16|verses=1-14}}</ref><ref name=Columbia/>
== A Baleful Prophecy ==
Baasha indulged in idolatry just as much as Jeroboam I had done. Because of that, the prophet [[Jehu (prophet)|Jehu]], son of [[Hanani]], foretold that [[God]] would some day have meted out to him the exact same kind of rough justice that he had meted out to Jeroboam's family.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=16|verses=1-10}}</ref><ref name=WebBible/><ref name=Konig/>
== Death and Succession ==
Baasha died in 930 BC (Ussher) after a twenty-four-year reign and was buried in Tirzah. His son [[Elah]] reigned in his stead.<ref name=Konig/><ref name=Columbia/>
== Related References ==
<references/>
== See Also ==
* [[Northern Kingdom]]
* [[Asa]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Biblical persons]]
[[Category:Biography]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Ancient History]]
== Accession by assassination ==
Baasha was a general in the Northern Kingdom army. At the siege of [[Gibbethon]], Baasha formed a conspiracy against [[King Nadab]] and murdered him. He then systematically exterminated everyone in Nadab's family, and in the extended family of [[Jeroboam I]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15|verses=27-34}}</ref> This fulfilled an earlier prophecy by [[Ahijah the Shulamite]] against Jeroboam. Baasha continued on the throne for twenty-four years.<ref name=Konig/><ref name=Columbia/>
Among his first acts was to remove his capital from [[Shechem]] to [[Tirzah]].<ref name=WebBible>Authors unknown. "[http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/baasha.html Entry for Baasha]." WebBible Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 20, 2007.</ref> He had one son, [[Elah]], who eventually would succeed him, though not for long.
== The Ramah Skirmish ==
In the fourteenth year of his reign, Baasha began to fortify the city of [[Ramah]], in an attempt to stem the tide of defections from his kingdom to the [[Southern Kingdom]], then under King [[Asa]]. Asa paid an enormous bribe to King [[Benhadad I]] of [[Syria]], and Benhadad then broke his own treaty with Baashs and attacked several Northern Kingdom cities. Benhadad destroyed the cities of [[Ijon]] in the tribal province of [[Asher (tribe)|Asher]], the city of [[Dan (city)]] in the tribal province of [[Dan (tribe)|Dan]], [[Abelbethmaachah]] in the tribal province of [[Manasseh (tribe)]], the borders of [[Chinnereth]], and practically every city of any size in [[Naphthali (tribe)|Naphthali]]. Baasha then had to leave off fortifying Ramah to defend against any further incursions. Subsequently, Asa drafted a large labor force and dismantled Ramah completely.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=16|verses=1-14}}</ref><ref name=Columbia/>
== A Baleful Prophecy ==
Baasha indulged in idolatry just as much as Jeroboam I had done. Because of that, the prophet [[Jehu (prophet)|Jehu]], son of [[Hanani]], foretold that [[God]] would some day have meted out to him the exact same kind of rough justice that he had meted out to Jeroboam's family.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=16|verses=1-10}}</ref><ref name=WebBible/><ref name=Konig/>
== Death and Succession ==
Baasha died in 930 BC (Ussher) after a twenty-four-year reign and was buried in Tirzah. His son [[Elah]] reigned in his stead.<ref name=Konig/><ref name=Columbia/>
== Related References ==
<references/>
== See Also ==
* [[Northern Kingdom]]
* [[Asa]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Biblical persons]]
[[Category:Biography]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Ancient History]]