Baasha

the son of Ahijah, commander-in-chief of the armies belonging to Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, king of Israel. Baasha killed his master treacherously at the siege of Gibbethon, a city of the Philistines, A.M. 3051, and usurped the crown, which he possessed twenty-four years, 1Ki 15:27, &c. And, to secure himself in his usurpation, he massacred all the relatives of his predecessor; which barbarous action proved the accomplishment of the prophecy denounced against the house of Jeroboam by Ahijah, the prophet, 1Ki 14:1, &c.

Son of Ahijah, and commander of the armies of Nadab, king of Israel. He killed his master treacherously at the siege of Gibbethon, and usurped the kingdom, B.C. 953, which he possessed twenty-three years. He exterminated the whole race of Jeroboam, as had been predicted, 1Ki 14:7-14 ; but by his bad conduct and idolatry incurred God’s indignation,\par 1Ki 15:1-16:7,12. God sent him a warning by the mouth of Jebu the prophet; which was fulfilled in the extermination of his family two years after his own death.\par

Ba’asha. (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, 1Ki 15:27, and killed him with his whole family. He appears to have been of humble origin. 1Ki 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, Son 6:4, which he had made his capital. 1Ki 16:6; 2Ch 16:1-6.

Son of Ahijah, of Issachar, first of the second dynasty of kings of the ten tribes’ northern kingdom, which supplanted Jeroboam’s dynasty (1Ki 15:27). Gesenius explains the name means "wicked": others from baah, "he who seeks;" shaah, "he who lays waste." Though the instrument of God’s vengeance on the seed of Jeroboam who both "sinned and made Israel to sin," "leaving not to Jeroboam any that breathed," he walked in the same sinful way. Therefore, the word of Jehovah came to Jehu son of Hanani: "Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust (which implies that he was of low origin), and made thee prince over My people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made My people Israel to sin ... Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha and his house ... him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat" (1Ki 16:1-4; 1Ki 16:7-8; 1Ki 16:14).

As he conspired against king Nadab, son of Jeroboam, who was besieging the Philistine town of Gibbethon, and slew all Jeroboam’s seed, so Zimri, a servant, conspired against Baasha’s son, Elah, and slew all Baasha’s house, "leaving him not one of his kinsfolk or of his friends." Retribution in kind. God did not the less punish Baasha "because he killed Nadab," though in his killing Nadab he was unconsciously fulfilling God’s purpose; the motive is what God looks to, and Baasha’s motive was cruel selfish ambition, reckless of bloodshed if only it furthered his end. His chief act in his reign was "he built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah (1Ki 15:17).

It might seem strange that Judah, so much weaker numerically, should not have kept Ramah, as a fortress to guard against invasion by Israel, numerically the stronger state. Instead, the people of Judah took away the stones and timber of Ramah to build Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. An incidental notice explains it (1Ki 12:26): "Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem." Further, in 2Ch 11:13-17 we read, "the priests and Levites in all Israel resorted to Rehoboam out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had east them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord ... And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong."

Israel’s king Baasha was naturally anxious to stop this continuous drain of the best out of the northern kingdom, and reared Ramah, which commanded the N. road from Jerusalem, into a fortress for the purpose. Judah’s king was equally anxious to remove this obstacle put to the influx from Israel of those God fearing men, who would so materially strengthen his kingdom The happy dovetailing of the incidental Scripture notices just mentioned into this solution of the difficulty is a proof of the truth of the narrative. Baasha reigned 24 years, and had the beautiful city Tirzah for his capital (Son 6:4).

(Heb. Basha’, בִּעְשָׁא, for בִּעֲשָׁא, from an obsolete root, בָּעִשׁ, signifying, according to Furst [Heb. Handw. s.v.], to be bold, but according to Gesenius [Thes. Heb. s.v.] = בָּאִשׁ, to be ojaensive, hence wicked; Sept. Βαασά, Josephus Βασάνης, Ant. 8, 11, 4, etc.), third sovereign of the separate kingdom of Israel, and the founder of its second dynasty (1 Kings 15; 1 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 16; Jer 41:9). He reigned B.C. 950-927. Baasha was son of Ahijah, of the tribe of Issachar, and perhaps commander of the forces of the northern kingdom; he conspired against King Nadab, son of Jeroboam, when he was besieging the Philistine town of Gibbethon, and, having killed him, proceeded to extirpate his entire circle of relatives. He appears to have been of humble origin, as the Prophet Jehu speaks of him as having been “exalted out of the dust” (1Ki 16:2). In matters of religion his reign was no improvement on that of Jeroboam; he equally forgot his position as king of the nation of God’s election, and was chiefly remarkable for his persevering hostility to Judah. It was probably in the twenty-third year of his reign [see ASA] that he made war on its king, Asa, and began to fortify Ramah as a barrier against it. He was compelled to desist, however, being defeated by the unexpected alliance of Asa with Benhadad I of Damascus, who had previously been friendly to Baasha. Benhadad took several towns in the north of Israel, and Conquered lands belonging to it near the sources of Jordan (1Ki 15:18 sq.). Baasha died in the twenty-fourth year of his reign, and was honorably buried in the beautiful city of Tirzah (Son 6:4), which he had made his capital (1Ki 15:33). For his idolatries, the Prophet Jehu declared to him the determination of God to extermiInate his family likewise, which was accomplished in the days of his son Elah (q.v.) by Zimri (1Ki 16:10-13). SEE ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF.

Baasha (bâ’a-shah), wickedness, or, as some suppose, in the work. Son of Ahijah, of the tribe of Issachar. He was probably of mean origin. At the siege of Gibbethon, he conspired against Nadab, king of Israel, killed him and all his family, and possessed himself of the throne. He attempted to fortify Raman, with a view, it would seem, of preventing the access of the Israelites into Judah, 1Ki 15:17, but his design was frustrated by a Syrian invasion, instigated by Asa, king of Judah. Baasha’s evil conduct provoked the denunciation of God’s judgments upon his house, as predicted by Jehu the prophet. He reigned 24 years, 953-930 B. c, and was buried in Tirzah, his capital. 1Ki 15:16-22; 1Ki 16:1-7; 1Ki 21:22; 2Ch 16:1-6; Jer 41:9.

[Ba’asha]

Son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar: he conspired against Nadab king of Israel, killed him and all the seed royal, and reigned in his stead, B.C. 953-930. It was according to the word of the Lord by the prophet Ahijah, that the seed of Jeroboam should be entirely destroyed, because of his wickedness; but Baasha was no better, and his posterity fell under a like judgement. 1Ki 15:16-33; 1Ki 16:1-13; 1Ki 21:22; 2Ki 9:9; 2Ch 16:1-6; Jer 41:9.

By: Morris Jastrow, Jr., Charles Foster Kent

Son of Ahijah and king of Israel. Owing to the weakness of Nadab, the successor of Jeroboam I., first king of Israel, Baasha was enabled to seize the throne through the murder of his master. The conspiracy was carried out at Gibbethon on the western frontier, which was held by the Philistines and was being besieged by the Israelites. The presence and apparent approval of the army indicate that Baasha, like Omri later, must have been a military leader. His subsequent career confirms this conclusion. Like many military leaders, he appears to have risen from obscurity, as is suggested by the words of Jehu the prophet, "I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel" (I Kings xvi. 2). In his complete extermination of the house of Jeroboam, who had proved himself a loyal patriot, he revealed the cruel traits of his nature. The fact that he came from the tribe of Issachar suggests that he may have represented a local faction.

Baasha's restless energy led him to wage a protracted war against Asa of Judah. His aim seems to have been not the complete conquest of Judah, but the blockade and plunder of its northern towns. To this end he built a strong fort at Ramah, and was so far successful that Asa resorted to the dangerous expedient of calling upon the common foe, Benhadad of Damascus (I Kings xv. 17-20). The Aramean king improved this opportunity to break his treaty with Baasha, and invaded Israel, overrunning its northern territory and annexing several towns. Baasha was defeated by his powerful northern neighbor and was obliged to transfer his capital to Tirzah, east of Shechem, and to abandon Ramah. Asa of Judah utilized the materials of this abandoned fort for the fortification of his own frontier towns, Geba and Mizpah.

Although the duration of Baasha's reign was twenty-four years (I Kings xv. 33), and while he died a natural death and was buried at the capital which he had established, he never attained the popularity or prestige that could assure permanence to his dynasty. On the whole, he brought disaster and weakness to Israel. His policy was not marked by any redeeming qualities, and it received the bitter condemnation which the Prophets visited upon all of Israel's purely military leaders (I Kings xvi. 1-7). The nation showed its disapproval by the overthrow of his dynasty in less than two years from the death of its founder.

BAASHA, king of Israel, obtained the crown by usurpation. He was an officer of the army under Nadab, son of Jeroboam I., and while the army was besieging Gibbethon, a Philistine town, he slew his king and mounted the throne. The execution of the whole house of Jeroboam followed. Baasha was a warlike ruler, and carried on war with Judah throughout his reign. The only incident preserved to us is his capture and fortification of Ramah, which led to the interference of Benhadad, as already recounted in the article Asa. Although Baasha died in his bed after a reign of twenty-four years, his dynasty was extinguished two years after his death (1Ki 15:27 to 1Ki 16:6).

H. P. Smith.

bā´a-sha בּעשׁא, ba‛shā’, “boldness”): King of Israel. Baasha, son of Ahijah, and of common birth (1Ki 16:2), usurped the throne of Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, killed Nadab and exterminated the house of Jeroboam. He carried on a long warfare with Asa, the king of Judah (compare Jer 41:9), began to build Ramah, but was prevented from completing this work by Ben-hadad, the king of Syria. He is told by the prophet Jehu that because of his sinful reign the fate of his house would be like that of Jeroboam. Baasha reigned 24 years. His son Elah who succeeded him and all the members of his family were murdered by the usurper Zimri (1Ki 15:16; 1Ki 16:1; 2Ch 16:1). The fate of his house is referred to in 1Ki 21:22; 2Ki 9:9. Compare ASA; ELAH; ZIMRI.

Baasha came to Israel’s throne (about 908 BC) by murdering the previous king and all those who were related to him. In so doing he brought the house of Jeroboam to an end as foretold by one of God’s prophets. Another prophet, however, foretold that Baasha’s house would suffer the same fate, and for the same reason, namely, religious corruption (1Ki 15:25-30; 1Ki 16:1-4). There was constant war between Baasha and the Judean king Asa during the twenty-four years of Baasha’s reign (1Ki 15:16-22; 1Ki 15:33; for details see ASA).