1 Kings 15:17

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Ba'sha attacked Y'hudah, and he fortified Ramah to prevent anyone's leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Y'hudah.

Berean Standard Bible:

Baasha king of Israel went to war against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

American Standard Version:

And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Baasha^{H1201} king^{H4428} of Israel^{H3478} went up^{H5927} against Judah^{H3063}, and built^{H1129} Ramah^{H7414}, that he might not suffer^{H5414} any to go out^{H3318} or come in^{H935} to Asa^{H609} king^{H4428} of Judah^{H3063}.

Cross-References (KJV):

1 Kings 12:27

If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, [even] unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 16:1

¶ In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 16:6

Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

1 Kings 15:21

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard [thereof], that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.

1 Kings 15:22

Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none [was] exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

Jeremiah 31:15

Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, [and] bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they [were] not.

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Commentary for 1 Kings 15:17

1 Kings 15:17 is set within the historical narrative of the divided monarchy period in Israel's history, following the reign of Solomon. After Solomon's death, the kingdom split into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel, which was often ruled by a succession of kings with questionable loyalty to God, and the southern Kingdom of Judah, which maintained the Davidic line of kings.

The verse specifically mentions Baasha, who was the third king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. His reign was marked by continued idolatry and disobedience to the Law of Moses, as recorded earlier in 1 Kings 15:34. Baasha's aggression towards Judah is a central theme in this verse, as he seeks to assert dominance over the southern kingdom by fortifying the city of Ramah. Ramah was strategically located near the border between the two kingdoms and was significant because it could effectively serve as a blockade, preventing movement between the territories. By fortifying Ramah, Baasha aimed to isolate Asa, the king of Judah, and exert control over trade and military movements.

Asa, on the other hand, is described as a king who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (1 Kings 15:11), although his reliance on foreign alliances later in his reign is critiqued (2 Chronicles 16:7-12). The tension between these two kings reflects the broader themes of political intrigue, territorial conflict, and the spiritual struggle between fidelity to God and the temptations of power that characterize much of the history of the divided kingdom. This verse sets the stage for the subsequent narrative, where Asa seeks help from another foreign king, Ben-Hadad of Aram, to counter Baasha's threat, illustrating the complex international relations and the kings' decisions that had lasting effects on their nations' fates.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

Strong's Number: H1201
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּעְשָׁא
Transliteration: Baʻshâʼ
Pronunciation: bah-shaw'
Description: from an unused root meaning to stink; offensiveness; Basha, a king of Israel; Baasha.
Strong's Number: H4428
There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
Transliteration: melek
Pronunciation: meh'-lek
Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal.
Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.
Strong's Number: H5927
There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָלָה
Transliteration: ʻâlâh
Pronunciation: aw-law'
Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.
Strong's Number: H3063
There are 754 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהוּדָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhûwdâh
Pronunciation: yeh-hoo-daw'
Description: from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah.
Strong's Number: H1129
There are 345 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּנָה
Transliteration: bânâh
Pronunciation: baw-naw'
Description: a primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively); (begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.
Strong's Number: H7414
There are 35 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָמָה
Transliteration: Râmâh
Pronunciation: raw-maw'
Description: the same as רָמָה; Ramah, the name of four places in Palestine; Ramah.
Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
Strong's Number: H3318
There are 992 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָצָא
Transliteration: yâtsâʼ
Pronunciation: yaw-tsaw'
Description: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.; [idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, [idiom] scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, [idiom] still, [idiom] surely, take forth (out), at any time, [idiom] to (and fro), utter.
Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
Strong's Number: H609
There are 201 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָסָא
Transliteration: ʼÂçâʼ
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: of uncertain derivation; Asa, the name of a king and of a Levite; Asa.

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