1 Kings 15 24

1 Kings 15:24 kjv

And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 15:24 nkjv

So Asa rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 15:24 niv

Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.

1 Kings 15:24 esv

And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 15:24 nlt

When Asa died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then Jehoshaphat, Asa's son, became the next king.

1 Kings 15 verses

1 Kings 15 24 Meaning

1 Kings 15:24 serves as a standardized concluding formula for the reign of Abijam, king of Judah. It signals to the reader that additional information regarding his actions and achievements, beyond what is presented in the book of Kings, can be found in the authoritative, official state records known as "the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah." This phrase affirms the existence of detailed historical archives upon which the biblical author drew and directs interested readers to consult them, though these archives are no longer extant today.

1 Kings 15 24 Context

Chapter 15 of 1 Kings narrates the reigns of Abijam (also known as Abijah in 2 Chronicles) and Asa in Judah, and Nadab and Baasha in Israel. Abijam's reign (1 Kgs 15:1-8) is brief and largely characterized by a continuation of the negative spiritual trends established by his father Rehoboam. While acknowledged as a warrior who achieved some military successes against Israel (more detailed in 2 Chronicles 13), Kings focuses on his spiritual failings, noting he walked in "all the sins that his father had committed before him." The recurring formula in verse 24 concludes the narrative of Abijam's reign, allowing the Deuteronomistic historian to move on to the next king while maintaining that a comprehensive record of his rule exists elsewhere, particularly important as the historian selectively recounts events focusing on their theological significance regarding faithfulness to the Davidic covenant.

1 Kings 15 24 Word analysis

• Now the rest of all the acts of Abijam,:

  • Now the rest of all: יֶתֶר (yeter) meaning "remainder" or "residue." This signifies that the biblical account in Kings is not exhaustive but selective. It implies an awareness that more detailed information about Abijam's rule was available and publicly accessible.
  • the acts: דְּבָרִים (dəvarim), literally "words" or "matters," but in this context clearly referring to deeds, accomplishments, and events of the king's reign. It covers both significant policies, wars, and even daily life.
  • Abijam: Son and successor of Rehoboam, King of Judah. His name means "my father is Yam (the Sea-god)" or "my father is (divine)." In 2 Chronicles, he is consistently called Abijah (אֲבִיָּה, aviyah), meaning "my father is Yah(weh)," reflecting a probable shift in spelling to remove any pagan connotation or simply an alternative form.

• and all that he did,:

  • all that he did: וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה (vechol-asher asah). This phrase, though seemingly redundant after "acts," serves to emphasize the comprehensive nature of the record to which the reader is being directed. It asserts that every action, major or minor, was cataloged.

• are they not written:

  • are they not written: הֲלֹא־הֵמָּה כְתוּבִים (halo-hemmah ketuvim). This is a rhetorical question, characteristic of Hebrew literary style, used to affirm a fact forcefully. It assumes and asserts the definitive existence and availability of the information. The term כְתוּבִים (ketuvim) simply means "written."

• in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?:

  • in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?: עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה (al-sefer divrei hayyamim ləmalchei Yehudah).
    • סֵפֶר (sefer): "book."
    • דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (divrei hayyamim): Literally "words of the days," signifying "annals," "records," or "chronicles." This refers to an official state archive maintained by the Judahite monarchy. It is crucially distinct from the canonical "Books of Chronicles" in the Bible (e.g., 1 & 2 Chronicles), though the canonical books may have drawn upon such state archives.
    • לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה (ləmalchei Yehudah): "for the kings of Judah." This specifies that the records pertain to the Southern Kingdom and its rulers. These were not mere personal notes but meticulously kept public records, validating the historical claims within the biblical text.

1 Kings 15 24 Bonus section

The consistent use of this concluding formula for both the kings of Judah ("Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah") and the kings of Israel ("Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel") suggests that both kingdoms maintained sophisticated state archival systems. These references indicate the authors of Kings acted as historians and theologians who accessed and synthesized information from official court records. The theological lens applied to this historical material is the distinguishing characteristic of the biblical books. For Abijam, this is especially noteworthy, as the canonical book of 2 Chronicles 13 offers a significantly different and more detailed portrayal of his reign, highlighting his piety and military victory, serving a different theological agenda. This comparison underscores that while Kings references its source, it doesn't just copy it, but reshapes the material to emphasize the kings' spiritual standing before God, often simplifying secular details to highlight their covenantal fidelity or failure.

1 Kings 15 24 Commentary

1 Kings 15:24 is more than just a bibliographical reference; it's a foundational literary and theological statement. It signals that the book of Kings is not attempting to provide an exhaustive biographical or historical account of Abijam's reign. Instead, it selectively presents aspects that align with its theological purpose: evaluating kings based on their obedience to God's covenant, particularly the Davidic covenant and the warnings from Deuteronomic law. By referring to an existing, verifiable public record—the royal annals of Judah—the biblical author adds credibility and a claim of historical grounding to the narrative. This common concluding formula, repeated for nearly every king, emphasizes that the biblical account is divinely inspired theological history, built upon and pointing to verifiable, yet often more detailed, secular records. It implies a conscious selection of material for its spiritual lessons, assuring the audience that deeper secular details are indeed available in a separate, accessible archive.