Baasha (Bible)

For the Ammonite king, see Baasha ben Ruhubi.

Baasha (Hebrew Basha; "Baal hears") was the third king of the northern kingdom of Israel. William F. Albright has dated his reign to 900 BCE-877 BCE, while E. R. Thiele offers the dates 909 BCE-886 BCE. Baasha came to power by murdering the previous king, Nadab, and the entire royal family of Nadab's father Jeroboam.

Over the course of his twenty-three year reign, Baasha allied Israel with Syria and endeavored to strangle Judah's trade by fortifying Ramah, a city five miles north of Jerusalem. King Asa of Judah then bribed King Ben-hadad of Syria to switch sides and attack Israel, prompting the loss of extensive territory in Dan and Naphtali northwest of the Sea of Galilee. Baasha was forced to withdraw from Ramah.

Though Baasha remained in power for life, he was not without his opponents. The prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani, foretold the destruction of his dynasty, which came to pass with the assassination of Baasha's son Elah.

Baasha's story is told in 1 Kings 15:16 through 16:7.

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