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1 Kings 15:19

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

There is an alliance between you and me, just like there was between my father and your father. Look, I'm sending you a gift of silver and gold. Please break your alliance with Baasha, the king of Israel, so he will leave me alone.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

King Asa is asking another king to break his alliance with Israel's king by offering him valuable gifts, hoping this will get Israel to stop attacking him.

📚 Historical Context

In the 9th century BC, the kingdoms of Judah and Israel were divided after the reign of Solomon, leading to frequent conflicts and power struggles between them. King Asa of Judah was under threat from Baasha, king of Israel, who was fortifying his borders, so Asa sought help by appealing to Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria. This verse reflects Asa's strategy of reminding Ben-Hadad of a prior alliance between their fathers and offering bribes to break Baasha's advances.

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