Editing Books of Kings (section)

====The two kingdoms until Elijah (14:1–16:34)====
Jeroboam's son Abijah becomes ill, so Jeroboam tells his wife to go in disguise to Ahijah, who has become blind with age. God tells Ahijah of the arrival of Jeroboam's wife. Ahijah prophesies the end of the [[House of Jeroboam]], beginning with the death of Abijah, who will be the only member of the royal house to be buried. He prophesies that a usurper king will arise who will accomplish this. Jeroboam dies, and is succeeded by his son [[Nadab of Israel|Nadab]].

Meanwhile, in the [[Kingdom of Judah]], the people set up high places, sacred stones and [[Asherah poles]] to foreign gods, and even allow male [[sacred prostitution|temple prostitution]]. The pharaoh [[Shishak]] sacks Jerusalem and takes all the royal and Temple treasures, including Solomon's gold shields, prompting Rehoboam to make bronze ones to replace them. Rehoboam dies and is succeeded by his son [[Abijah of Judah|Abijah]], a grandson of [[Absalom]]. Abijah is as bad as his father, but God continues to protect him and his family because of the promise He made to David. When Abijah dies, he is succeeded by his son [[Asa of Judah|Asa]].

Asa, in contrast to his father and grandfather, is a good king, on par with David. He abolishes male temple prostitution and destroys idols, and even deposed his grandmother as [[Queen mother]] due to idolatry. He moves a collection of gold and silver objects back into the Temple. However, when  he goes to war against [[Baasha of Israel]], he gives the royal and Temple gold and silver to [[Ben-Hadad I|Ben-Hadad]], king of [[Aram-Damascus|Aram]], to get him to break a treaty with Israel and attack with him. Ben-Hadad is surprisingly successful, and Baasha must withdraw from [[Ramah in Benjamin|Ramah]], leading Asa to issue a decree that Ramah's fortifications be taken down and used to build [[Geba (city)|Geba]] and [[Mizpah in Benjamin|Mizpah]]. Asa dies an old man and is succeeded by his son [[Jehoshaphat]].

Back in [[Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)|Israel]], Nadab is on the throne. Like his father, he is evil. Baasha, son of an [[Tribe of Issachar|Issacharite]] named Ahijah, plots to kill him and succeeds in a sneak attack, taking him by surprise during the Siege of [[Gibbethon]], a [[Philistines|Philistine]] city. He then proceeds to kill Jeroboam's whole family, fulfilling the prophecy of Ahijah the prophet. However, Baasha commits the same sins as Jeroboam. God therefore informs the prophet [[Jehu (prophet)|Jehu]] that he will also end the [[House of Baasha]]. Baasha dies and is succeeded by his son [[Elah (king)|Elah]], who soon falls victim to a plot led by his charioteer [[Zimri (king)|Zimri]]. Zimri becomes king after Elah's killing, and fulfills the prophecy of Jehu; however, Zimri's army now proclaims its commander [[Omri]] as king and returns to [[Tirzah (ancient city)|Tirzah]] to lay siege to it. Seeing he is losing, Zimri [[Arson|sets fire]] to the palace.

The start of Omri's reign faces factionalism, with half his subjects supporting [[Tibni]], son of Gibnath as king. He buys the hill of Shemer, upon which he builds the city of [[Samaria (ancient city)|Samaria]]. However, he is the worst king yet. When he dies, he is succeeded by his son [[Ahab]], who himself overtakes Omri in his evilness. Upon his marriage to [[Jezebel]], daughter of [[Ithobaal I|Ethbaal]], king of [[Sidon]], he introduces the worship of Baal, building him a temple and setting up an Asherah pole. Meanwhile, a nobleman named Hiel of [[Bethel]] activates the curse proclaimed by [[Joshua]] by rebuilding [[Jericho]], resulting in the death of his oldest and youngest sons.