Baasha became king of Israel in the third year of
Asa, king of Judah. ()
William F. Albright has dated his reign to 900–877 BCE, while
E. R. Thiele offers the dates 909–886 BCE. Baasha came to power by murdering the previous king,
Nadab, at
Gibbethon, followed by the entire House of
Jeroboam (Nadab's father and predecessor). Baasha had previously been a
captain in Nadab's own army. Like many military leaders, he appears to have risen from obscurity. The
Jewish Encyclopedia suggests that because he came from the
tribe of Issachar, "he may have represented a local faction". Over the course of his 24-year reign, Baasha was at war with Asa, king of Judah. He allied Israel with
Aram 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. Asa of Judah utilized the materials of the abandoned fort for the fortification of his own frontier towns,
Geba and
Mizpah. 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. ==References==