Baasha

Baasha (Hebrew Basha; "Baal hears") was the third ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel who 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 (c. 900 BC-877 BC), 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, two years into his reign.

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