מלכים א, פרק ט״ו, פסוק ל״ד

The spiritual path of Baasha, the king of Israel, closely followed the sinful legacy established by Jeroboam. By choosing to do evil in the eyes of God, Baasha damaged more than just his own spiritual standing. His corrupt choices had direct and severe consequences on the political and military landscape of the region.

Because of these wicked actions, Asa, the righteous king of Judah, developed a deep hatred for Baasha. This intense dislike was not born from a standard political rivalry. Instead, it was rooted in a core spiritual principle: a righteous person naturally despises those who make themselves enemies of God. Driven by this moral stance against Baasha's behavior, Asa was ultimately motivated to provoke him and initiate a war [מלבי״ם].