1In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.2Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.3‘Let there be a treaty between me and you,’ he said, ‘as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.’4Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim[1] and all the store cities of Naphtali.5When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work.6Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.8Were not the Cushites[2] and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen[3]? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand.9For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.’10Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.11The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the doctors.13Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors.14They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honour.
2 Chronicles 16
English Standard Version
Asa’s Last Years
1In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. (1Ki 15:17; 1Ki 16:8; 2Ch 15:9)2Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king’s house and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,3“There is a covenant[1] between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.”4And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. (Ex 1:11)5And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease.6Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. (1Sa 9:9; 1Ki 16:1; 2Ch 19:2; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5)8Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. (2Ch 12:3; 2Ch 13:16; 2Ch 13:18; 2Ch 14:9)9For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless[2] toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” (1Sa 13:13; 1Ki 8:61; 1Ki 15:16; 1Ki 15:32; Pr 15:3; Zec 4:10)10Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time. (2Ch 18:26)11The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. (1Ki 15:23)12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.13And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.14They buried him in the tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer’s art, and they made a very great fire in his honor. (Ge 50:2; 2Ch 21:19; Jer 34:5; Mr 16:1; Joh 19:39)