猶大與以色列爭戰

16 亞撒執政第三十六年,以色列王巴沙上來攻打猶大,修築拉瑪,企圖隔斷猶大王亞撒與外界的聯繫。 於是,亞撒收集耶和華殿裡和王宮庫房裡的金銀,派人送給住在大馬士革的亞蘭王便·哈達,說: 「我們之間應立盟約,像我們的父親之間立約一樣,現在奉上金銀為禮,請你取消與以色列王巴沙立的盟約。這樣,他就會從我境內退兵。」 便·哈達接受了亞撒王的提議,派將領攻打以色列的城邑,攻佔了以雲、但、亞伯·瑪音和拿弗他利所有的儲貨城。 巴沙聞訊,就停止修築拉瑪。 亞撒王率領全體猶大人,將巴沙修築拉瑪所用的石頭和木材全部搬走,用來修建迦巴和米斯巴。

哈拿尼先見

那時,哈拿尼先見晉見猶大王亞撒說:「因為你不倚靠你的上帝耶和華,反而倚靠亞蘭王,所以亞蘭王的軍隊已經從你手中逃脫。 古實人與路比人不是一支強大的軍隊嗎?他們的戰車騎兵不是極多嗎?然而,因為你倚靠耶和華,耶和華就把他們交在你手中。 耶和華的眼目遍察天下,彰顯大能來扶助那些全心歸向祂的人。你做了愚蠢的事!從此以後,你必遭遇戰禍。」 10 亞撒聽了就對先見發怒,把他囚禁在監獄裡,同時又壓迫一些民眾。

亞撒逝世

11 亞撒其他的事自始至終都記在猶大和以色列的列王史上。 12 亞撒執政第三十九年患了嚴重的腳病。然而,他在病中卻沒有尋求耶和華的幫助,只尋求醫生的幫助。 13 亞撒在他執政第四十一年去世,與他祖先同眠, 14 葬在大衛城他為自己鑿的墳墓裡。民眾把他放在堆滿精心調製的各種香料的床上,又點了一堆大火向他致哀。

Asa’s Last Years(A)(B)

16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha(C) king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

Asa 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.(D) “Let there be a treaty(E) 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 he will withdraw from me.”

Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim[a] and all the store cities of Naphtali.(F) When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. Then 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.(G)

At that time Hanani(H) the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied(I) on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites[b](J) and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers(K) of chariots and horsemen[c]? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered(L) them into your hand. For the eyes(M) of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish(N) thing, and from now on you will be at war.(O)

10 Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison.(P) At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.

11 The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted(Q) with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek(R) help from the Lord,(S) but only from the physicians. 13 Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors. 14 They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself(T) in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes,(U) and they made a huge fire(V) in his honor.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 16:4 Also known as Abel Beth Maakah
  2. 2 Chronicles 16:8 That is, people from the upper Nile region
  3. 2 Chronicles 16:8 Or charioteers

Asa’s Treaty with Syria(A)

16 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, (B)Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, (C)that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.

Hanani’s Message to Asa

And at that time (D)Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: (E)“Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were (F)the Ethiopians and (G)the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your (H)hand. (I)For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this (J)you have done foolishly; therefore from now on (K)you shall have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and (L)put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

Illness and Death of Asa(M)

11 (N)Note that the acts of Asa, first and last, are indeed written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he (O)did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.

13 (P)So Asa [a]rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had [b]made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled (Q)with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made (R)a very great burning for him.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 16:13 Died and joined his ancestors
  2. 2 Chronicles 16:14 Lit. dug

Asa's Last Years

16 (A)In the (B)thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, (C)that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then 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, “There is a covenant[a] 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.” And 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 (D)store cities of Naphtali. And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease. Then 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.

At that time (E)Hanani (F)the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, (G)“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. Were not (H)the Ethiopians and (I)the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet (J)because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. (K)For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those (L)whose heart is blameless[b] toward him. (M)You have done foolishly in this, for from now on (N)you will have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him (O)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.

11 (P)The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In 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. 13 And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in the tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier (Q)that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer's art, (R)and they made a very great fire in his honor.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 16:3 Or treaty; twice in this verse
  2. 2 Chronicles 16:9 Or whole