2 Chronicles 16
New King James Version
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. 2 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, 3 “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.”
4 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. 5 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. 6 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
7 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. 8 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. 9 (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
- 2 Chronicles 16:13 Died and joined his ancestors
- 2 Chronicles 16:14 Lit. dug
2 Chronicles 16
New American Standard Bible
Asa Wars against Baasha
16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, (A)Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and [a]fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the king’s house, and sent it to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying, 3 “A treaty must be made between [b]you and me, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” 4 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they [c]conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all (B)the [d]storage cities of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard about it, he stopped [e]fortifying Ramah and put an end to his work. 6 Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with it he [f]fortified Geba and Mizpah.
Asa Imprisons the Prophet
7 At that time (C)Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “(D)Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, for that reason the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8 Were not (E)the Ethiopians and the Lubim (F)an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet (G)because you relied on the Lord, He handed them over to you. 9 For (H)the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those (I)whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in [g]prison, for he was enraged at him for this. And Asa mistreated some of the people at the same time.
11 (J)Now, the acts of Asa from the first to the last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he (K)did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. 13 So Asa [h]lay down with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled (L)with spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and (M)they made a very great fire for him.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 16:1 Lit built
- 2 Chronicles 16:3 Lit me and you
- 2 Chronicles 16:4 Lit struck
- 2 Chronicles 16:4 Lit storage places of the cities
- 2 Chronicles 16:5 Lit building
- 2 Chronicles 16:6 Lit built
- 2 Chronicles 16:10 Lit the house of the stocks
- 2 Chronicles 16:13 I.e., died
2 Chronicles 16
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
16 And in the six and thirtieth year of his kingdom, Baasa the king of Israel came up against Juda, and built a wall about Rama, that no one might safely go out or come in of the kingdom of Asa.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king's treasures, and sent to Benadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father, wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayst break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, and make him depart from me.
4 And then Benadad heard this, he sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel: and they took Ahion, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Nephtali.
5 And when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted his work.
6 Then king Asa took all Juda, and they carried away from Rama the stones, and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building: and he built with them Gabaa, and Maspha.
7 At that time Hanani the prophet came to Asa king of Juda, and said to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord thy God, therefore hath the army of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.
8 Were not the Ethiopians, and the Libyans much more numerous in chariots, and horsemen, and an exceeding great multitude: yet because thou trustedst in the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand?
9 For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore thou hast done foolishly, and for this cause from this time wars shall arise against thee.
10 And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison: for he was greatly enraged because of this thing: and he put to death many of the people at that time.
11 But the works of Asa the first and last are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.
12 And Asa fell sick in the nine and thirtieth year of his reign, of a most violent pain in his feet, and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians.
13 And he slept with his fathers: and he died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in his own sepulchre, which he had made for himself in the city of David: and they laid him on his bed full of spices and odoriferous ointments, which were made by the art of the perfumers, and they burnt them over him with very great pomp.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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