2 Chronicles 16
English Standard Version
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. 2 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, 3 “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.” 4 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. 5 And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease. 6 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.
7 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. 8 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. 9 (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
- 2 Chronicles 16:3 Or treaty; twice in this verse
- 2 Chronicles 16:9 Or whole
2 Chronicles 16
Common English Bible
Aram invades Judah
16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s rule, Israel’s King Baasha attacked Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent Judah’s King Asa from moving into that area. 2 Asa took silver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and sent them to Aram’s King Ben-hadad, who ruled in Damascus, with the following message: 3 “Let’s make a covenant similar to the one between our fathers. Since I have already sent you silver and gold, break your covenant with Israel’s King Baasha so that he will leave me alone.” 4 Ben-hadad agreed with King Asa and sent his army commanders against the cities of Israel, attacking Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali. 5 As soon as Baasha learned of this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. 6 Then King Asa had all Judah carry away the stone and timber that Baasha was using to build Ramah, and King Asa used it to build Geba and Mizpah. 7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Judah’s King Asa and said to him, “Because you relied on Aram’s king and not on the Lord your God, the army of Aram’s king has slipped out of your grasp. 8 Weren’t the Cushites and the Libyans a vast army with chariots and horsemen to spare? Still, when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your power, 9 because the Lord’s eyes scan the whole world to strengthen those who are committed to him with all their hearts. Your foolishness means that you will have war on your hands from now on.” 10 Asa was angry with the seer. Asa was so mad he threw Hanani in jail and took his anger out on some of the people.
Asa’s disease and death
11 The rest of Asa’s deeds, from beginning to end, are written in the official records of Israel’s and Judah’s kings. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his rule, Asa developed a severe foot disease. But even in his illness he refused to seek the Lord and consulted doctors instead. 13 In the forty-first year of his rule, Asa lay down with his ancestors. 14 He was buried in the tomb he had prepared for himself in David’s City, and was laid on a bed filled with sweet spices and various kinds of perfume, with a huge fire made in his honor.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible