2 Chronicles 16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Asa’s Treaty with Aram
16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa,(A) Israel’s King Baasha went to war against Judah. He built Ramah in order to deny access to anyone—going or coming—to Judah’s King Asa. 2 So Asa brought out the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and sent it to Aram’s King Ben-hadad, who lived in Damascus, saying, 3 “There’s a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Look, I have sent you silver and gold. Go break your treaty with Israel’s King Baasha so that he will withdraw from me.”
4 Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies to the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim,[a] and all the storage cities[b] of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard about it, he quit building Ramah and stopped his work. 6 Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had built it with. Then he built Geba and Mizpah with them.
Hanani’s Rebuke of Asa
7 At that time, Hanani(B) the seer came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, “Because you depended on the king of Aram and have not depended on the Lord your God,(C) the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8 Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen?(D) When you depended on Yahweh, He handed them over to you.(E) 9 For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout the earth(F) to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His.(G) You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on.” 10 Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison[c] because of his anger over this. And Asa mistreated some of the people at that time.
Asa’s Death
11 Note that the events(H) 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 developed a disease in his feet, and his disease became increasingly severe. Yet even in his disease he didn’t seek the Lord but only the physicians. 13 Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign and rested with his fathers. 14 He was buried in his own tomb that he had made for himself in the city of David. They laid him out in a coffin that was full of spices and various mixtures of prepared ointments;(I) then they made a great fire in his honor.(J)
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 16:4 Abel-beth-maacah in 1Kg 15:20
- 2 Chronicles 16:4 = all Chinnereth in 1Kg 15:20
- 2 Chronicles 16:10 Lit the house of stocks
2 Chronicles 16
Lexham English Bible
The End of Asa’s Reign
16 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha the king of Israel went up against Judah. And he built Ramah in order not to allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the storehouses of the house of Yahweh and the house of the king, and he sent them to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram,[a] who lived in Damascus, saying, 3 “There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I am sending you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha, king of Israel, that he might withdraw from me.”
4 And Ben-Hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent commanders of his troops that were with him against the cities of Israel. And they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel-Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 5 And it happened that when Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. 6 Then King Asa took all of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and he built Geba and Mizpah with them.
7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “On account of your reliance upon the king of Aram,[b] and since you did not rely on Yahweh your God, therefore the troops of the king of Aram[c] escaped from your hand. 8 Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with very abundant chariots and horsemen? And because of your reliance on Yahweh he gave them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout all the earth to strengthen those whose heart is fully devoted to him. You have been foolish in this, for from now on you will have wars.”
10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the prison,[d] for he was enraged with him concerning this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.
11 Now behold, the words of Asa from the first to the last, behold, they are written in the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, he fell severely[e] ill in his feet. But even in his illness he did not seek Yahweh, but only among the healers. 13 And Asa slept with his ancestors.[f] And he died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 And they buried him in his burial site, which had been cut out for him in the city of David. And they laid him on the bier which they had filled with all kinds of spices made by the perfumers as a fragment ointment. And they made a great fire in his honor.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 16:2 Or “Syria”
- 2 Chronicles 16:7 Or “Syria”
- 2 Chronicles 16:7 Or “Syria”
- 2 Chronicles 16:10 Literally “the house of the stocks”
- 2 Chronicles 16:12 Literally “until his illness unto severity”
- 2 Chronicles 16:13 Or “fathers”
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