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2 Chronicles 16
International Children’s Bible
2 Chronicles 16
International Children’s Bible
Asa’s Last Years
16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s rule, Baasha king of Israel attacked Judah. He went to the town of Ramah and made it strong. He used it to keep people from going in or out of the country of Judah.
2 Asa took silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Temple of the Lord. And he took silver and gold out of his own palace. Then he sent it with messengers to Ben-Hadad king of Aram. Ben-Hadad was living in Damascus. Asa’s message said: 3 “Let’s make an agreement between you and me. Let’s make it like the agreement between your father and mine. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your agreement with Baasha king of Israel. Then he will take his army away from my country.”
4 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa. So Ben-Hadad sent the commanders of his armies to attack the towns of Israel. These commanders defeated the towns of Ijon, Dan and Abel Beth Maacah. They also defeated all the towns in Naphtali where treasures were stored. 5 When Baasha heard about this, he stopped building Ramah. He left his work. 6 Then King Asa called all the men of Judah together. They went to Ramah and took away the rocks and wood that Baasha had used. And they used the rocks and wood to build up Geba and Mizpah.
7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah. Hanani said to him, “You depended on the king of Aram to help you. You did not depend on the Lord your God. So the king of Aram’s army escaped from you. 8 The Cushites and Libyans had a large and powerful army. They had many chariots and horsemen. But you depended on the Lord to help you. So he let you defeat them. 9 The Lord searches all the earth for people who have given themselves completely to him. He wants to make them strong. Asa, you did a foolish thing. From now on you will have wars.”
10 Asa was angry with Hanani the seer because of what he had said. Asa was so angry that he put Hanani in prison. Asa was cruel with some of the people at that same time.
11 The things Asa did as king, from the beginning to the end, are written down. They are in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his rule, Asa got a disease in his feet. His disease was very bad. But he did not ask for help from the Lord. He only asked for help from the doctors. 13 Then Asa died in the forty-first year of his rule. 14 The people buried Asa in the tomb he had made for himself in Jerusalem. They laid him on a bed. It was filled with spices and different kinds of mixed perfumes. And they made a large fire to honor Asa.
2 Chronicles 16
English Standard Version
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
New International Version
2 Chronicles 16
New International Version
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.
2 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) 3 “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.”
4 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) 5 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. 6 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)
7 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. 8 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. 9 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
- 2 Chronicles 16:4 Also known as Abel Beth Maakah
- 2 Chronicles 16:8 That is, people from the upper Nile region
- 2 Chronicles 16:8 Or charioteers
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.