16:2 treasures of the house of the Lord . . . to Ben-hadad. Asa’s actions were wrong on two counts. He took from the temple treasuries, showing disregard for the temple and its worship (cf. 28:21). Second, he allied himself with a foreign power instead of relying on the Lord. The historian demonstrates the benefits of relying on God many times (1 Chr. 5:20; 2 Chr. 13:18; 14:11–15; 16:7, 8; 32:20–22). He also deplores foreign alliances and points to their dire consequences (18:1; 19:2; 20:35–37; 22:3–9; 25:7; 28:16–21; 35:21 note), a suitable warning to those engaged in rebuilding the nation following the return from exile in Babylonia.