16
1 In
the thirty-sixth
year of Asa’s
reign, Baasha king
of Israel went
up against Judah,
and built Ramah,
that he might
not allow anyone
to go out
or come in
to Asa king of
Judah.
2 Then Asa
brought out silver
and gold out
of the treasures
of the LORD’s
house and of
the king’s house,
and sent to Ben
Hadad king of Syria,
who lived at
Damascus, saying,
3 “Let
there be a
treaty between me
and you, 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, that he
may depart from
me.”
4 Ben Hadad
listened to
King Asa, and sent
the captains of
his armies against
the cities of
Israel; and they
struck Ijon, Dan,
Abel Maim, and all
the storage cities
of Naphtali.
5 When
Baasha heard of
it, he stopped
building Ramah,
and let his
work cease.
6 Then Asa
the king took
all Judah, and
they carried away
the stones and
timber of Ramah,
with which Baasha
had built; and
he built Geba
and Mizpah with
them.
7 At
that time Hanani
the seer came
to Asa king of
Judah, and said
to him, “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 out of
your hand.
8 Weren’t the
Ethiopians and the
Lubim a huge
army, with
chariots and
exceedingly many
horsemen? Yet,
because you relied
on the LORD,
he delivered them
into your hand.
9 For
the LORD’s eyes
run back and
forth throughout
the whole earth,
to show himself
strong in the
behalf of them
whose heart is
perfect toward him.
You have done
foolishly in this;
for from now
on you will
have wars.”
10 Then Asa
was angry with
the seer, and
put him in
the prison; for
he was in
a rage with
him because of
this thing. Asa
oppressed some of
the people at
the same time.
11 Behold,
the acts of Asa,
first and 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 was
diseased in his
feet. His disease
was exceedingly great;
yet in his
disease he didn’t
seek the LORD,
but just the
physicians.
13 Asa slept
with his fathers,
and died in
the forty-first year
of his reign.
14 They
buried him in
his own tomb,
which he had
dug out for himself
in David’s city,
and laid him
in the bed
which was filled
with sweet odors
and various kinds
of spices prepared
by the perfumers’
art; and they
made a very
great fire for
him.