And in the six and thirtieth year of his kingdom, Baasa the king of Israel came up against Juda, and built a wall about Rama, that no one might safely go out or come in of the kingdom of Asa.

²Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s treasures, and sent to Benadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:

³There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father, wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayst break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, and make him depart from me.

⁴And when Benadad heard this, he sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel: and they took Ahion, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Nephtali.

⁵And when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted his work.

⁶Then king Asa took all Juda, and they carried away from Rama the stones, and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building: and he built with them Gabaa, and Maspha.

⁷At that time Hanani the prophet came to Asa king of Juda, and said to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord thy God, therefore hath the army of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.

⁸Were not the Ethiopians, and the Libyans much more numerous in chariots, and horsemen, and an exceeding great multitude: yet because thou trustedst in the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand?

⁹For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore thou hast done foolishly, and for this cause from this time wars shall arise against thee.

¹⁰And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison: for he was greatly enraged because of this thing: and he put to death many of the people at that time.

¹¹But the works of Asa the first and last are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

¹²And Asa fell sick in the nine and thirtieth year of his reign, of a most violent pain in his feet, and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians.

¹³And he slept with his fathers: and he died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

¹⁴And they buried him in his own sepulchre, which he had made for himself in the city of David: and they laid him on his bed full of spices and odoriferous ointments, which were made by the art of the perfumers, and they burnt them over him with very great pomp.

Chapter 17

And Josaphat his son reigned in his stead, and grew strong against Israel.

²And he placed numbers of soldiers in all the fortified cities of Juda. And he put garrisons in the land of Juda, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

³And the Lord was with Josaphat, because he walked in the first ways of David his father: and trusted not in Baalim,

⁴But in the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel.

⁵And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Juda brought presents to Josaphat: and he acquired immense riches, and much glory.

⁶And when his heart had taken courage for the ways of the Lord, he took away also the high places and the groves out of Juda.

⁷And in the third year of his reign, he sent of his princes Benhail, and Abdias, and Zacharias, and Nathanael, and Micheas, to teach in the cites of Juda:

⁸And with them the Levites, Semeias, and Nathanias, and Zabadias, and Asael, and Semiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonias, and Tobias, and Thobadonias Levites, and with them Elisama, and Joram priests.

⁹And they taught the people in Juda, having with them the book of the law of the Lord: and they went about all the cities of Juda, and instructed the people.

¹⁰And the fear of the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Juda, and they durst not make war against Josaphat.

¹¹The Philistines also brought presents to Josaphat, and tribute in silver, and the Arabians brought him cattle, seven thousand seven hundred rams, and as many he goats.

¹²And Josaphat grew, and became exceeding great: and he built in Juda houses like towers, and walled cities.

¹³And he prepared many works in the cities of Juda: and he had warriors, and valiant men in Jerusalem.

¹⁴Of whom this is the number of the houses and families of every one: in Juda captains of the army, Ednas the chief, and with him three hundred thousand most valiant men.

¹⁵After him Johanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand.

¹⁶And after him was Amasias the son of Zechri, consecrated to the Lord, and with him were two hundred thousand valiant men.

¹⁷After him was Eliada valiant in battle, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield.

¹⁸After him also was Jozabad, and with him a hundred and eighty thousand ready for war.

¹⁹All these were at the hand of the king, beside others, whom he had put in the walled cities, in all Juda.

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