Chapter 16

Asa Wars against Baasha

1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign aBaasha king of Israel came up against Judah and 1fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the king’s house, and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying,

3 “Let there be a treaty between 1you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.”

4 So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they 1conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim and all athe 2store cities of Naphtali.

5 When Baasha heard of it, he ceased 1fortifying Ramah and stopped his work.

6 Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he 1fortified Geba and Mizpah.

Asa Imprisons the Prophet

7 At that time aHanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “bBecause you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand.

8 “Were not athe Ethiopians and the Lubim ban immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet cbecause you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand.

9 “For athe eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those bwhose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.”

10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in 1prison, for he was enraged at him for this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

11 aNow, the acts of Asa from first to 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 became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he adid not seek the Lord, but the physicians.

13 So Asa slept with his fathers, 1having died in the forty-first year of his reign.

14 They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled awith spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and bthey made a very great fire for him.