2 Chronicles 16

Asa's Treaty with Aram

1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa, Israel's King Baasha went to war against Judah. He built Ramah in order to deny anyone's access-going or coming-to Judah's King Asa.

2 So Asa brought out the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord's temple and the royal palace and sent it to Aram's King Ben-hadad, who lived in Damascus, saying,

3 "There's a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Look, I have sent you silver and gold. Go break your treaty with Israel's King Baasha so that he will withdraw from me."

4 Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies to the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim,^[a] and all the storage cities^[b] of Naphtali.

5 When Baasha heard [about it], he quit building Ramah and stopped his work.

6 Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had built it with. Then he built Geba and Mizpah with them.^[c]

Hanani's Rebuke of Asa

7 At that time, Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, "Because you depended on the king of Aram and have not depended on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.

8 Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with very many chariots and horsemen? When you depended on the Lord, He handed them over to you.^[d]

9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His. You have been foolish in this matter, for from now on, you will have wars."

10 Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison^[e] because of his anger over this. And Asa mistreated some of the people at that time.

Asa's Death

11 Note that the events of Asa's [reign], from beginning to end, are written about in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a disease in his feet, and his disease became increasingly severe. Yet even in his disease he didn't seek the Lord but the physicians.

13 Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign and rested with his fathers.

14 He was buried in his own tomb that he had hewn out for himself in the city of David. They laid him out in a coffin that was full of spices and various mixtures of prepared ointments; then they made a great fire in his honor.^[f]

2 Chronicles 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

Asa seeks the aid of the Syrians, His death.

- A plain and faithful reproof was given to Asa by a prophet of the Lord, for making a league with Syria. God is displeased when he is distrusted, and when an arm of flesh is relied on, more than his power and goodness. It is foolish to lean on a broken reed, when we have the Rock of ages to rely upon. To convince Asa of his folly, the prophet shows that he, of all men, had no reason to distrust God, who had found him such a powerful Helper. The many experiences we have had of the goodness of God to us, aggravate our distrust of him. But see how deceitful our hearts are! we trust in God when we have nothing else to trust to, when need drives us to him; but when we have other things to stay on, we are apt to depend too much on them. Observe Asa's displeasure at this reproof. What is man, when God leaves him to himself! He that abused his power for persecuting God's prophet, was left to himself, to abuse it further for crushing his own subjects. Two years before he died, Asa was diseased in his feet. Making use of physicians was his duty; but trusting to them, and expecting that from them which was to be had from God only, were his sin and folly. In all conflicts and sufferings we need especially to look to our own hearts, that they may be perfect towards God, by faith, patience, and obedience.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Kg 15:20 reads Abel-beth-maacah
• [b]. 1 Kg 15:20 reads all [the] Chinneroth
• [c]. 1 Kg 15:17-22
• [d]. 2 Ch 14:9-13
• [e]. Lit the house of stocks
• [f]. 1 Kg 15:23-24

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 16

Baasha coming up against Judah, and building Ramah, Asa made a league with the king of Syria, and hired him to make a diversion in his favour, and cause Baasha to leave off building, which succeeded, 2Ch 16:1-6, for which he was reproved by a prophet of the Lord, with whom he was so angry for it as to put him in prison, and oppress others, 2Ch 16:7,10, and the chapter is closed with an account of his disease and conduct under it, and of his death and burial, 2Ch 16:11-14.