12
Asa threw out of the land the male prostitutes who were at the temples. He got rid of all of the statues of gods his people before him had made.
13
He even removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother. That's because she had made a pole that was used to worship the goddess Asherah. The LORD hated it. So Asa cut it down. He burned it in the Kidron Valley.
14
Asa didn't remove the high places from Israel. But he committed his whole life completely to the Lord.
15
He and his father had set apart silver, gold and other articles to the Lord. He brought them into the LORD's temple.
16
There was war between Asa and Baasha, the king of Israel. It lasted the whole time they were kings.
17
Baasha was king of Israel. He marched out against Judah. He built up the walls of Ramah. He did it to keep people from leaving or entering the territory of Asa, the king of Judah.
18
Asa took all of the silver and gold that was left among the treasures of the LORD's temple and his own palace. He put his officials in charge of it. He sent the officials to Ben-Hadad. Ben-Hadad was king of Aram. He was ruling in Damascus. He was the son of Tabrimmon and the grandson of Hezion.
19
"Let's make a peace treaty between us," Asa said. "My father and your father had made a peace treaty between them. Now I'm sending you a gift of silver and gold. So break your treaty with Baasha, the king of Israel. Then he'll go back home."
20
Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa. He sent his army commanders against the towns of Israel. He attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah and the whole area of Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.
21
Baasha heard about it. So he stopped building up Ramah. He went back home to Tirzah.
22
Then King Asa gave an order to all of the men of Judah. Everyone was required to help. They carried away from Ramah the stones and wood Baasha had been using there. King Asa used them to build up Geba in the territory of Benjamin. He also used them to build up Mizpah.