9
And in the twentieth year of Yarov‘am Melech Yisroel, Asa began to reign as Melech over Yehudah.
10
And forty and one years reigned he in Yerushalayim. And shem immo was Ma’achah Bat Avishalom.
11
And Asa did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, as did Dovid Aviv.
12
And he removed kedeshim (the male and female cult prostitutes) out of HaAretz, and got rid of kol hagillulim (all the idols) that his avot had made.
13
And also Ma’achah immo, even her he deposed from being Gevirah (Queen Mother), because she had made a mifletzet (idol) to Asherah; and Asa cut down her mifletzet, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
14
But the high places were not removed; nevertheless levav Asa was shalem with Hashem all his days.
15
And he brought in the kodshei Aviv (the things his father had dedicated), and the things which he himself had dedicated, into the Beis Hashem, kesef, and zahav, and kelim.
16
And there was milchamah between Asa and Ba’asha Melech Yisroel all their days.
17
And Ba’asha Melech Yisroel went up against Yehudah, and built up Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa Melech Yehudah.
18
Then Asa took all the kesef and the zahav that were left in the otzarot of the Beis Hashem, and the otzarot of the Bais HaMelech, and delivered them into the yad of his avadim; and HaMelech Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad, Ben Tavrimmon Ben Chezron Melech Aram, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
19
There is a brit between me and thee, and between Avi and Avicha; hinei, I send unto thee a shochad (incentive kind of gift) of kesef and zahav; come, break thy brit with Ba’asha Melech Yisroel, that he may withdraw from me.
20
So Ben-Hadad paid heed unto HaMelech Asa, and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Yisroel, and struck Iyon, and Dan, and Abel Beit- Ma’achah, and kol Kinnerot, with Kol Eretz Naphtali.
21
And it came to pass, when Ba’asha heard this, he stopped building Ramah, and stayed in Tirtzah.
22
Then HaMelech Asa made a proclamation throughout all Yehudah; none was exempted; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Ba’asha had built; and HaMelech Asa built up with them Geva of Binyamin, and Mitzpah.
23
The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his gevurah, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yehudah? Nevertheless in the time of his ziknah (old age) he was diseased in his raglayim.
24
And Asa slept with his avot, and was buried with his avot in Ir Dovid Aviv; and Yehoshaphat Bno reigned in his place.