1
Forsooth in the six and thirtieth year of his realm, Baasha, king of Israel, went up into Judah, and (en)compassed Ramah with a wall, that no man of the realm of Asa might go out, either enter in securely. (But in the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha, the king of Israel, went up into Judah, and surrounded Ramah with a wall, so that no man in Asa's kingdom could safely come in, or go out.)
2
And Asa brought forth gold and silver from the treasur[i]es of the house of the Lord, and from the king's treasuries; and sent (it) to Benhadad, king of Syria, that dwelled in Damascus (who lived in Damascus), and said,
3
(A) Bond of peace is betwixt me and thee, and my father and thy father had accord together; wherefore I have sent to thee silver and gold, that when thou hast broken the bond of peace, which thou hast with Baasha, king of Israel, thou make him to go away from me. (There is a covenant between me and thee, and my father and thy father had an accord together; and so I have sent to thee my silver and gold, so that when thou hast broken the covenant which thou hast with Baasha, the king of Israel, then thou shalt make him go away from me.)
4
And when this was found (acceptable), Benhadad sent the princes of his hosts to the cities of Israel, which smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Naphtali. (And when this was found acceptable, Benhadad sent the leaders of his armies against the cities of Israel, who struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Naphtali.)
5
And when Baasha had heard this, he ceased to build (up) Ramah, and left [off] his work.
6
And king Asa took all Judah, and they took from Ramah the stones, and [the] wood, which Baasha had made ready to building; and he builded of those Geba, and Mizpah. (And King Asa commanded to all Judah, and they took away the stones, and the timber from Ramah, with which Baasha had fortified it; and Asa used them to fortify Geba and Mizpah.)
7
In that time Hanani, the prophet (At that time the prophet Hanani), came to Asa, king of Judah, and said to him, For-thy that thou haddest trust in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord thy God, therefore the host of the king of Syria escaped from thine hand.
8
Whether (the) Ethiopians and Libyans were not many more in chariots, and knights, and in full great multitude; which, when thou haddest believed to the Lord, he betook them into thine hands? (Did not the Ethiopians and the Libyans, with such a great multitude, have many more chariots, and horsemen than thee? yet, when thou had believed in the Lord, he delivered them into thy hands.)
9
For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to them, that with perfect heart believe into him (and give strength to those, who with a perfect heart believe in him). Therefore thou hast done follily, and for this trust in men, yea, in this present time battles shall rise against thee.