CHAPTER 16
In the thirty-sixth
year
of Asa's reign,
Baasha
king
of Israel
went up
against
Judah
and fortified
Ramah
to prevent
anyone from leaving
or entering the territory
of Asa
king
of Judah.
So Asa
withdrew
the silver
and gold
from the treasuries
of the house
of the LORD
and of the royal
palace
and sent
it to
Ben-hadad
king
of Aram,
who lived
in Damascus,
with this message:
“Let there be a treaty
between me and you,
between
my father
and your father.
See,
I have sent
you silver
and gold.
Now go
and break
your treaty
with
Baasha
king
of Israel,
so that he will withdraw
from me.”
And Ben-hadad
listened
to
King
Asa
and sent
the commanders
of his armies
against
the cities
of Israel,
conquering
Ijon,
Dan,
Abel-maim,
and all
the store
cities
of Naphtali.
Then King
Asa
brought
all the men
of Judah,
and they carried away
the stones
of Ramah
and the timbers
Baasha
had used for building.
And with these materials
he built up
Geba
and Mizpah.
At that
time,
Hanani
the seer
came
to
King
Asa
of Judah
and told
him,
“Because you have relied
on
the king
of Aram
and not
on
the LORD
your God,
the army
of the king
of Aram
has escaped
from your hand.
Were
not
the Cushites
and Libyans
a vast
army
with many
chariots
and horsemen?
Yet because you relied
on
the LORD,
He delivered them
into your hand.
For
the eyes
of the LORD
roam
throughout
the earth
to show Himself strong
on behalf of those
whose heart
is fully devoted
to Him.
You have acted foolishly
in
this matter.
From now on,
therefore,
you will be at
war.”
Asa
was angry
with
the seer
and put
him in prison
because
he was so enraged
over
this matter.
And at the same
time
Asa
oppressed
some of
the people.
Now the rest
of the acts
of Asa,
from beginning
to end,
they are indeed
written
in
the Book
of the Kings
of Judah
and Israel.
In the thirty-ninth
year
of his reign,
Asa
became diseased
in his feet,
and
it became increasingly severe.
Yet even
in his illness
he did not
seek
the LORD,
but
only the physicians.
And he was buried
in the tomb
that
he had cut out
for himself
in the City
of David.
They laid him
on a bier
that
was full of
spices
and various
blended
perfumes;
then they made a great
fire
in his honor.