2 Chronicles 16

Modern

Literal

War between Asa and Baasha

¹In 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.

¹In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and he fortified Ramah, so as to allow none to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

²So Asa withdrew the silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent it with this message to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus:

²And Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of YHWH and the house of the king, and he sent it to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who dwelt in Damascus, saying,

³“Let there be a treaty^a between me and you as there was 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.”

³“A covenant is between me and between you, and between my father and between your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

⁴And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim,^a and all the store cities of Naphtali.

⁴And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent the captains of the forces who were unto him against the cities of Israel. And they attacked Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

⁵When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work.

⁵And it came to pass, at Baasha hearing, that he stopped building Ramah, and His work ceased.

⁶Then 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.

⁶And Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timbers with which Baasha had built. And he built with them Geba and Mizpah.

Hanani’s Message to Asa

⁷At 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.

⁷And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because of your leaning on the king of Aram and not leaning on YHWH your God, upon thus the force of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.

⁸Were not the Cushites^a and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.

⁸Was it not that the Cushites and the Libyans were as an army of multitudes, of very many chariots and horsemen? And in your leaning on YHWH, He delivered them into your hand.

⁹For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”

⁹For YHWH—His eyes go to and fro in all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect to Him. You have acted foolishly regarding this; therefore from now on there will be wars with you.”

¹⁰Asa was angry with the seer and became so enraged over this matter that he put the man in prison. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people.

¹⁰And Asa was angry with the seer, and he put him in the house of the stocks, for he was in a rage at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

The Death and Burial of Asa

¹¹Now the acts of Asa, from beginning to end, are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

¹¹And behold, the acts of Asa, the first and the last, indeed are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

¹²In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his disease became increasingly severe. Yet even in his illness he did not seek the LORD, but only the physicians.

¹²And Asa became diseased in his feet in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, until his disease was severe, yet in his disease he did not seek YHWH, but among the healers.

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

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

¹⁴And 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.

¹⁴And they buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David, and they laid him in the bed that was filled with spices and diverse kinds of mixtures in ointments with perfumed work; and they made for him a very exceedingly great burning.