2 Chronicles16
New American Standard
1In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.
2Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the king’s house, and sent it to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying,
3“A treaty must be made between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.”
4And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
5When Baasha heard about it, he stopped fortifying Ramah and put an end to his work.
6Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with it he fortified Geba and Mizpah.
7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, for that reason the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.
8Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, He handed them over to you.
9For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will have wars.”
10Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him for this. And Asa mistreated some of the people at the same time.
11Now, the acts of Asa from the first to the last, behold, they 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. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.
13So Asa lay down with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign.
14They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled with spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Chronicles 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Asa seeks the aid of the Syrians, His death. (1-14).
vv1-16
A plain and faithful reproof was given to Asa by a prophet of the Lord, for making a league with Syria. God is displeased when he is distrusted, and when an arm of flesh is relied on, more than his power and goodness. It is foolish to lean on a broken reed, when we have the Rock of ages to rely upon. To convince Asa of his folly, the prophet shows that he, of all men, had no reason to distrust God, who had found him such a powerful Helper. The many experiences we have had of the goodness of God to us, aggravate our distrust of him. But see how deceitful our hearts are! we trust in God when we have nothing else to trust to, when need drives us to him; but when we have other things to stay on, we are apt to depend too much on them. Observe Asa's displeasure at this reproof. What is man, when God leaves him to himself! He that abused his power for persecuting God's prophet, was left to himself, to abuse it further for crushing his own subjects. Two years before he died, Asa was diseased in his feet. Making use of physicians was his duty; but trusting to them, and expecting that from them which was to be had from God only, were his sin and folly. In all conflicts and sufferings we need especially to look to our own hearts, that they may be perfect towards God, by faith, patience, and obedience.
Key Words
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
מַלְכוּת: a rule; concretely, a dominion
אָסָא: Asa, the name of a king and of a Levite
בַּעְשָׁא: Basha, a king of Israel
מֶלֶךְ: a king
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
עָלָה: to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
יְהוּדָה: Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
בָּנָה: to build (literally and figuratively)
רָמָה: Ramah, the name of four places in Palestine
Cross References
2 Chronicles 16The parallel account of Asa's war with Baasha, building of Ramah, and league with Ben-hadad.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Asa's prior victory over the Ethiopians through faith, contrasted here with his present reliance on Syria.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The parallel Kings text noting Asa's diseased feet in his old age.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the pit Baasha dug at Ramah, made by Asa because of Baasha.
Supported by JFB
The defection of Israelites to Judah which alarmed Baasha and prompted the building of Ramah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies Hanani the seer as the father of Jehu the prophet, who also rebuked kings.
Identical prophetic imagery of the eyes of the Lord running to and fro through the earth.
Pronounces a curse on the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Contrasts Asa's heart being previously perfect with his foolish heart-attitude here.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels another Judean king (Amaziah) angrily rejecting and silencing a prophet's divine rebuke.
Job labels his friends 'physicians of no value,' echoing Asa's faithless reliance on physicians.
Theological parallel of the eyes of the Lord being in every place, beholding evil and good.
Parallels Uzziah's rage when rebuked by God's priests, resulting in his immediate judgment.
Kings record of Asa's death, burial in the city of David, and Jehoshaphat's succession.
Confirms the Israelite custom of making a 'great burning' for deceased kings as an honor.