2 Chronicles 16

16:1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel attacked Judah and he established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of Asa king of Judah.¹ 16:2 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD’s temple and of the royal palace and sent it to Ben Hadad king of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 16:3 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made.² See, I have sent you silver and gold. Break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.”³ 16:4 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel.⁴ They conquered⁵ Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 16:5 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying⁶ Ramah and abandoned the project.⁷ 16:6 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah.⁸ He used the materials to build up⁹ Geba and Mizpah.

16:7 At that time Hanani the prophet¹⁰ visited Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 16:8 Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army, chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the LORD, he handed them over to you! 16:9 Certainly¹¹ the LORD watches the whole earth carefully¹² and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him.¹³ You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war. 16:10 Asa was so angry at the prophet, he put him in jail.¹⁴ Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time.

Asa’s Reign Ends

16:11 The events of Asa’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel.¹⁵ 16:12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot ailment.¹⁶ Though his ailment was severe, he did not seek the LORD, but only the doctors.¹⁷ 16:13 Asa passed away¹⁸ in the forty-first year of his reign. 16:14 He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the city of David. They laid him to rest on a bier covered with spices and assorted ointment mixtures. They made a huge bonfire to honor him.¹⁹