1 In the six H8337 and thirtieth H7970 year H8141 of the reign H4438 of Asa H609 Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel H3478 came up H5927 against Judah, H3063 and built H1129 Ramah, H7414 to the intent that H1115 he might let H5414 none go out H3318 or come in H935 to Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah. H3063
2 Then Asa H609 brought out H3318 silver H3701 and gold H2091 out of the treasures H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 and of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and sent H7971 to Benhadad H1130 king H4428 of Syria, H758 that dwelt H3427 at Damascus, H1834 saying, H559
3 There is a league H1285 between me and thee, as there was between my father H1 and thy father: H1 behold, I have sent H7971 thee silver H3701 and gold; H2091 go, H3212 break H6565 thy league H1285 with Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that he may depart H5927 from me.
4 And Benhadad H1130 hearkened H8085 unto king H4428 Asa, H609 and sent H7971 the captains H8269 of his armies H2428 against the cities H5892 of Israel; H3478 and they smote H5221 Ijon, H5859 and Dan, H1835 and Abelmaim, H66 and all the store H4543 cities H5892 of Naphtali. H5321
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha H1201 heard H8085 it, that he left off H2308 building H1129 of Ramah, H7414 and let his work H4399 cease. H7673
6 Then Asa H609 the king H4428 took H3947 all Judah; H3063 and they carried away H5375 the stones H68 of Ramah, H7414 and the timber H6086 thereof, wherewith Baasha H1201 was building; H1129 and he built H1129 therewith Geba H1387 and Mizpah. H4709
7 And at that time H6256 Hanani H2607 the seer H7200 came H935 to Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and said H559 unto him, Because thou hast relied H8172 on the king H4428 of Syria, H758 and not relied H8172 on the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 therefore is the host H2428 of the king H4428 of Syria H758 escaped H4422 out of thine hand. H3027
8 Were not the Ethiopians H3569 and the Lubims H3864 a huge H7230 host, H2428 with very H3966 many H7235 chariots H7393 and horsemen? H6571 yet, because thou didst rely H8172 on the LORD, H3068 he delivered H5414 them into thine hand. H3027
9 For the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 run to and fro H7751 throughout the whole earth, H776 to shew himself strong H2388 in the behalf of them whose heart H3824 is perfect H8003 toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: H5528 therefore from henceforth H6258 thou shalt have H3426 wars. H4421
10 Then Asa H609 was wroth H3707 with the seer, H7200 and put H5414 him in a prison H4115 house; H1004 for he was in a rage H2197 with him because of this thing. And Asa H609 oppressed H7533 some of the people H5971 the same time. H6256
11 And, behold, the acts H1697 of Asa, H609 first H7223 and last, H314 lo, they are written H3789 in the book H5612 of the kings H4428 of Judah H3063 and Israel. H3478
12 And Asa H609 in the thirty H7970 and ninth H8672 year H8141 of his reign H4438 was diseased H2456 in his feet, H7272 until his disease H2483 was exceeding H4605 great: yet in his disease H2483 he sought H1875 not to the LORD, H3068 but to the physicians. H7495
13 And Asa H609 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and died H4191 in the one H259 and fortieth H705 year H8141 of his reign. H4427
14 And they buried H6912 him in his own sepulchres, H6913 which he had made H3738 for himself in the city H5892 of David, H1732 and laid H7901 him in the bed H4904 which was filled H4390 with sweet odours H1314 and divers kinds H2177 of spices prepared H7543 by the apothecaries' H4842 art: H4639 and they made H8313 a very H3966 great H1419 burning H8316 for him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 16
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
2Ch 16:1-14. Asa, by a League with the Syrians, Diverts Baasha from Building Ramah.
1-6. In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha … came up against Judah—Baasha had died several years before this date (1Ki 15:33), and the best biblical critics are agreed in considering this date to be calculated from the separation of the kingdoms, and coincident with the sixteenth year of Asa's reign. This mode of reckoning was, in all likelihood, generally followed in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel, the public annals of the time (2Ch 16:11), the source from which the inspired historian drew his account.
Baasha … built Ramah—that is, fortified it. The blessing of God which manifestly rested at this time on the kingdom of Judah, the signal victory of Asa, the freedom and purity of religious worship, and the fame of the late national covenant, were regarded with great interest throughout Israel, and attracted a constantly increasing number of emigrants to Judah. Baasha, alarmed at this movement, determined to stem the tide; and as the high road to and from Jerusalem passed by Ramah, he made that frontier town, about six miles north of Asa's capital, a military station, where the vigilance of his sentinels would effectually prevent all passage across the boundary of the kingdom (see on 1Ki 15:16-22; also Jer 41:9).
4. Ben-hadad … sent the captains of his armies … and they smote … Abelmaim—"The meadow of waters," supposed to have been situated on the marshy plain near the uppermost lake of the Jordan. The other two towns were also in the northern district of Palestine. These unexpected hostilities of his Syrian ally interrupted Baasha's fortifications at Ramah, and his death, happening soon after, prevented his resuming them.
7-10. Hanani the seer came to Asa … and said—His object was to show the king his error in forming his recent league with Ben-hadad. The prophet represented the appropriation of the temple treasures to purchase the services of the Syrian mercenaries, as indicating a distrust in God most blameable with the king's experience. He added, that in consequence of this want of faith, Asa had lost the opportunity of gaining a victory over the united forces of Baasha and Ben-hadad, more splendid than that obtained over the Ethiopians. Such a victory, by destroying their armies, would have deprived them of all power to molest him in the future; whereas by his foolish and worldly policy, so unworthy of God's vicegerent, to misapply the temple treasures and corrupt the fidelity of an ally of the king of Israel, he had tempted the cupidity of the one, and increased the hostility of the other, and rendered himself liable to renewed troubles (1Ki 15:32). This rebuke was pungent and, from its truth and justness, ought to have penetrated and afflicted the heart of such a man as Asa. But his pride was offended at the freedom taken by the honest reprover of royalty, and in a burst of passionate resentment, he ordered Hanani to be thrown into prison.
10. Asa oppressed some of the people the same time—The form or degree of this oppression is not recorded. The cause of his oppressing them was probably due to the same offense as that of Hanani—a strong expression of their dissatisfaction with his conduct in leaguing with Ben-hadad, or it may have been his maltreatment of the Lord's servant.
12. Asa … was diseased in his feet—probably the gout.
yet his disease was exceeding great—better, "moved upwards" in his body, which proves the violent and dangerous type of the malady.
yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians—most probably Egyptian physicians, who were anciently in high repute at foreign courts, and who pretended to expel diseases by charms, incantations, and mystic arts. Asa's fault consisted in his trusting to such physicians, while he neglected to supplicate the aid and blessing of God. The best and holiest men have been betrayed for a time into sins, but through repentance have risen again; and as Asa is pronounced a good man (2Ch 15:17), it may be presumed that he also was restored to a better state of mind.
14. they buried him in his own sepulchres—The tombs in the neighborhood of Jerusalem were excavated in the side of a rock. One cave contained several tombs or sepulchres.
laid him in the bed … filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices—It is evident that a sumptuous public funeral was given him as a tribute of respect and gratitude for his pious character and patriotic government. But whether "the bed" means a state couch on which he lay exposed to public view, the odoriferous perfumes being designed to neutralize the offensive smell of the corpse, or whether it refers to an embalmment, in which aromatic spices were always used in great profusion, it is impossible to say.
they made a very great burning for him—according to some, for consuming the spices. According to others, it was a magnificent pile for the cremation of the corpse—a usage which was at that time, and long after, prevalent among the Hebrews, and the omission of which in the case of royal personages was reckoned a great indignity (2Ch 21:19; 1Sa 31:12; Jer 34:5; Am 6:10).