II Chronicles 16, Asa's Decline

We are late in the reign of King Asa. Asa is of the lineage of David (David-Solomon-Rehoboam-Abijah-Asa) and is king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 16: 1-3, War with Baasha

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. Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the LORD's temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. "Let there be a treaty between me and you," he said, "as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me."

The warfare between Baasha and Asa is probably around the twenty-sixth year of Asa's reign and Baasha died before the thirty-fifth year (2 Kings 15:33.) Payne suggests that the "thirty-sixth" year either represents a copy error that turned 26 into 35 or that the count of years is from the breakup of the two kingdoms and that this war occurs 36 years after the breakup. Either solution places the war with Baasha at about 895 BC.

Ben-Hadad fortifies Ramah, a village north of Jerusalem, formerly home to the prophet Samuel (Samuel 8:4.) He uses the fortification as a way to blockade trade into Judah.

To defend himself against Baasha, Asa makes an agreement with Ben-Hadad of Damascus, north of the northern kingdom. He essentially pays Ben-Hadad tribute. This gives Baasha a war on two fronts: Ben-Hadad to the north and Asa to the south.

2 Chronicles 16: 4-6, Baasha

Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the store cities of Naphtali. When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work.

Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.

Asa's plan works and Baasha has to withdraw from Ramah. Asa dismantles the construction at Ramah and uses it to build up villages Geba (near Ramah) and Mizpah. (Mizpah, meaning "watch tower", is a name apparently used for a number of towns in Canaan.

2 Chronicles 16: 7-10, Prophecy of Hanani

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: "Because you 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 mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."

 

Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.

A prophet, Hanani, scolds Asa for relying on his own resources in addressing the conflict with Baasha. He reminds Hanani that YHWH had protect Asa in the previous conflicts -- that should have been a lesson learned. (This passage does not have a parallel in 1 Kings and so represents independent information available to the Chronicler.)

Kings are never happy with a prophet who confronts them. We see that here with Asa and Hanani; we will see that again with Joash and Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-21); it even appears in the New Testament with Herod and John the Baptist (Mark 6:17-29.)

2 Chronicles 16: 11-14, Asa's death

The events of Asa's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.

Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his fathers. They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honor.

Like the kings before him, Asa "rests with his fathers." He is buried with honor by the people. 

The brief passage in Kings (1 Kings 15:9-24) on Asa's reign also mentions the severe disease of Asa's feet. The Chronicler scolds Asa for relying only on physicians for healing, instead of going (also) to YHWH.  

The Chronicler refers to "the book of the kings of Judah." As Payne points out, this cannot be our scroll of 1 and 2 Kings, as it has much less information on Asa. Payne writes that the book of the kings of Judah referenced in this passage, "seems to have consisted of some extensive court chronicle that is now lost" (p. 491.)