1 I n the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s rule, King Baasha of Israel came to fight against Judah. He began building a wall around Ramah to stop anyone from going out or coming in to King Asa of Judah.

¶ In the year thirty-six of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let no one go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah.

2 T hen Asa took silver and gold from the store-rooms of the house of the Lord and the king’s house. He sent them to King Ben-hadad of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,

Then Asa brought out the silver and the gold out of the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent unto Benhadad, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

3 “ Let there be an agreement between you and me, as between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Go and break your agreement with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me.”

There is a covenant between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father; behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha, king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

4 B en-hadad listened to King Asa. He sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They destroyed Ijon, Dan, Abelmaim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali.

And Benhadad hearkened unto King Asa and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they smote Ijon and Dan and Abelmaim and all the store cities of Naphtali.

5 W hen Baasha heard about it, he stopped building the wall around Ramah.

And when Baasha heard it, he left off building of Ramah and let his work cease.

6 T hen King Asa brought all the people of Judah. And they carried away the stones and wood of the wall which Baasha had been building around Ramah. Asa used them to build Geba and Mizpah. Hanani’s Words to Asa

Then Asa, the king, took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timber thereof, with which Baasha was building, and he built Geba and Mizpah with it.

7 A t that time Hanani the man of God came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, “You have put your trust in the king of Syria and not in the Lord your God. So the army of the king of Syria got away from you.

¶ And at that time Hanani, the seer, came to Asa, king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore, the host of the king of Syria has escaped out of thy hands.

8 W ere not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a very large army with war-wagons? But because you trusted in the Lord, He gave them into your hand.

Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thy hand.

9 F or the eyes of the Lord move over all the earth so that He may give strength to those whose whole heart is given to Him. You have done a foolish thing. So from now on you will have wars.”

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly, for from now on thou shalt have wars.

10 T hen Asa was angry with the man of God. He put him in prison because he was angry at him for this. And Asa made it hard for some of the people at the same time. The End of Asa’s Rule

Then Asa was wroth with the seer and put him in the prison house, for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa killed some of the people at the same time.

11 N ow the acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

12 A disease came into Asa’s feet in the thirty-ninth year of his rule. His disease was bad. But even in his disease, he did not trust in the Lord, but in the doctors.

And Asa in the year thirty-nine of his reign was diseased from his feet up; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.

13 S o Asa slept with his fathers. He died in the forty-first year of his rule.

And Asa slept with his fathers and died in the year forty-one of his reign.

14 T hey buried him in his own grave which he had cut out for himself in the city of David. They laid him in the place of rest which he had filled with different kinds of spices mixed by those who work with perfumes. And they made a very big fire in his honor.

And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and aromas prepared by the apothecaries’ art; and they made a very great burning for him.