War between Asa and Baasha
(1 Kings 15:16–22)
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. 2Ch 15:91Ki 12:271Ki 15:16-222Ch 11:13-172Ch 15:5 So Asa withdrew the silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent it with this message to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus: 2Ch 28:212Ki 12:182Ki 16:82Ki 18:15 “Let there be a treaty 1between me and you, between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.” Psa 15:42Ch 18:32Ch 19:22Co 6:162Sa 21:22Ti 3:3Exo 32:21Ezk 17:18-19
And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, 2 and all the store cities of Naphtali. 1Ki 15:201Ki 9:192Ch 17:122Ch 8:6Exo 1:11Gen 14:14Jdg 18:28-29Jdg 20:1
When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work. Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and Mizpah. 1Ch 6:601Ki 15:221Sa 10:171Sa 7:62Ch 21:17Isa 10:29Jos 15:38Jos 18:24-26
Hanani’s Message to Asa
At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have 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. 1Ki 16:12Ch 19:2Isa 31:1Psa 146:3-62Ch 20:342Ch 32:7-8Eph 1:12-131Ch 5:20 Were not the Cushites 3and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. 2Ch 12:32Ch 13:162Ch 14:9-122Ch 16:72Ch 13:18Psa 37:39-40Psa 9:9-10 For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.” 1Pe 3:12Pro 15:3Jer 16:17Pro 5:21Psa 34:15Job 34:21Heb 4:13Zec 4:10
Asa was angry with the seer and became so enraged over this matter that he put the man in prison. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people. 2Ch 18:262Ch 25:162Ch 26:192Sa 11:42Sa 12:132Sa 12:312Sa 24:10-14Act 16:23-24
The Death and Burial of Asa
Now the rest of the acts of Asa, from beginning to end, are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 1Ki 15:23-242Ch 12:152Ch 20:342Ch 25:262Ch 26:222Ch 27:72Ch 32:322Ch 34:18 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady became increasingly severe. Yet even in his illness he did not seek the LORD, but only the physicians. Jer 17:52Ch 28:22Mrk 5:261Ch 10:142Ch 16:9Job 13:4Mat 9:12Mrk 2:17
So in the forty-first year of his reign, Asa died and rested with his fathers. 1Ki 15:24 And he was buried in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier that was full of spices and various blended perfumes; then they made a great fire in his honor. 2Ch 21:19Gen 50:2Jer 34:5Mrk 16:12Ch 35:24Ecc 10:1Exo 30:25-37Isa 22:16