Chronicles II 16

1 And in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Asa, the king of Israel went up against Juda, and built Rama, so as not to allow egress or ingress to Asa king of Juda.

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha, king of Israel, invaded Judah. He fortified Ramah to stop anyone coming from or going to Asa, king of Judah.

2 And Asa took silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king's house, and sent [them] to the son of Ader king of Syria, which dwelt in Damascus, saying,

Asa took the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord's Temple and the king's palace and sent them to Ben-hadad, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, with a message that said:

3 Make a covenant between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee gold and silver: come, and turn away from me Baasa king of Israel, and let him depart from me.

“Make an alliance between me and you like the one between my father and your father. Look at the silver and gold I've sent you. Go ahead and break your agreement with Baasha, king of Israel, so that he will leave me and go home.”

4 And the son of Ader hearkened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his host against the cities of Israel; and smote Aeon, and Dan, and Abelmain, and all the country round Nephthali.

King Ben-hadad did as Asa had asked, and he sent his armies and their commanders to attack the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the storehouse towns of Naphtali.

5 And it came to pass when Baasa heard [it] he left off building Rama, and put a stop to his work:

When Baasha heard about it, he stopped fortifying Ramah and gave up his project.

6 then king Asa took all Juda, and took the stones of Rama, and its timber, [with] which Baasa [had] built; and he built with them Gabae and Maspha.

So King Asa went with all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and the timbers Baasha had used for building, and with them he built up Geba and Mizpah.

7 And at that time came Anani the prophet to Asa king of Juda, and said to him, Because thou didst trust on the king of Syria, and didst not trust on the Lord thy God, therefore the army of Syria is escaped out of thy hand.

But right then Hanani the seer came to Asa, king of Judah, and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram and have not put your trust in the Lord your God, your opportunity to destroy the army of the king of Aram has gone.

8 Were not the Ethiopians and Libyans a great force, in courage, in horsemen, in great numbers? and did not He deliver them into thy hands, because thou trustedst in the Lord?

Didn't the Ethiopians and Libyans have a huge army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you trusted in the Lord, he made you victorious over them.

9 For the eyes of the Lord look upon all the earth, to strengthen every heart that is perfect toward him. In this thou hast done foolishly; henceforth there shall be war with thee.

For the Lord looks all over the earth for the opportunity to show his power on behalf of those who are completely and sincerely devoted to him. You have acted stupidly in doing this. So from now on you will always be at war.”

10 And Asa was angry with the prophet, and put him in prison, for he was angry at this: and Asa vexed some of the people at that time.

Asa was angry with the seer. He was so angry with him over this that he put him in prison. At this same time Asa started to mistreat some of the people.

11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, the first and the last, [are] written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

The rest of what Asa did, from beginning to end, is written down in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

12 And Asa was diseased [in] his feet in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, until he was very ill: but in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa had trouble with disease in his feet, which only became worse and worse. Yet even in his sickness he did not turn to the Lord, but only the physicians.

13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the fortieth year of his reign.

Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign.

14 And they buried him in the sepulchre which he had dug for himself in the city of David, and they laid him on a bed, and filled [it] with spices and [all] kinds of perfumes of the apothecaries; and they made for him a very great funeral.

He was buried in the tomb that he had prepared for himself in the City of David. They placed him on a bed full of spices, perfumed oils, and fragrances. Then they made a great fire to honor him.