2 Chronicles 16

1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha, king of Israel, acted aggressively against Judah and built up Ramah, so that he might not allow anyone to leave or enter into the land of Asa, king of Judah.

In the six-and-thirtieth year of the reign of Assa, came up Ba'sha the king of Israel against Judah, and built Kamah, in order not to suffer any one to go out or come in to Assa the king of Judah.

2 Then Asa brought the silver and gold out of the storerooms in the house of Yahweh and of the king's house, and sent it to Ben Hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus. He said,

Then did Assa bring out silver and gold out of the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent [them] to Ben-hadad the king of Syria, who dwelt at Damascus, saying,

3 “Let there be a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I have sent to you silver and gold. Break your covenant with Baasha, king of Israel, so that he may leave me alone.”

A covenant is between me and thee, as between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee silver and gold; go, break thy covenant with Ba'sha the king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.

4 Ben Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Assa, and sent the captains of the armies that he had against the cities of Israel, and they smote 'Iyon, and Dan, and Abel-mayim, and all the treasure-cities of Naphtali.

5 It came about that when Baasha heard this, he stopped building up Ramah, and let his work cease.

And it came to pass, when Ba'sha heard this, that he left off the building of Ramah, and stopped his work.

6 Then Asa the king took all Judah with him. They carried away the stones and timbers of Ramah with which Baasha had been building up the city. Then King Asa used that building material to build up Geba and Mizpah.

And king Assa took then all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, wherewith Ba'sha had built; and he built therewith Geba' and Mizpah.

7 At that time Hanani the seer went to Asa, king of Judah, and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand.

And at that time came Chanani the seer to Assa the king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and hast not relied on the Lord thy God: therefore is the army of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hands.

8 Were not the Cushites and the Libyans a huge army, with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he gave you victory over them.

Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a numerous army, with chariots and horsemen in great abundance? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he gave them up into thy hand.

9 For the eyes of Yahweh run everywhere throughout the whole earth, so that he might show himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward him. But you have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, you will have war.”

For as regardeth the Lord, his eyes roam throughout the whole earth, to hold strongly with those whose heart is entire toward him: thou hast done foolishly for this reason; because from this time forth there will be wars with thee.

10 Then Asa was angry with the seer; he put him into prison, for he was angry with him over this matter. At the same time, Asa oppressed some of the people.

Then became Assa incensed toward the seer, and put him in a prison-house; for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Assa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

11 Behold, the deeds of Asa, from first to last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

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

12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was very severe, he did not seek help from Yahweh, but only from the physicians.

And Assa became sick in the thirty-and-ninth year of his reign in his feet, his disease being exceedingly severe: yet even in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but [applied] to the physicians.

13 So Asa slept with his ancestors, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.

And Assa slept with his fathers, and died in the one-and-fortieth year of his reign.

14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug out for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by skilled perfumers. Then they made a very great fire in his honor.

And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had dug for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the couch which was filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices mixed by the apothecary's art; and they made for him a burning uncommonly great.