2 Chronicles Chapter 16 — Asa’s Alliance and Decline
King Asa forms an alliance with Syria to defeat Israel, which leads to a rebuke from a prophet and a period of spiritual decline before his death.
1In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
2Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the LORD’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,
3“Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”
4Ben Hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
5When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.
6Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, with which Baasha had built; and he built Geba and Mizpah with them.
7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.
8Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and exceedingly many horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand.
9For the LORD’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”
10Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.
11Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great; yet in his disease he didn’t seek the LORD, but just the physicians.
13Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign.
14They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug out for himself in David’s city, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
2 Chronicles 16:9
“For the LORD’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you have wars.”
This verse emphasizes God's active search for those who are truly committed to Him and the consequences of relying on human strength.
2 Chronicles 16:12
“In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great; yet in his disease he didn’t seek the LORD, but just the physicians.”
This highlights the final stage of Asa's shift from spiritual trust to purely human solutions during a personal crisis.
Chapter Summary
In the thirty-sixth year of his reign, King Asa of Judah faces a military threat from King Baasha of Israel. Instead of relying on God, Asa uses gold and silver from the temple and palace to buy an alliance with Ben Hadad of Syria. This strategy works militarily, but the seer Hanani rebukes Asa for not trusting in God, reminding him of past victories where God delivered much larger armies into his hands. In response, an angry Asa imprisons the prophet and begins to oppress some of his people. In his final years, Asa suffers from a severe foot disease. Even then, he seeks help only from physicians rather than the Lord. The chapter concludes with Asa's death and a grand funeral, marking the end of a reign that started with faithful reforms but ended with a reliance on human power rather than divine guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Asa sought help to stop King Baasha of Israel from fortifying Ramah and blockading Judah. He used treasures from the temple to bribe the Syrian king into breaking his alliance with Israel and attacking their northern cities.
Hanani was a seer who told King Asa that he had acted foolishly by relying on the king of Syria instead of the Lord. He reminded Asa that God had previously delivered Judah from much larger armies, like the Ethiopians, when Asa had trusted Him.
Asa became very angry with Hanani and put him in prison. During this time, the text also notes that Asa began to oppress some of the people under his rule.
Study Note
The reference to the 'book of the kings of Judah and Israel' indicates that the author of Chronicles drew upon official royal records as primary historical sources.
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