2 Chronicles 16

1In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha king of Israel marched against Judah and built Ramah to prevent going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.

2Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of Yahweh's house and the king's house, and sent them to Ben-Hadad king of Aram who dwelt in Damascus, saying,

3A covenant between me and you, as between my father and your father: see, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, so that he withdraws from me.

4Ben-hadad heeded King Asa and sent his army captains against Israel's cities, and they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

5When Baasha heard it, he stopped building Ramah and halted his work.

6Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried off the stones of Ramah and its timber 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 relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on Yahweh your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand."

8Weren't the Ethiopians and Libyans a vast army with chariots and horsemen in exceeding abundance? Yet because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.

9For Yahweh's eyes roam throughout the whole earth to display his strength on behalf of those whose heart is whole toward him. You have acted foolishly in this; for from now on wars will be with you.

10Asa was indignant with the seer and put him in the prison house, for he was enraged against him because of this. Asa crushed some of the people at that time.

11See, Asa's deeds, the early and the later ones—see, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa fell sick in his feet until his sickness grew exceedingly severe; yet even in his sickness he did not seek Yahweh, but the physicians.

13Asa lay down with his fathers and died in the forty-first year of his reign.

14They buried him in the tombs he had carved for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed that was filled with sweet spices and diverse perfumed mixtures, and they burned for him an exceedingly great pyre.