1In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah , and built Ramah , that he might not suffer any one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah . 2Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the king ’s house , and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus , saying, 3There is a league between me and thee , as there was between my father and thy father: behold , I have sent thee silver and gold ; go , break thy league with Baasha king of Israel , that he may depart from me . 4And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel ; and they smote Ijon , and Dan , and Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali . 5And it came to pass , when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building Ramah , and let his work cease . 6Then Asa the king took all Judah ; and they carried away the stones of Ramah , and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded ; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah .
The Prophet Hanani's Message
7And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah , and said unto him , Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and hast not relied on Jehovah thy God , therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand . 8Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host , with chariots and horsemen exceeding many ? yet , because thou didst rely on Jehovah , he delivered them into thy hand . 9For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him . Herein thou hast done foolishly ; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars .
Asa's Response and Consequences
10Then Asa was wroth with the seer , and put him in the prison-house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing . And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time . 11And , behold , the acts of Asa, first and last, lo , they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel . 12And in the thirty and ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet ; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to Jehovah , but to the physicians . 13And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign . 14And they buried him in his own sepulchres , which he had hewn out for himself in the city of David , and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art : and they made a very great burning for him .