2 Chronicles 16: Asa pays Syria, Hanani's rebuke, and Asa's death
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What happens?
In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign Baasha king of Israel builds Ramah to block the way to Judah. Asa takes silver and gold from Yahweh's house and the king's house and sends it to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who strikes cities of Israel, so Baasha stops building and Asa uses the stones and timber of Ramah to build Geba and Mizpah. Hanani the seer tells Asa that because he relied on the king of Syria and not on Yahweh, the army of Syria has escaped him and from now on he will have wars. Asa is angry, puts Hanani in the prison (word for word: the house of the stocks) and oppresses some of the people. In his thirty-ninth year Asa is diseased in his feet and does not seek Yahweh, and he dies in his forty-first year and is buried in his own tomb in David's city.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words of his own in this chapter. Asa speaks to Ben Hadad in verse 3, offering a treaty and saying he has sent silver and gold. Hanani the seer speaks to Asa in verses 7 to 9, including the words "Yahweh's eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth"; those are a prophet's words to the king, not words the text gives to God himself, so none is in gold. The rest of the chapter is the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
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.
In plain English: In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, so that no one could go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
Good to know: has the same words about Baasha going up against Judah and building Ramah "that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah", without the year. This verse gives the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign. The text does not explain how this fits with , which says there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year.
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2Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Yahweh’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,
In plain English: Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of Yahweh's house and the king's house, and sent it to Ben Hadad king of Syria (Hebrew: Aram), who lived in Damascus, saying,
The Hebrew word: "Syria" is Aram, which the dictionary gives as "Aram or Syria, and its inhabitants". This Bible says "Syria" or a longer form in 108 of the 118 verses that use the word.
Good to know: tells the same payment in nearly the same words. It says Asa took "all the silver and the gold that was left" in the treasures and gave it into the hand of his servants, and it names Ben Hadad as the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion. This verse says neither.
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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.”
In plain English: "Let there be a treaty (word for word: a covenant) between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will leave me (word for word: go up from on me)."
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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.
In plain English: Ben Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they struck down Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
Good to know: lists the places as Ijon, Dan, "Abel Beth Maacah", "all Chinneroth" and the land of Naphtali. This verse has Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and "all the storage cities of Naphtali". The text does not explain the differences.
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5When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.
In plain English: When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease.
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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.
In plain English: Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried off the stones and the wood of Ramah that Baasha had been building with, and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.
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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 Yahweh your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.
In plain English: At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because you have depended on the king of Syria and have not depended on Yahweh your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.
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8Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and exceedingly many horsemen? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.
In plain English: Were not the Ethiopians (Hebrew: the Cushites) and the Lubim (or: Libyans) a huge army, with chariots and horsemen in great number? Yet because you depended on Yahweh, he gave them into your hand.
Good to know: The battle with the Ethiopians in Asa's days is told in to . This verse does not name the battle. It says the army had chariots and horsemen and names the Lubim with the Ethiopians, and 14:9 says Zerah came with "three hundred chariots" and does not name horsemen or the Lubim. The text does not explain the differences.
The Hebrew word: "Lubim" is Lubi, which the dictionary gives as "a Libyan or inhabitant of interior Africa". This Bible says "Lubim" in 2 of the 4 verses that use the word and "Libyan" in 1.
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9For Yahweh’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.”
In plain English: For Yahweh's eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong for those whose heart is complete (this Bible: perfect) toward him. You have acted foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars."
Good to know: says "These are Yahweh's eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth." The word "perfect" here is the same Hebrew word as in .
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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.
In plain English: Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the prison (word for word: the house of the stocks), for he was in a rage with him because of this. Asa also crushed (or: oppressed) some of the people at that time.
The Hebrew word: "The prison" is word for word "the house of the stocks", from mahpeket, which the dictionary gives as "a wrench, i.e. the stocks". It is in 4 verses of the Bible, and this Bible says "stocks" in 3 of them and "prison" in 1.
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11Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
In plain English: The acts of Asa, first and last, are written in the book (or: scroll) of the kings of Judah and Israel.
Good to know: says the rest of the acts of Asa are written in "the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah". This verse says "the book of the kings of Judah and Israel". The text does not say whether these are the same book.
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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 Yahweh, but just the physicians.
In plain English: In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great (word for word: it was up to above). Even in his disease he did not seek Yahweh, but just the physicians (word for word: for the physicians).
The Hebrew word: The Hebrew has the little word ki before "the physicians". Word for word it is "he did not seek Yahweh, for the physicians". This Bible puts "but just the physicians".
What changes: Read as "but just", Asa turned only to the physicians. Read as "for the physicians", the verse ties his not seeking Yahweh to the physicians without saying how. says only that "in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet".
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13Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign.
In plain English: Asa lay down with his fathers and died in the forty-first year of his reign.
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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.
In plain English: They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug for himself in David's city, and laid him in the bed that was filled with spices and various kinds of spice mixed by the perfumer's work, and they made a very great fire (word for word: a burning) for him.
Good to know: Word for word the Hebrew says "they burned for him a great burning". The text does not say what was burned. has "with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings ... they will make a burning for you".
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