Bible Time

¹IN the 36th year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramtha, that he might let no one go out nor come in to Asa king of Judah. ²Then Asa brought silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Yahvah and of the king's house, and sent them to Barhadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying, ³There is a league between me and you, as there was between my father and your father; look, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me. ⁴And Barhadad listened to King Asa, and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they came and encamped against the cities of Israel; and they took Ijon, Abel, and Bethmaacah, and all the store cities of Naphtali. ⁵Then when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramtha, and let his work cease. ⁶Then Asa the king gathered together all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramtha and its timber with which Baasha was building; and King Asa built with them Ramtha of Benjamin and the town of Mizpah.

⁷And at that time Hanan the prophet came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not relied on Yahvah your God, therefore the army of Aram will flee. ⁸And they will go and become strong, both they and the Ethiopians and the kings that are with them, and will become great armies with very many chariots and horsemen, but when you seek Yahvah your God, he will deliver them into your hands. ⁹For the eyes of Yahvah run to and fro throughout the whole earth; therefore, be strong, and let your heart be perfect towards his worship, and understand all his wonders; for Yahvah your God will fight for you. ¹⁰Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison because he reported things which he did not see and made the heart of the people tremble; therefore Asa kept himself aloof from the people at that time.

¹¹And look, the acts of Asa, first and last, look, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ¹²And Asa was diseased in his feet in the 39th year of his reign, and was laid in his house.

¹³And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the 41st year of his reign. ¹⁴And they buried him in his own sepulcher in the city of David, and they laid him on a bier which was filled with many kinds of spices, and they made a very great burnt offering for him.