Chapter 16

1 Asa, by the aid of the Syrians, diverteth Baasha from building of Ramah. 7 Being reproved thereof by Hanani, he putteth him in prison. 11 Among his other acts in his disease he seeketh not to God, but to the physicians. 13 His death and burial.

1. Six and thirtieth year. Except for this date, vs. 1–6 run parallel with 1 Kings 15:17–22. Baasha began to reign in the 3d year of Asa, reigned 24 years, inclusive, and was succeeded by his son in Asa’s 26th year (1 Kings 15:33; 16:8). That would make impossible a war between Asa and Baasha in Asa’s 36th year. But there is no contradiction if the reference here (and probably that in 2 Chron. 15:19) was actually to the years, not of Asa’s personal reign, but of his kingdom, namely Judah. The 35th year of the southern kingdom, counted from Rehoboam’s accession, would be the 14th year of Asa, the year when the conflict with Zerah probably took place, or at least began (see on 2 Chron. 15:10); and in that case 2 Chron. 15:19 would provide the information that “there was no war” in Asa’s reign till that year. The following year, the 36th year since the founding of the monarchy of which Asa was king, would be the year when Baasha began to fortify Ramah.

Ramah. Most probably Ramah of Benjamin, a city about 51/2 mi. (8.8 km.) north of Jerusalem (see on Joshua 18:25).

Let none go out. This would logically refer to the exodus from Israel to Judah after Asa’s great victory over Zerah (ch. 15:9). Since the gathering at Jerusalem in celebration of this victory was held in Asa’s 15th year (ch. 15:10), it must have been at that time that the exodus from the northern kingdom was taking place and that the necessity arose for Baasha’s building of a stronghold on the border “to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa.” If this building of Ramah did not take place until Asa’s 36th year of reign, 21 years would have elapsed since the exodus to Judah before measures were taken to stop it. But since the death of Baasha took place in Asa’s 27th year, Baasha could not have built Ramah in Asa’s 36th year. If the 36th year is understood as that of Asa’s southern kingdom of Judah, then the supposed discrepancy disappears and the events fit perfectly into the 14th and 15th years of Asa.

2. Silver and gold. The Temple and palace treasures, depleted after Shishak’s raid (ch. 12:9), had only recently been replenished by the spoils of war (ch. 15:18), but now they were taken away again, and this by a voluntary act of the king. Asa had previously gained a great victory as a result of placing his confidence in God and crying to Him for help (ch. 14:11, 12); now his faith failed him and he turned to a heathen king for assistance. Even men with long records of faithful service may mar their records by looking at the difficulties of the present and failing to place their trust in God.

4. Smote Ijon. The places smitten were on the northern frontiers of Israel, near Syria. For further details concerning the cities here mentioned see on 1 Kings 15:20.

5. Left off building. Asa had succeeded in his immediate purpose of putting a stop to the threat of Baasha, but his action in appealing to Benhadad for aid was not in line with what should have been expected from a child of God under the circumstances. The king’s lack of faith gave the heathen neighbors the opportunity to cast reproach upon the name of God, since it was probably known that Jehovah had earlier been exalted as the source of Judah’s military victories.

6. Geba and Mizpah. For the location of these cities see on 1 Kings 15:22. Note that the identification of Mizpah as Tell enРNas\beh locates the city about 8 mi. (12.8 km.) north of Jerusalem, at the place that some have identified as the site of Ataroth (see on 2 Kings 25:23).

7. Hanani the seer. The record of vs. 7–10 is not found in Kings. Nothing beyond what is here told is known of Hanani, unless he was the father of Jehu, the seer who prophesied against Baasha (1 Kings 16:1–4, 7) and Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 19:2).

Because thou hast relied. This reliance on a heathen king displayed Asa’s lack of faith in God. Hanani’s rebuke of Asa is in line with the messages of other prophets of God (see Isa. 30:1, 2, 7, 15–17; 31:1, 3; Jer. 17:5; Hosea 5:13; 7:11; 12:1).

Escaped. Although Asa had hired Benhadad as an ally, Syria was still an enemy of Judah rather than a friend. No doubt Asa had been fearful that Benhadad would assist the Israelites in their measures against Judah, and in this he was unquestionably correct. By his politic act he had turned away the king of Israel, but by faith in God he might have won a victory over the combined forces of Israel and Syria. It was not the Lord’s purpose that His people should be at the mercy of their enemies, and it was only when they turned against the Lord or displayed lack of confidence in Him that they suffered defeat. If the faith and courage of Asa had not failed on this occasion, his kingdom might have been greatly enlarged and the name of the Lord magnified among the nations of earth.

8. The Ethiopians and the Lubims. The Lubims, or Libyans, were at this time the rulers of Egypt. Zerah was an “Ethiopian” (see on ch. 14:9).

Rely on the Lord. The prophet is citing Asa’s own experience in the victory over Zerah as an evidence of the truth of his words.

9. Run to and fro. God’s eyes are everywhere, always searching for those who are wholehearted in service, that through them He might reveal His great power and perform His wondrous works. Through the deeds of righteous men the world becomes acquainted with the nature and power of God. Asa did an injustice not only to himself and his nation but also to God by failing to display faith in the Lord. At the hour when God was seeking for someone through whom He could reveal Himself to the nations, and when the king of Judah appeared to be the one through whom this might be done, Asa failed. If only he had been strong and courageous, moving ahead in the name of the Lord, the reformation he had begun in Judah might have extended to other lands, and many among the heathen would have come to know God and take their stand with Him and with His people.

Foolishly. From the point of view of both God and man the action of Asa had been foolish. The king had only temporarily removed a threat from one enemy, but in order to accomplish this he had greatly strengthened another. The original problem was only partially solved, and new problems were created.

Thou shalt have wars. The peace secured by Asa’s foolish policy of bribing a heathen king was neither real nor permanent. Hanani’s prediction was verified over and over again in the later history of Judah. Asa had the opportunity of striking a telling blow at two opponents. Although there is no specific account of any future wars in which Asa himself was involved, the record is that “there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days” (1 Kings 15:16, 32).

10. Wroth with the seer. Hanani had acted as a messenger for God, passing on to Asa the word of the Lord concerning the foolish course the king had taken. But instead of accepting that message, Asa became angry and took out his wrath upon the prophet of the Lord. One foolish act led to another. Judah’s reformer became Judah’s tyrant and oppressor. Folly led to cruelty, ingratitude and gross injustice.

11. The acts of Asa. Verses 11–14 present the conclusion of Asa’s reign. The parallel account is found in 1 Kings 15:23, 24.

12. Thirty and ninth year. Since Asa reigned 41 years (v. 13), he must have been seriously ill during the last two years of his reign. The chronological pattern of the reigns of Asa and Jehoshaphat indicates that during the last three or four years of Asa’s reign, Jehoshaphat was reigning jointly with him. Asa’s illness may have caused the king to associate his son with him on the throne.

To the physicians. Not only in war and national policies did Asa place an undue dependence upon the aid of man, but in sickness as well. How weak the faith of him who had once been so strong! One victory is never a certain guarantee of another. Strength today is no assurance of strength tomorrow. On the occasion of his great victory over Zerah, Asa was strong in faith and mighty in deed. But it is such men of strength who become the main targets of the enemy. Instead of growing in strength and courage, Asa declined, till he spent the last few years of his life sick, disappointed, and embittered, with little faith in God and receiving little help from man.

13. The one and fortieth year. This item, which comes here at the conclusion of the account of Asa’s reign, appears in 1 Kings 15:10 at the beginning of the account. Chronicles apparently places less emphasis upon chronology than Kings.

14. In his own sepulchres. The particulars of Asa’s burial found in this verse are peculiar to Chronicles. The plural “sepulchres” probably indicates a family tomb containing a number of cells. Burial in Palestine was common in chambers hewn from the rock (see Isa. 22:16; Matt. 27:60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53).

Sweet odours. This was in harmony with the custom in Palestine (cf. John 19:39, 40).

A very great burning. This was not cremation, since such a practice was not followed by the Hebrews. Perhaps the burning of incense and spices is referred to (see on ch. 21:19).

Ellen G. White comments

7–10, 12PK 113

9 PK 376