# 2 Chronicles 16 📖: Asa's Final Years [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-2 Chronicles Overview]] | [[2 Chronicles 15]] | [[2 Chronicles 17]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) [[#Verse 01.]] In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah, and he established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah.  [[#Verse 02.]] Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace and sent it to King Ben Hadad of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message:  [[#Verse 03.]] “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.” [[#Verse 03]] “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.”  [[#Verse 04.]] Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. [[#Verse 05.]] When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned the project.  [[#Verse 06.]] King Asa ordered all the men of Judah to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. He used the materials to build up Geba and Mizpah. [[#Verse 07.]] At that time Hanani the prophet visited King Asa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.  [[#Verse 08.]] Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army with chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the Lord, he handed them over to you!  [[#Verse 09.]] Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.”  [[#Verse 10.]] Asa was so angry at the prophet, he put him in jail. Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time. ### Asa’s Reign Ends [[#Verse 11.]] The events of Asa’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel.  [[#Verse 12.]] In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot disease and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease, he did not seek the Lord, but only the doctors.  [[#Verse 13.]] Asa passed away in the forty-first year of his reign.  [[#Verse 14.]] He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David. They laid him to rest on a platform covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Baasha king of Israel fortified Ramah to block traffic in and out of Judah (16:1). 2. Ramah was only about five miles north of Jerusalem. 3. Asa sent silver and gold from the temple and palace to Ben-hadad king of Aram in Damascus (16:2). 4. Ben-hadad attacked Israel's northern cities, including Ijon, Dan, and Abel-maim (16:4). 5. Asa used the stones from Ramah to build Geba and Mizpah (16:6). 6. Some scholars think the "thirty-sixth year" (16:1) counts from the division of the kingdom, since 1 Kings 16:8 places Baasha's death earlier in Asa's reign. 7. Hanani the seer was the father of Jehu the prophet (19:2; 1 Kings 16:1). 8. Asa had a severe disease in his feet in his thirty-ninth year (16:12). 9. The text faults Asa for seeking only physicians and not the Lord (16:12), not for seeking medical help itself. 10. Asa was buried with spices and perfumes, and a great fire was made in his honor (16:14). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is our sure Helper. Asa turned to a foreign king instead of the Lord (16:7), but through Jesus we can approach God's throne of grace to find help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Asa used temple treasures to buy help from Aram (16:2-3). Why do we sometimes trust human solutions over God? 2. Hanani said the Lord's eyes search the whole earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully His (16:9). How does that verse encourage you? 3. Asa grew angry and jailed the prophet who corrected him (16:10). How do you respond when someone points out your sin? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 7: Because Asa relied on the king of Aram and not the Lord, he lost an opportunity. - 📖 verse 9: The Lord's eyes move throughout the earth to strengthen those devoted to Him. - 📖 verse 12: Even in severe illness, Asa did not seek the Lord. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[1 Kings 15#Verse 16.|1 Kings 15:16-24]] - The parallel account of Asa's war with Baasha. - 🔗 [[Psalm 33#Verse 13.|Psalm 33:13-18]] - The Lord watches those who fear Him. - 🔗 [[Jeremiah 17#Verse 05.|Jeremiah 17:5-8]] - Cursed is the one who trusts in man. - 🔗 [[Proverbs 03#Verse 05.|Proverbs 3:5-6]] - Trust in the Lord with all your heart. - 🔗 [[Hebrews 04#Verse 16.|Hebrews 4:16]] - Approach the throne of grace with confidence. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[2 Chronicles 16 - SOAP|The Lord is the One Seeking]] ## 📂 Internal Notes