War between Asa and Baasha
(1 Kings 15:16–22)

1In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and he fortified Ramah, so as to allow none to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2And Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of YHWH and the house of the king, and he sent it to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, 3“A covenant† is between me and between you, and between my father and between your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

4And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent the captains of the forces who were unto him against the cities of Israel. And they attacked Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim,† and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

5And it came to pass, at Baasha hearing, that he stopped building Ramah, and His work ceased. 6And Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timbers with which Baasha had built. And he built with them Geba and Mizpah.

Hanani’s Message to Asa

7And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because of your leaning on the king of Aram and not leaning on YHWH your God, upon thus the force of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8Was it not that the Cushites† and the Libyans were as an army of multitudes, of very many chariots and horsemen? And in your leaning on YHWH, He delivered them into your hand. 9For YHWH—His eyes go to and fro in all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect to Him. You have acted foolishly regarding this; therefore from now on there will be wars with you.”

10And Asa was angry with the seer, and he put him in the house of the stocks, for he was in a rage at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

The Death and Burial of Asa

11And behold, the acts of Asa, the first and the last, indeed are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12And Asa became diseased in his feet in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, until his disease was severe, yet in his disease he did not seek YHWH, but among the healers.

13And Asa rested with his fathers, and he died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14And they buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David, and they laid him in the bed that was filled with spices and diverse kinds of mixtures in ointments with perfumed work; and they made for him a very exceedingly great burning.