1    ^noteIn the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah to cut off all access to Asa king of Judah. 2   So Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the royal palace, and sent this request to Ben-hadad king of Aram, whose capital was Damascus: 3   ‘There is an alliance between us, as there was between our fathers. I now send you herewith silver and gold; break off your alliance with Baasha king of Israel, so that he may abandon his campaign against me.’ 4   Ben-hadad listened willingly to King Asa and ordered the commanders of his armies to move against the cities of Israel, and they attacked Iyyon, Dan, Abel-mayim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali. 5   When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and stopped all work on it. 6   Then King Asa took with him all the men of Judah and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers with which Baasha had fortified it; and he used them to fortify Geba and Mizpah.

7   At that time the seer Hanani came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Israel ^note has escaped. 8   The Cushites and the Libyans, were they not a great army with a vast number of chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your power. 9   The eyes of the Lord range through the whole earth, to bring aid and comfort to those whose hearts are loyal to him. You have acted foolishly in this affair; you will have wars from now on.’ 10   Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks; for these words of his had made the king very indignant. At the same time he treated some of the people with great brutality.

11    ^noteThe events of Asa's reign, from first to last, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12   In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became gravely affected with gangrene in his feet; he did not seek guidance of the Lord but resorted to physicians. 13   He rested with his forefathers, 14   in the forty-first year of his reign, and was buried in the tomb which he had bought ^note for himself in the city of David, being laid on a bier ^note which had been heaped with all kinds of spices skilfully compounded; and they kindled a great fire in his honour.

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