¶ In the six¹ and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent³ that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Then Asa brought out⁴ silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus⁵, saying,

There is a league⁶ between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break⁷ thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

And Benhadad hearkened⁸ unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies⁹ against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan¹⁰, and Abelmaim¹¹, and all the store cities¹² of Naphtali.

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off¹³ building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried¹⁴ away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba¹⁵ and Mizpah¹⁷.

¶ And at that time Hanani¹⁹ the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because²⁰ thou hast relied on²¹ the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host²² of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.

Were not the Ethiopians²³ and the Lubims²⁴ a huge host²⁵, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.

For the eyes²⁶ of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself²⁷ strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein²⁸ thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth²⁹ thou shalt have wars.

¶ Then Asa was wroth³⁰ with the seer, and put him³¹ in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed³² some of the people the same time³³.

And, behold, the acts of Asa³⁴, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah³⁵ and Israel.

And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased³⁶ in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease³⁷ he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians³⁸.

And Asa slept³⁹ with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

And they buried him in his own sepulchres⁴⁰, which he had made⁴¹ for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art⁴²: and they made a very great⁴³ burning for him.