Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Chronicles 16:1 - 16:6

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Chronicles 16:1 - 16:6


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Asa's League with Damascus

v. 1. In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, or, more exactly, so many years after the division of the kingdom, in Asa's sixteenth year, Baasha, king of Israel, the successor of Nadab, who followed Jeroboam, came up against Judah and built Ramah, on his southern boundary, about six miles north of Jerusalem, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah, since the prosperity of Judah and the purity of its religious worship were attracting people from the northern kingdom in increasing numbers. Cf 1Ki_15:16-22.

v. 2. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king's house,
a part of the immense sums gathered by David and Solomon, and sent to Benhadad, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

v. 3. There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father,
for the Syrian kingdoms had apparently ceased to be tributary to the Jews after the division of the kingdom; behold, I have sent thee silver and gold, namely, with the present embassy, which he had taken from the treasuries of Jerusalem; go, break thy league with Baasha, king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

v. 4. And Benhadad hearkened unto King Asa,
induced to do so by the greatness of the present sent to him, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, to divert Baasha from his purpose by an attack on his country; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, two cities on the extreme northern border of Israel, and Abelmaim, or, Abel-beth-maachah, situated on a marshy plain near the sources of Jordan, and all the store cities of Naphtali, probably such cities in which the surplus of grain was stored.

v. 5. And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah,
and therewith his hostile undertaking against Judah, and let his work cease. It was never resumed, for his death occurred shortly afterwards.

v. 6. Then Asa the king took all Judah,
he assembled all able-bodied men; and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timber thereof wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah, he fortified cities on his own border. It was a weakness of Asa to place his trust in the king of Syria. But to this day the danger is great for believers to turn from the Lord in the hour of distress and trouble and to rely upon weak, mortal men.