Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 16:4

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Reformation under Asa (14:1-16:14)

God’s blessings on Asa showed his pleasure with those who removed Canaanite customs and restored the Levitical order of worship. God rewarded Asa by giving him a remarkable victory over a large and powerful army that invaded from the south. This sign of God’s pleasure encouraged Asa to continue his reforms with greater boldness (14:1-15:19; see notes on 1 Kings 15:9-15).

When, however, Asa trusted in outside help instead of trusting in God, he displeased God and was rebuked by one of God’s prophets. Not willing to listen to advice, he treated cruelly any of his people who opposed his policies (16:1-14; see notes on 1 Kings 15:16-24).

Towards the end of Asa’s reign, Ahab came to power in the north. Under the influence of his foreign wife Jezebel, Ahab introduced a new form of Baal worship in Israel. This Baalism was far more powerful and far more evil than that practised by the common people at the local Baal shrines (1 Kings 15:25-29). But since these matters concerned the northern kingdom, the Chronicler, in keeping with his usual practice, does not record them.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE CONCLUSION OF THE REIGN OF ASA;
HIS REBUKE BY THE PROPHET;
BAASHA, THE KING OF ISRAEL, BEGINS TO FORTIFY RAMAH

"In the sixth and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any one to come unto or go in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father, behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. Then Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Napthtali. And it came to pass when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building Ramah, and let the work cease. Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah."

David was "a man after God's own heart"; yet he was guilty of many sins; and likewise Asa, although his heart was "perfect toward Jehovah," yet, like all mortals, he was guilty of sin; and the Chronicler in this chapter cites two events in which king Asa did wrong in the sight of God. The first of these was his seeking aid of Benhadad the king of Syria instead of seeking it of the Lord.

"Baasha… built Ramah" That is, he began to do so, because the invasion of Benhadad compelled him to abandon the project. It is not hard to see what was in the mind of Baasha. The popularity of Asa's reign, and the general knowledge that God was blessing him had led many in Baasha's northern kingdom to go to Jerusalem for the legitimate worship of God. All of the northern kings vigorously opposed this, because they considered it a threat to the continuity of Northern Israel; and Baasha, by fortifying Ramah, had in mind to prohibit such excursions to Jerusalem, which, of course, occurred three times annually on the occasions of the three set feasts: Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

"Asa brought out silver and gold" It apparently never entered the mind of Asa that, "If silver and gold could buy the help of Syria, a little more silver and gold could cancel it and deliver their help to someone else."

One may only wonder at Asa's actions here. God had delivered him from a far greater threat in that war with Zerah. Northern Israel was nothing compared with the tremendous strength of Egypt; and perhaps that was the reason that Asa might have felt that he did not need God in this instance, feeling that he was able to take care of this threat without God's help. Such a feeling on the part of any mortal is never justified. All men need God's help continually, in small matters as well as large ones; and it is always sinful for men to trust in themselves instead of seeking God's help.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Abel-maim - or, “Abel-beth-maachah” 1 Kings 15:20. It was one of the towns most exposed to attack when an invader entered Israel from the north, and was taken from Pekah by Tiglath-pileser 2 Kings 15:29.

Store cities - See 1 Kings 9:19 note.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 16

In the thirty-sixth year of his reign, Baasha who was now the king of Israel started to fortify the city of Ramah, north of Jerusalem, in order that he might cut off all of the trade that is coming into Judah or all of the trade that would go out ( 2 Chronicles 16:1 ).

He was going to cut off their supplies. And so he's going to build this fortified city so that he could begin to cut off the supplies from Judah.

And Asa ( 2 Chronicles 16:2 )

He had had now a very prosperous reign. For twenty-five years they had had rest after the great victory and commitment to God. But now he had become rich. He had become strong and he took money out of the treasury of the house of the Lord.

took gold and silver out of the treasures of the house of the LORD, and he sent it off to the king of Syria ( 2 Chronicles 16:2 ),

And he said to Benhadad, "Your father and my father had a mutual defense pact. And I'm sending you this money in order that you might honor this mutual defense pact, and I want you to attack Israel from the north because they're building this fortified city. They're preparing an invasion and all. And so I want you to attack them from the north." And so Benhadad began to attack Israel from the north.

Well, because Baasha had deployed the troops down toward the south in the building of this fortified city and all, Benhadad began to move through the north part. They conquered the city of Dan in the upper part of the Galilee, the Hula Valley there. They began to move down. They took the area around the Sea of Galilee, the cities of Naphtali and all, and so Baasha, when the Syrians began to invade and take the northern part, left off the building of the fortified city, moved his army up to defend their northern borders from this attack of Syria. And when they did, of course, Asa moved out and they took all of the materials that they had brought to build the fortified city and they built several little cities for their own defense with the materials that they had captured from that which Baasha had brought down.

So his plan was successful. He had used his own military alliances and his own wealth and all to buy himself out of his problems. And it was successful. It was a very successful move. They were able to deploy the troops and they were able to take the materials, and it was a successful move. However, the prophet of God came to him, Hanani.

And he said, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on Jehovah your God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. But herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from now on you're going to have wars ( 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 ).

Now he had just had, he was just, no doubt, gloating in his wisdom, in his diplomacy, in his success, and a prophet comes and rebukes him. And the rebuke is this: "You have relied upon Syria, the arm of man. You're not resting in the Lord anymore. You're not going out in the name of the Lord anymore. You're not calling unto the Lord for the help that you need any longer. You see, you don't feel that need for the help of God. 'God, I can manage this one myself.' And because you've relied on the king of Syria, and not on the Lord your God, don't you remember... that now the king of Syria is delivered out of your hand, but don't you remember that in the past when you were invaded by this huge army of Ethiopians and Lubims with their chariots and all, how that at that time you cried unto the Lord, the Lord delivered them into your hand."

"For," and this is the truth of God, burn it in your heart tonight, "the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the entire earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are completely towards Him." What is God saying? Just this. God wants to use your life. God wants to bless your life. God wants to pour out upon you His glorious resources. God is just looking for people that He can use, that He can funnel His resources through, because God is wanting to reach this world around us. God needs men to reach this world. God is looking for men whose hearts are completely towards Him that He might show Himself strong on behalf of that person; that God might funnel His resources through their lives.

Oh God, cause our hearts to be turned completely towards Thee. Take our hearts away from the issues of the world. From our own desires and purposes. From our own goals and ambitions. Oh God, let my heart be completely towards Thee. Don't let my heart be turned aside by my own desires and my own wishes. God, let my heart be completely towards You. For the eyes of the Lord are looking through the whole world to find such men that God might show Himself strong on behalf of those people.

In other words, as we were talking earlier, God is looking for the man whose life is in line with the purposes and the will of God. And when He finds that man, and when that man asks God for those things of the kingdom that he sees are necessary, then God is already determined to give to him those things that he is asking. Because he's not asking to consume it on his own flesh, on his own desires. James said, "You ask, and receive not, that you might consume it on your own lust" ( James 4:3 ).

And so many of our petitions that we bring before God are really our own will, our own desires that we are offering to God and wanting Him to help us fulfill our desires. But God's looking for men whose desire is totally towards the Lord and the things of God, because God needs men in this world today. The world is in a desperate condition. God needs men. God is looking for men and the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the entire earth in order that He might show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are completely towards Him.

Oh God, I want to be that man. Oh God, I want my desires to be fully in line with Your will, with what You want. God, I want to be usable. And this is my continual prayer: God, keep me usable. I know it is so easy to get sidetracked, to get caught up in something other than God's purpose or plan and end up on the shelf. I don't want to end up on the shelf. I want to remain usable by God. That's the only reason for being in this rotten place.

Living in this corrupted society, there's only one purpose, and that's to be used of God for His purposes. And when I start living for my own purposes, then I pray God takes me instantly, because I'm wasting my life on that which really doesn't matter. There's only one real purpose now and that's to be what God wants me to be. To be that servant of God, doing His will in order that God might work. Show His power and His strength through my life. God's looking for such men. I want to be that kind of man. I'm not completely. I desire to be. And God knows the desire of my heart. From the time when I committed my life fully to Jesus Christ, to be that man that God could use.

Now Asa was angry with the prophet ( 2 Chronicles 16:10 ),

The truth oftentimes creates anger, resentment.

he put him in a prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing ( 2 Chronicles 16:10 ).

Here is the king who at the beginning offered this prayer of God, who created this great spiritual reform among the people. "We're going to serve the Lord." He's going to be... and now he's in a rage because the prophet has brought to him the truth of God. Throws the prophet into prison.

And Asa in the thirty-ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, it was an exceeding great disease: yet in his disease he sought not the LORD, but the aid of physicians ( 2 Chronicles 16:12 ).

And he died. Now the intimation in the text is, had he sought the Lord, the Lord would have healed his diseased feet. But you see, he began a pattern of relying upon man and upon the arm of flesh. We sing that song, "The arm of flesh will fail you. You dare not trust your own." It's vain to put your trust in man. "Better to put your trust in the Lord than your confidence in princes" ( Psalms 118:9 ). And he started out putting his trust in God. It's a sad, tragic story. A man who started out putting his trust in God, knew the power of God, the great victories of God, great spiritual revival, but whose life he ended up trusting in the arm of flesh, in the arm of man. And he died trusting in man. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. Asa’s failure ch. 16

Three parts also mark this record of the later period of Asa’s reign: his war with Baasha (2 Chronicles 16:1-6), Hanani’s sermon (2 Chronicles 16:7-10), and the conclusion of his reign (2 Chronicles 16:11-14).

Asa’s heart was right in that he consistently loved God. Nevertheless, like David, his obedience lapsed. He trusted in a foreign alliance and later in physicians more than in Yahweh. This resulted in defeat and death.

"Asa, then, has done a complete volte-face from his earlier faithfulness. It is as if we meet two altogether different Asas. He appeared first in the strength of God-reliance, now in the weakness of self-reliance." [Note: McConville, p. 174.]

Rather than confessing his guilt, Asa became angry and oppressed his own kingdom. It may have looked for a while as if Asa was the Son of David who would perfectly trust and obey God. Unfortunately he did not remain faithful.

"Just as the Chronicler inserted Azariah’s sermon in 2 Chronicles 15:2-7 to interpret to his readers the positive period of Asa’s reign, so here he draws out the lessons to be learned from his falling away." [Note: Williamson, 1 and 2 . . ., p. 274.]

"There are some occasions in the Bible when a person’s handling of some small matter is taken as an indication of his capacity to handle a large one (e.g. Matthew 25:21; Matthew 25:23; Jeremiah 12:5). Asa, however, having passed the sternest of tests first (by withstanding Zerah), fails a comparatively trivial one." [Note: McConville, p. 175.]

2 Chronicles 16:9 is especially noteworthy (cf. Zechariah 4:10). No problem can arise for God’s people of which He is not aware and out of which He cannot deliver them if they commit themselves to Him fully (cf. Romans 8:28). 2 Chronicles 16:10 records the first persecution of a prophet, but many others followed (cf. 1 Kings 22:27; Mark 6:17-18).

Asa was one of Judah’s best kings, but he failed as did all the rest.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.   2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,   3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.   4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.   5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.   6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

      How to reconcile the date of this event with the history of the kings I am quite at a loss. Baasha died in the twenty-sixth year of Asa, 1 Kings 16:8. How then could this be done in his thirty-sixth year, when Baasha's family was quite cut off, and Omri was upon the throne? It is generally said to be meant of the thirty-sixth year of the kingdom of Asa, namely, that of Judah, beginning from the first of Rehoboam, and so it coincides with the sixteenth of Asa's reign; but then (2 Chronicles 15:19; 2 Chronicles 15:19 must be so understood; and how could it be spoken of as a great thing that there was no more war till the fifteenth year of Asa, when that passage immediately before was in his fifteenth year? (2 Chronicles 15:10; 2 Chronicles 15:10), and after this miscarriage of his, here recorded, he had wars, 2 Chronicles 16:9; 2 Chronicles 16:9. Josephus places it in his twenty-sixth year, and then we must suppose a mistake in the transcriber here and (2 Chronicles 15:19; 2 Chronicles 15:19, the admission of which renders the computation easy. This passage we had before (1 Kings 15:17-24, c.) and Asa was in several ways faulty in it. 1. He did not do well to make a league with Benhadad, a heathen king, and to value himself so much upon it as he seems to have done, 2 Chronicles 16:3; 2 Chronicles 16:3. Had he relied more upon his covenant, and his father's, with God, he would not have boasted so much of his league, and his father's, with the royal family of Syria. 2. If he had had a due regard to the honour of Israel in general, he would have found some other expedient to give Baasha a diversion than by calling in a foreign force, and inviting into the country a common enemy, who, in process of time, might be a plague to Judah too. 3. It was doubtless a sin in Benhadad to break his league with Baasha upon no provocation, but merely through the influence of a bribe; and, if so, certainly it was a sin in Asa to move him to it, especially to hire him to do it. The public faith of kings and kingdoms must not be made so cheap a thing. 4. To take silver and gold out of the house of the Lord for this purpose was a great aggravation of the sin, 2 Chronicles 16:2; 2 Chronicles 16:2. Must the temple be plundered to serve his carnal politics? He had better have brought gifts and offerings with prayers and supplications, to the house of the Lord, that he might have engaged God on his side and made him his friend; then he would not have needed to be at this expense to make Benhadad his friend. 5. It was well if Asa had not to answer for all the mischief that the army of Benhadad did unjustly to the cities of Israel, all the blood they shed and all the spoil they made, 2 Chronicles 16:4; 2 Chronicles 16:4. Perhaps Asa intended not that they should carry the matter so far. But those that draw others to sin know not what they do, nor where it will end. The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. However the project succeeded. Benhadad gave Baasha a powerful diversion, obliged him to leave off building Ramah and betake himself to the defence of his own country northward, which gave Asa an opportunity, not only to demolish his fortifications, but to seize the materials and convert them to his own use.