Verses 2-14

C. Asa14:2-16:14

Chronicles gives much more attention to Asa than Kings does. That is because Asa"s experiences illustrated the points the Chronicler wanted to drive home to his readers.

We have already seen in Rehoboam"s history that obedience brought blessing from God, but disobedience brought discipline (chs11-12). The Chronicler used this retributive motif frequently. We see it clearly here in Asa"s history. [Note: Raymond B. Dillard, "The Reign of Asa ( 2 Chronicles 14-16): An Example of the Chronicler"s Theological Method," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society23 (September1980):213-18.] In chapters14-15 we see Asa obeying and blessed. In chapter16 he was disobedient, and God disciplined him.

Verses 2-15

1. Asa"s Wisdom of Solomon 14:2-15

Asa inherited a kingdom at peace. He wisely used the peace to purge the idolatry that had crept into Judah ( 2 Chronicles 14:3-5). The term "Asherim" (pl. of "asherah) refers to the various representations of Baal"s goddess consort Asherah. The Canaanites believed this goddess resided in a carved wooden pole that they erected beside a carved stone pillar in which they believed Baal abode. Both the wooden poles and the stone pillars served as incense stands, and both were idols. [Note: William F. Albright, Archaeology and the Religion of Israel, pp215-16.]

Asa also fortified his defenses against future attacks from the North. Because of his trust in Yahweh, God gave him deliverance from his attackers ( 2 Chronicles 14:9-15).

"They [the Cushites, 2 Chronicles 14:9] have been identified with Ethiopians (cf. 2 Chronicles 16:8). This is rejected by recent commentators. The reference in 2 Chronicles 14:15 to a Bedouin group with sheep, goats, and camels that Asa drove off has led several recent writers to suggest that Cush may have been an ethnic group living in the vicinity of Judah (cf. Habakkuk 3:7)." [Note: Thompson, p267. Cf. Williamson, 1,2 . . ., pp263-65. J. Daniel Hays, "The Cushites: A Black Nation in the Bible," Bibliotheca Sacra153:612 (October-December1996):401-3, argued for their being from Cush (modern Ethiopia).]

In all these events, Asa followed the good examples of David and Solomon.