Verse 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.

In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha ... came up. Baasha had died several years before this date (1 Kings 15:33), and the best Biblical critics are agreed in considering this date to be calculated from the separation of the kingdoms, and coincident wish the 16th year of Asa's reign. This mode of reckoning was, in all likelihood, generally followed in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel, the public annals of the time (2 Chronicles 16:11) - the source from which the inspired historian drew his account.

Built Ramah - i:e., fortified it. The blessing of God, which manifestly rested at this time on the kingdom of Judah, the signal victory of Asa, the freedom and purity of religious worship, and the fame of the late national covenant, were regarded with great interest throughout Israel, and attracted a constantly-increasing number of emigrants to Judah. Baasha, alarmed at this movement, determined to stem the tide; and as the high road to and from Jerusalem passed by Ramah, he made that frontier town-about six miles north of Asa's capital-a military station, where the vigilance of his sentinels would effectually prevent all passage across the boundary of the kingdom (see the note at 1 Kings 15:16-22; also Jeremiah 41:9).

Verse 2-3

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-ha'dad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 4

And Ben-ha'dad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

Ben-hadad ... sent the captains of his armies ... and they smote ... Abel-maim - `the meadow of waters,' supposed to have been situated on the marshy plain near the uppermost lake of the Jordan. The other two towns were also in the northern district of Palestine. These unexpected, hostilities of his Syrian ally interrupted Baasha's fortifications at Ramah, and his death, happening soon after, prevented his resuming them.

Verse 5-6

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

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 7

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

Hanani the seer came to Asa ... and said. His object was to show the king his error in forming his recent league with Ben-hadad. The prophet represented the appropriation of the temple treasures to purchase the services of the Syrian mercenaries as indicating a distrust in God, most blameable with the king's experience, and he added, that in consequence of this want of faith, Asa had lost the opportunity of gaining a victory over the united forces of Baasha and Ben-hadad, more splendid than that obtained over the Ethiopians-a victory which, by destroying their armies, would have deprived them of all power to molest him in future; whereas by his foolish and worldly policy, so unworthy of God's vicegerent, to misapply the temple treasures, and corrupt the fidelity of an ally of the king of Israel, he had tempted the cupidity of the one and increased the hostility of the other, and rendered himself liable to renewed troubles (1 Kings 15:32). This rebuke was pungent, and, from its truth and justness, ought to have penetrated and afflicted the heart of such a man as Asa. But his pride was offended at the freedom taken By the honest reprover of royalty and in a burst of passionate resentment he ordered Hanani to be thrown into prison.

Verse 8-9

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

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 10

Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. What was the form or degree of this oppression is not recorded. The cause of his oppressing them was, probably, the same offence as Hanani's-for a strong expression of their dissatisfaction with his conduct in leaguing with Ben-hadad, or, it may be, his maltreatment of the Lord's servant.

Verse 11

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

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 12

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

Diseased in his feet - probably the gout.

His disease was exceeding great - better, 'moved upwards' in his body, which proves the violent and dangerous type of the malady.

Yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians - most probably Egyptian physicians, who were anciently in high repute at foreign courts, and who pretended to expel diseases by charms, incantations, and mystic arts. Asa's fault consisted in his trusting to such physicians, while he neglected to supplicate the aid and blessing of God. The best and holiest men have been betrayed for a time into sins, but through repentance have risen again; and as Asa is pronounced a good man (2 Chronicles 15:17), it may be presumed that he also was restored to a better state of mind.

Verse 13

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

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 14

And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made 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' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

They buried him in his own sepulchres. The tombs in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem were excavated in the side of a rock. One cave contained several tombs or sepulchres.

And laid him in the bed ... filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices. It is evident that a sumptuous public funeral was given him, as a tribute of respect and gratitude for his pious character and patriotic government. But whether "the bed" means a state couch, on which he lay exposed to public view, the odoriferous perfumes being designed to neutralize the offensive smell of the corpse, or whether it refers to an embalmment, in which aromatic spices were always used in great profusion, it is impossible to say.

They made a very great burning for him. According to some, for consuming the spices; but according to others, it was a magnificent pile for the cremation of the corpse-a usage which was at that time, and long after, prevalent among the Hebrews, and the omission of which in the case of royal personages was reckoned a great indignity (2 Chronicles 21:19; 1 Samuel 31:12; Jeremiah 34:5; Amos 6:10).