1 ¶ In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and fortified Ramah, to the intent that he might prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.

2 Then Asa brought 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, who lived at Damascus, saying,

3 Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father: behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he may depart from me.

4 And Benhadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they defeated Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

5 And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped fortifying Ramah, and let his work cease.

6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones and wood, with which Baasha was fortifying Ramah; and used them to fortify Geba and Mizpah.

7 ¶ And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.

8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand.

9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him. In this you have done foolishly: therefore from now on you will have wars.

10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison; for he was enraged with him over this matter. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, until his disease became very severe: yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.

13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign.

14 And they buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him on a bed filled with spices and different kinds of perfume prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they lit a very great fire in his honor.