‏ 2 Chronicles 14

Asa King of Judah

This section talks about King Asa’s early reign in Judah. It describes how Asa turned the people away from idols, encouraged them to follow the Lord, and brought peace to the land. The commentary shows that trusting in God and following His ways brings blessings and security to a nation. Asa used this time of peace to strengthen Judah and prepare for the future.

v. 1: So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.After Abijah died, his son Asa became king. Under Asa’s rule, Judah enjoyed ten years of peace. This peaceful time was a blessing from God, making it possible for Asa to focus on good changes in the kingdom .

v. 2: And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.Asa tried to do what pleased God. He wanted to act in a way that was right, not just in his own opinion or in front of other people, but especially in God’s sight. Asa’s aim was to be approved by God .

v. 3: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves.Asa removed the places and things connected with idol worship. He destroyed the altars and images for other gods and cut down the groves where people worshipped idols. He wanted Judah to worship only the true God .

v. 4: And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.Asa told the people they must seek the Lord and obey God’s laws. He encouraged everyone to follow God’s commandments faithfully, not just in words but in actions .

v. 5: Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.Asa went throughout Judah and removed the high places and idols from every city. Because of these reforms, God gave the land peace. Even though people loved their idols, they obeyed Asa because they knew he was right .

v. 6: And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.Asa used the peaceful years to build strong, protected cities. He understood that times of peace are a good opportunity to prepare for the future. All this was possible because the Lord gave him rest from war .

v. 7: Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.Asa encouraged the people to work hard while they had the chance. He reminded them that their peace was a gift from God because they had sought Him. So, they built and made the land stronger, and God helped them succeed .

v. 8: And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.Asa also built up a large and strong army. Judah and Benjamin together had many brave soldiers, ready to protect the land. This shows that Asa was wise to prepare in times of peace for whatever might come later (2 Chronicles 14:8 ^a).

‏ 2 Chronicles 15

God's Message to Asa

It was a great blessing for Israel to have prophets who spoke God’s words to the people. Even so, they often turned to idols. In this chapter, God sends a prophet named Azariah to deliver a message to King Asa and his army after they returned victorious from battle. The prophet did not just congratulate them, but reminded them to stay faithful to the Lord. God’s Spirit gave Azariah the words to say, showing that true success and peace depend on continuing to seek and obey God. This message is a warning and an encouragement: if the people stay close to God, He will bless them, but if they turn away, they will face trouble. The history of Israel proves this is true, and the prophet’s words call everyone to keep working hard for God, because He will reward those who do what is right.

v. 1: The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Oded. God gave him a message to share with Asa and his people .

v. 2: Azariah went out to meet Asa and said, “The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” . This was both a promise and a warning to keep following God.

v. 3: He reminded them that for a long time Israel had been without the true God, without teaching priests, and without the law. This led to many problems .

v. 4: But when the people turned back to God in their trouble and sincerely sought Him, God let them find Him. He listened to their prayers and helped them .

v. 5: In those times, there was no peace for anyone who went out or came in. There were many troubles and dangers everywhere .

v. 6: One nation was crushed by another, and city by city, because God brought trouble on them for their sins .

v. 7: The prophet encouraged Asa and the people, saying, “Be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” This was a promise that serving God would bring blessing in the end .

Asa Reforms His Kingdom

This section shows how King Asa responded to God’s message through the prophet. Asa became more courageous for God and worked hard to remove idols and restore true worship in Judah. He gathered the people, including those who had come from the northern tribes, and led them in renewing their commitment to the Lord. Asa’s actions brought blessing and peace to the nation. The people made a covenant to seek God with all their heart, and even Asa’s own grandmother was removed from her position because of her idolatry. This teaches us that real change for God sometimes means making hard decisions, even with family, and that God blesses those who seek Him sincerely.

v. 8: When Asa heard the words of the prophet, he became brave and removed all the idols from Judah and Benjamin. He also repaired the altar of the Lord in front of the temple, which had fallen into disrepair .

v. 9: Asa gathered all the people of Judah and Benjamin, as well as those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had moved to Judah because they saw that God was with Asa. He welcomed these strangers and included them in the assembly .

v. 10: They all came together in Jerusalem in the third month of Asa’s fifteenth year as king. This was likely during the feast of Pentecost, a special time for gathering and worship.

v. 11: On that day, they offered to the Lord seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from the plunder they had taken in battle. These sacrifices were given as thanks for God’s help .

v. 12: The people made a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. They wanted to return to God and promised to be faithful to Him .

v. 13: They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the Lord would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. This was a serious promise, following the law given in Deuteronomy 17:2-5 ^b.

v. 14: The people swore their oath to God with loud voices, shouting and playing trumpets and horns. They were joyful and sincere in their promise to serve God .

v. 15: All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had made it with all their heart. They sought God eagerly, and He let them find Him. God gave them peace on every side .

v. 16: Asa removed his grandmother Maachah from her position as queen mother because she had made an idol. He destroyed her idol and burned it. Asa showed that honoring God was more important than family ties .

v. 17: Although Asa did not remove all the high places, his heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. This shows that even when we are not perfect, God values a sincere heart .

v. 18: Asa brought into the temple the silver, gold, and other items that he and his father had dedicated to God. He made sure that what belonged to God was given to Him .

v. 19: There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign. God gave Judah peace because they had turned back to Him (2 Chronicles 15:19 ^c).

‏ 2 Chronicles 16

Asa's League with Benhadad

This section tells the story of King Asa’s mistake in making an alliance with Benhadad, the king of Syria. Instead of trusting in God when King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah, Asa tried to solve the problem by making a deal with a foreign king. To do this, he even took silver and gold from the temple of the Lord. This act showed a lack of faith in God and brought trouble. The story reminds us that trusting in human strength or making wrong alliances can lead to problems, especially when it means turning away from God’s ways.

v. 1: In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel came up against Judah and started building the city of Ramah to block people from going in or out of Judah.

v. 2: Asa took silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and from the king’s house. He sent these gifts to Benhadad, the king of Syria, to ask for his help .

v. 3: Asa asked Benhadad to break his treaty with Baasha and make a new agreement with him instead. Asa wanted Benhadad to attack Israel so Baasha would leave Judah alone .

v. 4: Benhadad agreed. He sent his army to attack the cities of Israel, causing great damage. This forced Baasha to stop building Ramah and defend his own land .

v. 5: When Baasha heard about the attack, he left his work on Ramah and moved his army back home to protect his kingdom.

v. 6: Then King Asa gathered all the people of Judah. They took away the stones and timber Baasha had used to build Ramah and used them to build up the cities of Geba and Mizpah for Judah’s defense.

Asa's Death and Burial

This section covers the final years of King Asa’s life, highlighting his mistakes, his response to correction, and his death. Asa had been a faithful king earlier in his reign, but in his later years, he relied on human strength rather than trusting in God. When a prophet, Hanani, rebuked him for making an alliance with Benhadad instead of seeking God’s help, Asa became angry and imprisoned the prophet. This anger led him to mistreat some of his people as well. Later, Asa suffered from a severe disease, but instead of turning to God for help, he trusted only in physicians. Despite his faults, Asa was honored at his death, and his earlier faithfulness was remembered. This story reminds us of the importance of trusting God in all things and being humble enough to accept correction.

v. 7: Hanani the prophet rebuked Asa for relying on the king of Syria instead of the Lord. He told Asa that he had acted foolishly by trusting in human alliances rather than in God’s power .

v. 8: The prophet reminded Asa of how God had helped him in the past. He asked, “Were not the Ethiopians and Lubim a huge army? Yet because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand.” This showed that God was able to save him without the help of foreign kings .

v. 9: Hanani explained that the Lord searches the whole earth to support those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. He warned Asa that because he had acted in disbelief, he would face wars in the future .

v. 10: Instead of repenting, Asa became angry with the prophet and put him in prison. He also oppressed some of his people, further showing his hardened heart .

v. 11: The events of Asa’s reign, including the good and bad, were written in the records of the kings of Judah and Israel.

v. 12: In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a severe disease in his feet. Even in his illness, he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from physicians. This showed his continued lack of trust in God .

v. 13: Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign. His illness and failure to turn to God marked his final years.

v. 14: Asa was buried in a tomb that he had prepared for himself in the City of David. His funeral was attended with great honor, and spices and perfumes were burned in his memory. Despite his later mistakes, his earlier faithfulness was remembered, and the people showed respect for him (2 Chronicles 16:14 ^d).