2 Chronicles 16:3 Kommentar

This chapter concludes the history of the reign of Asa, but does not furnish so pleasing an account of his latter end as we had of his beginning. I. Here is a foolish treaty with Benhadad king of Syria (Ch2 16:1-6). II. The reproof which God sent him for it by a prophet (Ch2 16:7-9). III. Asa's displeasure against the prophet for his faithfulness (Ch2 16:10). IV. The sickness, death, and burial of Asa (Ch2 16:11-14).

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 16 Baasha coming up against Judah, and building Ramah, Asa made a league with the king of Syria, and hired him to make a diversion in his favour, and cause Baasha to leave off building, which succeeded, Ch2 16:1, for which he was reproved by a prophet of the Lord, with whom he was so angry for it as to put him in prison, and oppress others, Ch2 16:7, and the chapter is closed with an account of his disease and conduct under it, and of his death and burial, Ch2 16:11.

Baasha, king of Israel, begins to build Ramah, to prevent his subjects from having any intercourse with the Jews, Ch2 16:1. Asa hires Ben-hadad, king of Syria, against him; and obliges him to leave off building Ramah, Ch2 16:2-5. Asa and his men carry the stones and timbers of Ramah away, and build therewith Geba and Mizpah, Ch2 16:6. Asa is reproved by Hanani, the seer, for his union with the king of Syria: he is offended with the seer, and puts him in prison, Ch2 16:7-10. Of his acts, Ch2 16:11. He is diseased in his feet, and seeks to physicians and not to God, and dies, Ch2 16:12, Ch2 16:13. His sumptuous funeral, Ch2 16:14.

There is a league - Let there be a treaty, offensive and defensive, between me and thee: see on Kg1 15:22 (note).

ASA, BY A LEAGUE WITH THE SYRIANS, DIVERTS BAASHA FROM BUILDING RAMAH. (Ch2 16:1-14) In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha . . . came up against Judah--Baasha had died several years before this date (Kg1 15:33), and the best biblical critics are agreed in considering this date to be calculated from the separation of the kingdoms, and coincident with the sixteenth 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 (Ch2 16:11), the source from which the inspired historian drew his account. Baasha . . . built Ramah--that is, 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 on Kg1 15:16-22; also Jer 41:9).