2 Chronicles 16: When Trust Runs Dry
Late in life Asa hires a pagan king instead of leaning on God, rages at the seer who corrects him, and trusts physicians more than the LORD.
2 Chronicles 16 (WEB)
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Yahweh’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad 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, that he may depart from me.”
4 Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
5 When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
7 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 Yahweh your God, therefore is the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand.
8 Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.
9 For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly; for from henceforth you shall have wars.”
10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.
11 Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he didn’t seek Yahweh, but to the physicians.
13 Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 They buried him in his own tombs, which he had dug out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.
2 Chronicles 16 (KJV)
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.
2 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–hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And Ben–hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel–maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
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.
8 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.
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
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.
11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
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.
13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
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.
2 Chronicles 16 (ASV)
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali.
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
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 hast not relied on Jehovah thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because thou didst rely on Jehovah, he delivered them into thy hand.
9 For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in the prison-house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.
11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12 And in the thirty and ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to Jehovah, but to the physicians.
13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had hewn out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.
Summary
After decades of faithfulness, Asa stumbles late in his reign. When Baasha of Israel fortifies Ramah to blockade Judah, Asa does not cry to the LORD as he once did against Zerah; instead he strips silver and gold from the temple treasury and the palace and buys an alliance with Ben Hadad king of Syria. The strategy works militarily, but Hanani the seer confronts Asa with a piercing word: because he relied on the king of Syria rather than the LORD, the Syrian army has escaped his hand, and he will have wars from now on. Hanani reminds him that when he relied on the LORD against the Ethiopians and Lubim, God delivered them, for the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are wholly his. Rather than repent, Asa flies into a rage, imprisons the seer, and oppresses some of the people. Three years later he is diseased in his feet, and even then he does not seek the LORD but only the physicians. Asa dies in the forty-first year of his reign and is buried with great honor. His tragic decline warns that a strong beginning does not guarantee a faithful finish, and that the heart must keep relying on God to the end.
Main Characters
- Asa — The once-faithful king who now buys an alliance instead of trusting God, rages at correction, and seeks physicians rather than the LORD in his disease.
- Hanani the seer — The prophet who reminds Asa of God's past deliverance and rebukes his misplaced trust, and is imprisoned for his faithfulness.
- Ben Hadad — King of Syria whom Asa hires with temple treasure to break his treaty with Baasha and attack Israel.
Key Verse
2 Chronicles 16:9 (WEB)
For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly; for from henceforth you shall have wars.”
Lessons Learned
- A faithful past does not exempt us from the daily call to keep trusting God.
- God's eyes search the earth for hearts wholly his, longing to show himself strong.
- Reacting to correction with anger only deepens the very fault being exposed.
- Unbelief can creep in subtly, trading dependence on God for human strategies.
- God seeks hearts fully his. “The eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, WEB).
- Misplaced trust forfeits God's help. Hanani says, “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God,” the enemy escaped (2 Chronicles 16:7, WEB).
- Remember how God delivered before. Hanani points back to the Ethiopians: “because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand” (2 Chronicles 16:8, WEB); forgotten mercies fuel present unbelief.
- Hardness rejects the help correction offers. Asa “was in a rage” and imprisoned the seer (2 Chronicles 16:10, WEB), and even in disease “didn’t seek Yahweh, but to the physicians” (16:12).
- Compare Asa's response to Zerah's army (chapter 14) with his response to Baasha here. What changed?
- What does verse 9 reveal about what God is looking for as his eyes range the earth?
- Why does Asa react to Hanani's rebuke with rage instead of repentance, and where do we do the same?
- Asa sought physicians but not the LORD in his disease. How can we honor wise means while still trusting God first?
- Where might you be tempted, after years of faith, to substitute a clever solution for simple trust in God?
- Against Zerah, Asa cried out and relied wholly on God (14:11); against Baasha, he raided the temple treasury to buy a pagan alliance (16:2-3). The same man who once trusted now schemes. The contrast warns that yesterday's faith must be renewed today.
- Verse 9 shows God actively searching for hearts fully devoted to him, eager to strengthen them. He is not distant; he is looking for trust to reward. Invite the group to find both comfort and challenge in being among those God is seeking.
- Asa rages because the rebuke exposes a failure he will not own (16:10). Pride defends itself rather than repents. We too can lash out at correction that touches a real fault. Encourage humility before God's messengers, even uncomfortable ones.
- Seeking physicians is not the sin; seeking them instead of the LORD is (16:12). Wise means are gifts from God, but they are never substitutes for dependence on him. Help the group hold both: use the means, trust the Giver.
- This is a personal-application question. Gently invite members to examine where competence or experience might be quietly crowding out prayer and reliance. Note that Asa's failure was late, reminding us no one outgrows the need to trust.