Asa’s Last Years
1In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.
2Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 3“Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”
4Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim16:4 Also known as Abel Beth Maakah and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. 6Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.
7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8Were not the Cushites16:8 That is, people from the upper Nile region and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen16:8 Or charioteers? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. 9For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”
10Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.
11The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. 13Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors. 14They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honor.
猶大與以色列爭戰
1亞撒執政第三十六年，以色列王巴沙上來攻打猶大，並修築拉瑪，不許任何人進出猶大王亞撒的地界。 2於是，亞撒取出耶和華殿裡和王宮庫房裡的金銀，送給大馬士革的亞蘭王便·哈達，說： 3「我們之間應立盟約，像我們的父輩間立約一樣，現在奉上金銀為禮，請你取消與以色列王巴沙的盟約。這樣，他就會從我境內退兵。」 4便·哈達接受了亞撒王的提議，派將領攻打以色列的城邑，攻佔了以雲、但、亞伯·瑪音和拿弗他利所有的儲貨城。 5巴沙聞訊，就停止修築拉瑪。 6亞撒王率領全體猶大人，將巴沙修築拉瑪的石頭和木材搬走，用它們修建迦巴和米斯巴。
哈拿尼先見
7那時，哈拿尼先見晉見猶大王亞撒說：「因為你不倚靠你的上帝耶和華，反而倚靠亞蘭王，所以亞蘭王的軍隊已經從你手中逃脫。 8古實人與利比亞人不是一支戰車騎兵極多的強大軍隊嗎？然而，因為你倚靠耶和華，耶和華就把他們交在你手中。 9耶和華的眼目遍察天下，彰顯大能來扶助那些全心歸向祂的人。你做了愚蠢的事！從此以後，你必遭遇戰禍。」 10亞撒聽了就對先見發怒，把他囚禁在監獄裡，同時又壓迫一些民眾。
亞撒逝世
11亞撒的事自始至終都記在《猶大和以色列列王史》上。 12亞撒執政第三十九年患了嚴重的腳病。然而，他在病中卻沒有尋求耶和華的幫助，只尋求醫生的幫助。 13亞撒在他執政第四十一年去世，與他祖先同眠， 14葬在大衛城他為自己鑿的墳墓裡。民眾把他放在堆滿精心調製的各種香料的床上，又點了一堆大火向他致哀。
