2 Chronicles 16

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha king of Israel marched on Judah and fortified Ramah toblock the communications of Asa king of Judah.	1 Then, in the thirty-sixth year of his reign, Baasha, the king of Israel, ascended against Judah. And he encircled Ramah with a wall, so that no one could safely depart or enter from the kingdom of Asa.
2 Asa then took silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple of Yahweh and the royal palace andsent this with the fol owing message to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus,	2 Therefore, Asa brought forth silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord, and from the treasuries of the king. And he sent to Benhadad, the king of Syria, who was living in Damascus, saying:
3 'Let us make an alliance between me and you, between my father and your father! Look, I have sentyou silver and gold. Come, break off your al iance with Baasha king of Israel, which wil make him withdraw fromme.'	3 “There is a pact between me and you. Also, my father and your father had an agreement. For this reason, I have sent silver and gold to you, so that you may break the pact that you have with Baasha, the king of Israel, and so that you may cause him to withdraw from me.”
4 Ben-Hadad listened favourably to King Asa and sent the generals of his armies to attack the towns ofIsrael; he ravaged Ijon, Dan, Abel-Maim and al the storage towns of Naphtali.	4 And when he verified this, Benhadad sent the leaders of his armies to the cities of Israel. And they struck Ahion, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Naphtali.
5 When Baasha heard this he gave up fortifying Ramah, abandoning this work.	5 And when Baasha had heard of it, he ceased to build around Ramah, and he interrupted his work.
6 King Asa then had al Judah carry away the stones and timber with which Baasha had been fortifyingRamah, and used them to fortify Geba and Mizpah.	6 Then king Asa took all of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and the wood that Baasha had prepared for the things to be built. And he built up Gibeah and Mizpah with them.
7 Then it was that Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said, 'Because you relied on the kingof Aram and not on Yahweh your God, the king of Aram's army wil slip through your fingers.	7 In that time, the prophet Hanani went to Asa, the king of Judah, and he said to him: “Because you have faith in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.
8 Did not the Cushites and Libyans form a vast army with great numbers of chariots and cavalry? Evenso, because you relied on Yahweh, he gave you the upper hand;	8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans much more numerous in chariots, and horsemen, and an exceedingly great multitude? Yet when you believed in the Lord, he delivered them into your hand.
9 for Yahweh's eyes rove to and fro across the whole world to support those whose hearts are loyal tohim. You have acted like a fool in this respect; hence, from now on you wil have wars.'	9 For the eyes of the Lord contemplate the entire earth, and offer fortitude to those who believe in him with a perfect heart. And so, you acted foolishly. And so, because of this, from the present time wars shall rise up against you.”
10 Enraged with the seer, Asa had him put in the stocks in prison, being angry with him over this; at thesame time Asa ill-treated some of the people too.	10 And Asa was angry against the seer, and he ordered him to be sent into prison. For indeed, he had been very indignant over this. And in that time, he put to death very many of the people.
11 The history of Asa, from first to last, is recorded in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.	11 But the works of Asa, the first and the last, have been written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa contracted a disease in his feet, which became very severe;in his il ness, however, he consulted not Yahweh but the doctors.	12 And now Asa became ill, in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, with a very severe pain in his feet. And yet, in his infirmity, he did not seek the Lord. Instead, he trusted more in the skill of physicians.
13 Asa then fel asleep with his ancestors, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.	13 And he slept with his fathers. And he died in the forty-first year of his reign.
14 He was buried in the tomb which he had ordered to be cut for him in the City of David. He was laid inthe burial chamber which was fil ed with perfume blended from all sorts of oils, and a very great funeral fire wasmade for him.	14 And they buried him in his own sepulcher, which he had made for himself in the City of David. And they placed him upon his bed, full of the aromatics and ointments of courtesans, which were composed with the skill of the perfumers. And they burned these over him with very great ostentation.