Troubles with Israel
(1 Kings 15.17-22)1 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of King Asa of Judah, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and started to fortify Ramah in order to cut off all traffic in and out of Judah. 2 So Asa took silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple and the palace and sent it to Damascus, to King Benhadad of Syria, with this message: 3 “Let us be allies, as our fathers were. This silver and gold is a present for you. Now break your alliance with King Baasha of Israel so that he will have to pull his troops out of my territory.”
4 Benhadad agreed to Asa's proposal and sent his commanding officers and their armies to attack the cities of Israel. They captured Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and all the cities of Naphtali where supplies were stored. 5 When King Baasha heard what was happening, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned the work. 6 Then King Asa gathered men from throughout Judah and had them carry off the stones and timbers that Baasha had been using at Ramah, and they used them to fortify the cities of Geba and Mizpah.
The Prophet Hanani
7 At that time the prophet Hanani went to King Asa and said, “Because you relied on the king of Syria instead of relying on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Israel has escaped from you. 8 Didn't the Ethiopians and the Libyans have large armies with many chariots and cavalry troops? But because you relied on the Lord, he gave you victory over them. 9 The Lord keeps close watch over the whole world, to give strength to those whose hearts are loyal to him. You have acted foolishly, and so from now on you will always be at war.” 10 This made Asa so angry with the prophet that he had him put in chains. It was at this same time that Asa began treating some of the people cruelly.
The End of Asa's Reign
(1 Kings 15.231 24)11 All the events of Asa's reign from beginning to end are recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year that Asa was king, he was crippled by a severe foot disease; but even then he did not turn to the Lord for help, but to doctors. 13 Two years later he died 14 and was buried in the rock tomb which he had carved out for himself in David's City. They used spices and perfumed oils to prepare his body for burial, and they built a huge bonfire to mourn his death.
Savienība ar Arāmas ķēniņu pret Israēlu
(1Ķēn 15:16–22)1 Āsas trīsdesmit sestajā valdīšanas gadā Israēla ķēniņš Baeša nāca pret Jūdu. Viņš sāka celt Rāmu, lai neviens nevarētu ne iziet, ne ieiet pie Jūdas ķēniņa Āsas. 2 Tad Āsa ņēma sudrabu un zeltu, kas bija Kunga namā un ķēniņa nama mantnīcās, un sūtīja to Arāmas ķēniņam Ben-Hadadam, kas dzīvoja Damaskā, sacīdams: 3 “Starp mani un tevi, starp manu tēvu un tavu tēvu ir derība – redzi, es tev sūtu sudrabu un zeltu, ej un lauz savu derību ar Israēla ķēniņu Baešu, lai viņš atkāpjas no manis!” 4 Ben-Hadads uzklausīja ķēniņu Āsu un sūtīja savus karaspēka pavēlniekus pret Israēla pilsētām. Tie sakāva Ijonu, Dānu, Ābel-Maimu un visas Naftālī noliktavu pilsētas. 5 Kad Baeša to dzirdēja, viņš pārtrauca celt Rāmu un atstājās no sava darba.
6 Tad ķēniņš Āsa norīkoja visus Jūdas ļaudis, lai tie pārved akmeņus un baļķus no Rāmas, ko bija uzcēlis Baeša, un no tiem viņš uzcēla Gebu un Micpu.
7 Tad pie Jūdas ķēniņa Āsas nāca redzētājs Hānānī un sacīja: “Arāmas ķēniņa karaspēks ir izsprucis no taviem nagiem tāpēc, ka tu paļāvies uz Arāmas ķēniņu, bet nepaļāvies uz Kungu, savu Dievu! 8 Vai kūšiešiem un lūbiešiem nebija milzīgs karaspēks ar daudziem kararatiem un jātniekiem – taču, kad tu paļāvies uz Kungu, viņš tos nodeva tev! 9 Kungs noraugās, pārlūkodams it visas zemes, viņš stiprina sirdi tiem, kas viņam uzticas! Aplam tu esi darījis, kopš šī laika nerims kari ap tevi!” 10 Āsa sadusmojās uz redzētāju un ieslodzīja to cietumā, jo viņš par to bija nikns. Tolaik Āsa tautā sāka apspiest arī citus.
Āsas slimība un nāve
(1Ķēn 15:23–24)11 Redzi, Āsas darbi no pirmā līdz pēdējam ir aprakstīti Jūdas un Israēla ķēniņu grāmatā! 12 Āsas trīsdesmit devītajā valdīšanas gadā tam sasirga kājas, viņš smagi sirga, bet arī slimībā nemeklēja Kungu, tikai dziedniekus. 13 Āsa apgūlās pie tēviem. Viņš nomira savas valdīšanas četrdesmit pirmajā gadā. 14 Viņu apbedīja kapenēs, ko viņš sev bija izcirtis Dāvida pilsētā. Viņu guldīja guļvietā, kas bija pildīta ar balzamētāju gatavotām dažādām balzamu smaržām. Viņi tam dedzināja varen lielu uguni!
