Asa

ASA, the Son and Successor of Abijam Ch. xv. 8. & seq.King of Judah. He began to reign in the year of the world 3049. before J. C. 951. 2 Chron. xiv. 1, 2.before the vulgar Æra 955. He reigned one and forty years at Jerusalem. His Mother’s name was Maachah, the Daughter of Abishalom. Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as David his Father had done. He expell’d those out of his territories, who out of a sacrilegious superstition prostituted themselves in honour of their false Gods; and purged Jerusalem of all the infamous practices attending the worship of Idols, which were tolerated by the Kings his Predecessors. He deprived his Mother of the sovereign authority, and took from her the marks of Royalty, because she had erected an Idol in a Grove consecrated to Astarte. He took this Idol and burnt it in the Valley of Hinnom, thro’ which the brook Kidron run. The Scripture nevertheless reproaches him with not destroying the high places, which the superstition of the people had dedicated to the Lord. Asa thought it was necessary to tolerate them, in order to avoid a greater evil, which was Idolatry. He carried the gold and silver vessels into the house of the Lord, which his Father Abijam had vowed that he would consecrate to God.

Asa fortified several Cities in his Dominions, and repaired those which stood in need Ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c.of reparation, encouraging his people to labour in this work, while the Kingdom was at peace, and the Lord honoured them with his protection. After this he levied an Army of three hundred thousand men in Judah, armed with shields and pikes; and two hundred and fourscore thousand men besides in Benjamin, who were armed with shields and arrows, all men of courage and great valour. About this time Zerah, King of Ethiopia, or rather King of Chush, that is to say, of that part of Arabia which joins to Egypt, marched against Asa with a million of foot, and three hundred chariots of war, Probably in the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. See 2 Chr. xv. 10. And in the year of the world 3064.and advanced as far as Mareshah. Asa met him, and incamped in the plain of Zephathah, or rather Zephalah near Mareshah. Asa prayed unto the Lord, and God inspired Zerah’s Army with a pannick Terror, it began to fly, and Asa pursued it as far as Geran. There was an infinite number slain, because the Lord fought for his people.

They returned therefore to Jerusalem loaded with Booty; and the Prophet 2 Chr. xv. 1. —Azariah the Son of Obed, filled with the Spirit of the Lord, came to meet them, and said to them, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; and if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Israel shall be long without the true God, without Priest, without Teachers and without Law. (He intended probably to speak of the Captivity of the ten Tribes.) But when they turn unto the Lord, he will be found of them. As for you, arm yourselves with courage; for your works shall not continue unrewarded.

Asa having heard these words, perceived himself to be animated with new courage. He destroyed the Idols of Judah, Benjamin, and the conquered Cities in mount Ephraim. He repaired the Altar of Burnt-offerings, and gathered all Judah and Benjamin together, and with them many Israelites of the Tribes of Simeon, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and upon the third month in the fifteenth year of his reign celebrated a solemn Festival. Of the cattle taken from Zerah, they sacrificed seven hundred Oxen and seven thousand Sheep; they renewed the Covenant with the Lord, and ingaged to seek him with all their heart and with all their soul; they swore to the Covenant, the cymbals and trumpets sounding, and declared, that whosoever would not seek the Lord, should be put to death. God gave them peace, and the Kingdom of Judah, according to the Chronicles, was quiet till the thirty third year of Asa. But it is probable, that we should read the twenty fifth instead of the thirty fifth, since Baasha, who made war upon Asa, lived no longer than the twenty sixth year of Asa. 1 Kings xvi. 8.

In the thirty sixth, or rather twenty sixth year of Asa’s reign¹, Baasha King of Israel began to fortify Ramah upon the frontiers of the two Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, to hinder the Israelites of the ten Tribes from going freely into the Kingdom of Judah, and to the Temple of the Lord. Whereupon Asa sent to Benhadad King of Damascus all the gold and silver which he had in his Palace, and all there was in the treasuries of the Temple, to prevail with him by this means to depart from his Alliance with Baasha, and make an inroad into his Territories, that so he might be obliged to abandon the design which he had undertaken to accomplish at Ramah. Benhadad accepted Asa’s Presents, and invaded Baasha’s Country, where he took several Cities belonging to the Tribe of Naphtali. Wherefore Baasha was forced to quit Ramah; to defend his Dominions nearer home; and Asa having ordered all his people to march to Ramah, carried off all the materials prepared by Baasha to build and fortify this place, and imployed them in building Geba and Mizpah.

At this time the Prophet Hanani came to Asa, and said, Because thou hast relied on the King of Syria, and not on the Lord thy God; therefore is the host of the King of Syria escaped out of thy hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, yet because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hands. Herein thou hast done foolishly; therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. Asa being offended at these reproaches, put the Prophet in chains, and at the same time gave orders for the executing several persons in Judah. Towards the latter part of his life he was incommoded with the gout in his feet, and the humour rising upwards, killed him. The Scripture reproaches him with having recourse rather to Physicians than the Lord. He was buried in the Sepulcher, which he had provided for himself in the City of David, and after his death great quantities of perfumes and spices were placed upon the bed, with which his body was burned; then his bones and ashes were collected and put into his Grave. He died in the year of the world 3090, before J. C. 910, and 913 before the vulgar Æra.

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