1 Mas no ano trinta e seis, o rei Basha de Israel declarou-lhe guerra e construiu a fortaleza de Ramá a fim de poder controlar a estrada de acesso a Judá.
2 A resposta de Asa foi pegar no ouro e na prata do templo e do palácio e mandá-los ao rei Ben-Hadade da Síria, em Damasco, com esta mensagem:
3 Vamos renovar o pacto de segurança mútua que existia entre o teu pai e o meu. Mando-te aí prata e ouro para te convencer a quebrares a tua aliança com Basha, rei de Israel, para que me deixes tranquilo.
4 Ben-Hadade aceitou a proposta de Asa e mobilizou o seu exército com o fim de atacar Israel. Destruíram pois as povoações de Ijom, de Dan e de Abel-Maim e todos os centros de reabastecimento em Naftali.
5 Ouvindo isto, Basha suspendeu a construção de Ramá e anulou o seu plano de ataque a Judá.
6 O rei Asa e o povo de Judá foram a Ramá, carregaram com as pedras da construção, com a madeira, e usaram isso tudo para construir Geba e Mizpá.
7 Por essa altura veio ter com Asa o profeta Hanani que lhe disse: Visto que puseste a tua confiança no rei da Síria e não no Senhor teu Deus, o exército do rei da Síria escapou da tua mão. Não te lembras já do que aconteceu ao imenso exército de etíopes e líbios, com todos os seus carros e cavaleiros? Nesse tempo confiaste no Senhor e ele entregou-tos a todos. Porque os olhos do Senhor passam por toda a Terra procurando aqueles cujo coração é recto diante dele, para que possa mostrar para com eles o seu poder e o seu socorro. Procedeste loucamente! Daqui em diante haverá guerras contra ti.
10 Asa ficou tão zangado com o profeta por ter dito estas coisas que o pôs na masmorra. A partir dessa altura começou a oprimir despoticamente alguns do povo.
11 O resto dos feitos de Asa estão escritos nos Anais dos Reis de Israel e de Judá.
12 No ano trinta e nove do seu reinado, Asa ficou seriamente doente dos pés, mas nem mesmo assim procurou o Senhor, para o ajudar; confiou apenas em médicos. Assim faleceu ele, no ano quarenta e um do seu reinado, tendo sido enterrado no túmulo que mandara construir para si em Jerusalém. Foi posto numa cama cheia de especiarias e de óleos perfumados. O povo fez-lhe um enterro em que se queimou muito incenso.
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 the house of Yahweh 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 you, as [there was] between my father and your father: look, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And 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 store-cities of Naphtali.
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard of it, 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 its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built with them Geba and Mizpah.
7 And 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 haven't relied on Yahweh your God, therefore the host of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceedingly many? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.
9 For the eyes of Yahweh run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. In this you have done foolishly; for from from now on you will have wars.
10 Then Asa was angry 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, look, the acts of Asa, first and last, see, 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 exceedingly great: yet in his disease he did not seek to Yahweh, 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 tombs, which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and diverse kinds [of spices] prepared by the perfumers' art: and they made a very great burning for him.