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2 Paralipomenon xvi.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 1. Six
and thirtieth year of his kingdom. That is, of the kingdom of Juda, taking the date of it from the beginning of the reign
of Roboam. (Challoner) --- It was the 16th of Asa. We read that Baasa died in the 26th year of Asa, 3 Kings xvi. 8. How then
could he fight with him in the 36th? (Tirinus) --- Rama was on an eminence, and commanded the pass below. Baasa wished
to cut off all communication with the kingdom of Juda, as he knew many of his subjects had emigrated for the sake of the true
religion, chap. xv. 9. (Calmet) --- He had taken the city from the tribe of Benjamin. (Tirinus)
Ver. 3. There
is, Hebrew is indeterminate: "a league," &c. Septuagint, "Make a league....behold I have sent thee gold and silver.
Come and drive away from me Baasa, king," &c. --- That. Protestants, "go, break thy league." (Haydock) --- Asa
induces the king of Damascus to act perfidiously. (Calmet) --- Otherwise it is not unlawful to make use of the arms of infidels,
unless where God has forbidden it. (Grotius, Jur. ii. 15, 9.) (Masius in Jos. ix. 15.) --- David had recourse to Achis, and
the Machabees to the Romans. (Calmet) --- Some kings are blamed for making leagues with the princes of Israel, because they
had been warned to the contrary; and Asa was severely reprehended, as he had already received such assurances of the divine
protection, (chap. xiv. 12., and xv. 7.) that nothing but pusillanimity could have induced him (Haydock) to give away the
sacred treasures, in order to obtain this aid of the Syrian king, ver. 7.
Ver. 4. Nephthali.
This seem preferable to the Hebrew reading, 3 Kings xv. 20. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "all the store-cities." Septuagint,
"all the environs." (Haydock) --- Arabic, "all the arsenals of the cities of Nephthali."
Ver. 7. Syria.
It seems more natural to read Israel. (Calmet) --- But we must remember that Benadad was an ally of Israel; and if he had
not been bribed, he would have come to the assistance of Baasa, (Haydock) and thus both might have fallen a prey to Asa, as
the much greater forces of Zara had done. (Tirinus)
Ver. 9. Behold.
Protestants, "run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is
perfect towards him." Septuagint, "to shew power in every heart full, or perfect, in his regard." (Haydock) --- Asa
fell on this occasion through human frailty, but rose again by repentance. --- Thee, as they were till the death of
Baasa, 3 Kings xv. 32.
Ver. 10.
Prison. Literally, "in bonds," (nervum) made of leather thongs or nerves, (Haydock) or of iron, to confine either
the neck or the feet. (Isidor. orig. 5. ultra) --- Hebrew, "the house of disturbance." Septuagint, &c., "prison." Some
explain it (Calmet) of the stocks to enclose the neck. (Vatable) --- Time, either because they expressed the same sentiments
as the prophet, (Calmet) or because they disapproved of his imprisonment. (Tirinus) --- Septuagint, "Asa made havoc among
the people," &c. (Haydock)
Ver. 12.
Most, &c. Hebrew, "till his disease got upwards," (Calmet) to the head (Tirinus) and heart, (Haydock) when the
gout generally proves fatal. (Cornelius a Lapide) --- Septuagint, "till he was very ill:" (Haydock) a just punishment for
his having confined the prophet in fetters; but of a temporal nature, as he sinned through passion, and died penitent, his
heart being perfect (chap. xv. 17.) all or the most part of his days, particularly in the last. (Worthington)
--- Rather. Hebrew and Septuagint simply, "physicians." (Haydock) --- Yet it was not the having recourse to them, with
some degree of confidence, that is here reprehended, but the placing too much trust in men, (Calmet) and too little in God,
the sovereign arbiter of life and death. (Haydock)
Ver. 14.
Sepulchre. Hebrew, "sepulchres," as there were many separate apartments in the same cavern. (Calmet) --- Asa had prepared
one cell, as David and Solomon had done. (Menochius) (Tirinus) --- Odoriferous (mertriciis.) Such as harlots
delight in, (Proverbs vii. 16,) to entice the sensual. (Du Hamel) --- Hebrew zenim, may be derived from zana, fornicari.
It denotes a mixture of perfumes. (Menochius) --- But here the Vulgate read zunim. (Du Hamel) --- Hebrew and Septuagint,
"they laid him on a bed, and filled it with aromatical spices, and with various sorts of perfumers' ointments, and they made
him a very great funeral, or (Haydock) burning." (Protestants) --- It is not clear whether the body was placed on a
bed of state, and these perfumes were used to remove every disagreeable smell, or the body itself was rather consumed along
with them, a practice which seems to have become more common since the days of Asa, Jeremias xxxiv. 5., 1 Kings xxxi. 12.,
and Amos vi. 10. Joram was deprived of this honour, chap. xxi. 19. (Calmet) --- Sanctius adduces many examples, to prove that
the spices were burnt only near the body; (Tirinus) and the Hebrews generally preferred to inter the corpse. Corpora condere
quam cremare è more Ægyptio. (Tacitus, Hist. v.)
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Bible Text & Cross-references:
Asa is reproved for seeking help from the Syrians: his last
acts and death.
1 And in the six and thirtieth year of his kingdom, *Baasa, the king of
Israel, came up against Juda, and built a wall about Rama, that no one might safely go out or come in, of the kingdom of Asa.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold, out of the treasures of the house
of the Lord, and of the king's treasures, and sent to Benadad, king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father
and thy father, wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayst break thy league with Baasa, king of Israel, and
make him depart from me.
4 And then Benadad heard this, he sent the captains of his armies against
the cities of Israel: and they took Ahion, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Nephthali.
5 And when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted
his work.
6 Then king Asa took all Juda, and they carried away from Rama, the stones,
and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building: and he built with them Gabaa, and Maspha.
7 At that time Hanani, the prophet, came to Asa, king of Juda, and said
to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord, thy God, therefore hath the army of the
king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.
8 *Were not the Ethiopians, and the Lybians, much more numerous in chariots,
and horsemen, and an exceedingly great multitude: yet because thou trustedst in the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand?
9 For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those
who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore, thou hast done foolishly; and for this cause, from this time wars shall
arise against thee.
10 And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison:
for he was greatly enraged because of this thing: and he put to death many of the people at that time.
11 But the works of Asa, the first and last, are written in the Book of
the kings of Juda and Israel.
12 And Asa fell sick in the nine and thirtieth *year of his reign, of a
most violent pain in his feet, and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians.
13 And he slept with his fathers: and he died in the one and fortieth year
*of his reign.
14 And they buried him in his own sepulchre, which he had made for himself
in the city of David: and they laid him on his bed, full of spices and odoriferous ointments, which were made by the art of
the perfumers, and they burnt them over him with very great pomp.
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*
1: Year of the World 3064, Year before Christ 940.
8: 2 Paralipomenon xiv. 9.
12: Year of the World 3087, Year before Christ 917.
13: Year of the World 3090.
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