1 Kings 15:17

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15 He also brought into the house of the Lord the things which his father ^ahad dedicated, and the things which he himself had dedicated: silver and gold and utensils.

16 Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

17 And ^aBaasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built ^bRamah, ^cthat he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

18 Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to ^aBen-Hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in ^bDamascus, saying,

19 “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

20 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and ^asent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked ^bIjon, ^cDan, ^dAbel Beth Maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

21 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah, and remained in ^aTirzah.

22 ^aThen King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted. And they took away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them King Asa built ^bGeba of Benjamin, and ^cMizpah.

23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But ^ain the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

24 So Asa rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. ^aThen ^bJehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

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1 Kings 15:17

Ramah (perhaps "Er-Ram;" marginal reference) was situated halfway between Bethel and Jerusalem. Its distance from Jerusalem was no more than five miles so that its occupation was a menace to that capital. Baasha' s seizure of Ramah implies a previous recovery of the towns taken by Abijam from Jeroboam, namely, Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephrain II Chronicles 13:19, and was a carrying of the war into the enemy' s country. Could his conquest have been maintained, it would have crippled Judah seriously, and have almost compelled a transfer of the capital to Hebron.

That he might not suffer any to go out or come in - Baasha, in seizing Ramah, professed to be acting on the defensive. His complaint seems to have been well founded (compare II Chronicles 15:9); but it was more than a defensive measure - it was the first step toward a conquest of the southern kingdom.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 1 Kings 15:17:**

1 Kings 16:5

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1 Kings 15:18 >>

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