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'''Asa''' ([[Hebrew]], "healer"<ref name=Blank>[http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/roadsign.htm Blank, Wayne]. "[http://www.keyway.ca/htm2001/20010909.htm Entry for Asa]." ''The Church of God Daily Bible Study'', 1998. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref>) (r. 956-914 BC by [[James Ussher|Ussher]],<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pghh. 489-509</ref> or 910-872 BC by [[Edwin R. Thiele|Thiele]]<ref name=Wood>Leon J. Wood, ''A Survey of Israel's History'', rev. ed. David O'Brien, Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1986 (ISBN 031034770X), pp. 289-291</ref><ref name=Kachelman>Kachelman, John L., Jr."[http://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/John_L_Kachelman_Jr/kings-ot/asa.htm King Asa: The Failure of Compromise]!" ''The Christian Library'', 1999. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref>) was the third king of the [[Southern Kingdom]] and son and successor of [[Abijam]].<ref name=Blank/> The [[Bible]]<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15|verses=9}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=14|verses=1}}</ref> says that he reigned for 41 years.<ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=GeoCities>Authors unknown. "[http://www.geocities.com/thekingsofisrael/biography_Asa.html King Asa - Biography]." ''The Kings of Israel'', hosted at http://www.geocities.com/ Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> During this time, no less than seven kings<ref name=GeoCities/>--two of whom were civil-war opponents--reigned in the [[Northern Kingdom]], not even including [[Jeroboam I]], who died in Asa's second year.

'''Asa''' ([[Hebrew]], "healer"<ref name=Blank>[http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/roadsign.htm Blank, Wayne]. "[http://www.keyway.ca/htm2001/20010909.htm Entry for Asa]." ''The Church of God Daily Bible Study'', 1998. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref>) (r. 956-914 BC by [[James Ussher|Ussher]],<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pghh. 489-509</ref> or 910-872 BC by [[Edwin R. Thiele|Thiele]]<ref name=Wood>Leon J. Wood, ''A Survey of Israel's History'', rev. ed. David O'Brien, Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1986 (ISBN 031034770X), pp. 289-291</ref><ref name=Kachelman>Kachelman, John L., Jr."[http://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/John_L_Kachelman_Jr/kings-ot/asa.htm King Asa: The Failure of Compromise]!" ''The Christian Library'', 1999. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref>) was the third king of the [[Southern Kingdom]] and son and successor of [[Abijam]].<ref name=Blank/> The [[Bible]]<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15|verses=9}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=14|verses=1}}</ref> says that he reigned for 41 years.<ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=GeoCities>Authors unknown. "[http://www.geocities.com/thekingsofisrael/biography_Asa.html King Asa - Biography]." ''The Kings of Israel'', hosted at http://www.geocities.com/ Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> During this time, no less than seven kings<ref name=GeoCities/>—two of whom were civil-war opponents—reigned in the [[Northern Kingdom]], not even including [[Jeroboam I]], who died in Asa's second year.

== Early life ==

== Early life ==

The Bible does not say how old Asa was when he began to reign. However, his grandfather [[Rehoboam]]<ref name=Blank/> died at the age of 58, and Asa began to reign a scant two years later, following the death of his father [[Abijam]]<ref name=Blank/>). Thus Asa must have been quite young when he began to reign--probably as young as 18 and not much older than 22.

The Bible does not say how old Asa was when he began to reign. However, his grandfather [[Rehoboam]]<ref name=Blank/> died at the age of 58, and Asa began to reign a scant two years later, following the death of his father [[Abijam]]<ref name=Blank/>). Thus Asa must have been quite young when he began to reign—probably as young as 18 and not much older than 22.

The Bible describes his father as an "evil-doing" king. However, young Asa would have had one instructive example of how to trust [[God]] from his father's reign:<ref name=Hughes>Hughes, Al V. "[http://www.biblebaptistportorchard.com/?row=60 The Rise and Fall of King Asa]." Port Orchard, WA: Bible Baptist Church, 2003. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> the [[Battle of Zemaraim]], in which Abijam routed an army that outnumbered him two-to-one and inflicted 62.5% casualties on it, simply by appealing to God by faith alone. Asa did well as a king only when he consistently followed that example.<ref name=Blank/>

The Bible describes his father as an "evil-doing" king. However, young Asa would have had one instructive example of how to trust [[God]] from his father's reign:<ref name=Hughes>Hughes, Al V. "[http://www.biblebaptistportorchard.com/?row=60 The Rise and Fall of King Asa]." Port Orchard, WA: Bible Baptist Church, 2003. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> the [[Battle of Zemaraim]], in which Abijam routed an army that outnumbered him two-to-one and inflicted 62.5% casualties on it, simply by appealing to God by faith alone. Asa did well as a king only when he consistently followed that example.<ref name=Blank/>

== Early reign ==

== Early reign ==

Asa began his reign well. He systematically and diligently cleaned out all idols and pagan altars and other worship places from his land.<ref name=GeoCities/> He also saw to his country's defense, and exhorted his people to join in his building projects and in trusting in God for the peace they enjoyed.<ref name=VanBelkum>Van Belkum, André. "[http://www.ucg.org/un/un9811/ The Life of King Asa: Vital Lessons For You and Me]." ''United News'' (United Church of God), November, 1998. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> Sadly, Asa did not finish removing the [[high place]]s from his domain.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15|verses=4}}</ref><ref name=Blank/>

Asa began his reign well. He systematically and diligently cleaned out all idols and pagan altars and other worship places from his land.<ref name=GeoCities/> He also saw to his country's defense, and exhorted his people to join in his building projects and in trusting in God for the peace they enjoyed.<ref name=VanBelkum>Van Belkum, André. "[http://www.ucg.org/un/un9811/ The Life of King Asa: Vital Lessons For You and Me]." ''United News'' (United Church of God), November, 1998. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> Sadly, Asa did not finish removing the [[high place]]s from his domain.<ref name=Blank/><ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15|verses=4}}</ref>

In the first five years of his reign, his arch-rival [[Jeroboam I]] died and, one year later, his son [[King Nadab|Nadab]] was assassinated by the usurper [[Baasha]]. Then, beginning in the fifth year of Asa's reign, the Southern Kingdom enjoyed ten years of relative peace.<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Cameron>Cameron, Bruce N., JD. "[http://www.cameronlaw.com/study/197.php The Rise of the House of Asa]." GoBible.org, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> At the end of this time, it had an admirably strong border and an army 580,000 strong<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Blank/>--300,000 spear throwers from [[Judah (tribe)|Judah]] and 280,000 archers from [[Benjamin (tribe)|Benjamin]].

In the first five years of his reign, his arch-rival [[Jeroboam I]] died and, one year later, his son [[King Nadab|Nadab]] was assassinated by the usurper [[Baasha]]. Then, beginning in the fifth year of Asa's reign, the Southern Kingdom enjoyed ten years of relative peace.<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Cameron>Cameron, Bruce N., JD. "[http://www.cameronlaw.com/study/197.php The Rise of the House of Asa]." GoBible.org, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref> At the end of this time, it had an admirably strong border and an army 580,000 strong<ref name=Blank/><ref name=GeoCities/>—300,000 spear throwers from [[Judah (tribe)|Judah]] and 280,000 archers from [[Benjamin (tribe)|Benjamin]].

Asa had at least one wife, named [[Azubah]]. In the seventh year of his reign, Asa had a son by her named [[Jehoshaphat]], who eventually would succeed him.

Asa had at least one wife, named [[Azubah]]. In the seventh year of his reign, Asa had a son by her named [[Jehoshaphat]], who eventually would succeed him.

== The Battle of Mareshah ==

== The Battle of Mareshah ==

King [[Zerah]] of [[Ethiopia]] sought to invade the Southern Kingdom in Asa's fifteenth year. He came with an army a million strong (literally, "a thousand thousands") and with 300 [[chariot]]s. Asa met him in battle with his full strength--and with an urgent prayer to God. God answered Asa's prayers: Asa routed Zerah's forces, put them to pell-mell flight, chased them all the way to [[Gerar]] in [[Philistia]], and there slaughtered them because they could run no further from sheer exhaustion. Asa's men also took much booty on their return trip, including much cattle, sheep and camels.<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Blank/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=Cameron/>

King [[Zerah]] of [[Ethiopia]] sought to invade the Southern Kingdom in Asa's fifteenth year. He came with an army a million strong (literally, "a thousand thousands") and with 300 [[chariot]]s. Asa met him in battle with his full strength—and with an urgent prayer to God. God answered Asa's prayers: Asa routed Zerah's forces, put them to pell-mell flight, chased them all the way to [[Gerar]] in [[Philistia]], and there slaughtered them because they could run no further from sheer exhaustion. Asa's men also took much booty on their return trip, including much cattle, sheep and camels.<ref name=Blank/><ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Cameron/>

== Victory celebration and revival ==

== Victory celebration and revival ==

As Asa and his soldiers returned from battle, the prophet [[Azariah (prophet)|Azariah]] put Asa's victory in perspective:{{Bible quote|He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you..."|book=II_Chronicles|chap=15|verses=2}}

As Asa and his soldiers returned from battle, the prophet [[Azariah (prophet)|Azariah]] put Asa's victory in perspective:{{Bible quote|He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you..."|book=II_Chronicles|chap=15|verses=2}}

Azariah also reminded Asa of how lawless--and vulnerable--the Southern Kingdom had been in the days of Asa's predecessors, and urged him to renew the commitment he had made to God.<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Blank/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=Hughes/>

Azariah also reminded Asa of how lawless—and vulnerable—the Southern Kingdom had been in the days of Asa's predecessors, and urged him to renew the commitment he had made to God.<ref name=Blank/><ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Hughes/><ref name=VanBelkum/>

Asa took this advice.<ref name=GeoCities/> He renewed his anti-paganism campaign.  He even removed his grandmother [[Maachah]] from her royal position,<ref name=Blank/><ref name=Kachelman/> because she herself had made an idol, which he destroyed with all the other idols. (This woman named Maachah cannot be his mother, because she is already identified as the wife of Rehoboam and mother of Abijam.) He also received a large number of immigrants from [[Ephraim (tribe)|Ephraim]] and [[Manasseh (tribe)|Manasseh]], who had moved into his country when they saw how prosperous the Lord had made it.

Asa took this advice.<ref name=GeoCities/> He renewed his anti-paganism campaign.  He even removed his grandmother [[Maachah]] from her royal position,<ref name=Blank/><ref name=Kachelman/> because she herself had made an idol, which he destroyed with all the other idols. (This woman named Maachah cannot be his mother, because she is already identified as the wife of Rehoboam and mother of Abijam.) He also received a large number of immigrants from [[Ephraim (tribe)|Ephraim]] and [[Manasseh (tribe)|Manasseh]], who had moved into his country when they saw how prosperous the Lord had made it.

Asa's decline began in the sixteenth year of his reign (and the thirty-sixth year since the division of the Kingdoms) when [[Baasha]], who had been king of the Northern Kingdom for fourteen years, took steps to stem the tide of emigration from his kingdom. To this end, Baasha began building a strong border city of [[Ramah]], to close the border between the two kingdoms.

Asa's decline began in the sixteenth year of his reign (and the thirty-sixth year since the division of the Kingdoms) when [[Baasha]], who had been king of the Northern Kingdom for fourteen years, took steps to stem the tide of emigration from his kingdom. To this end, Baasha began building a strong border city of [[Ramah]], to close the border between the two kingdoms.

Asa, instead of calling upon God as he had done before going into battle with King Zerah, sent a large bribe to King [[Benhadad I]] of [[Syria]].<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Blank/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=Hughes/><ref name=Cameron/> He reminded Benhadad that Syria and the Southern Kingdom had a treaty, negotiated by Abijam and Benhadad's own father, and urged Benhadad to conduct some border raids against the Northern Kingdom. This Benhadad did, and this act forced Baasha to leave off building his fortified city to defend his own border. Asa then drafted a large labor force to dismantle Ramah, stone by stone and timber by timber, and use the materials to build the cities of [[Giba]] and [[Mizpah]].

Asa, instead of calling upon God as he had done before going into battle with King Zerah, sent a large bribe to King [[Benhadad I]] of [[Syria]].<ref name=Blank/><ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Hughes/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Cameron/> He reminded Benhadad that Syria and the Southern Kingdom had a treaty, negotiated by Abijam and Benhadad's own father, and urged Benhadad to conduct some border raids against the Northern Kingdom. This Benhadad did, and this act forced Baasha to leave off building his fortified city to defend his own border. Asa then drafted a large labor force to dismantle Ramah, stone by stone and timber by timber, and use the materials to build the cities of [[Giba]] and [[Mizpah]].

After this, the [[prophet]] [[Hanani]] rebuked the king, saying that by his negligence King Benhadad had escaped the disaster that God would otherwise have visited upon him.<ref name=Kachelman/> (Worth mentioning also is that Asa was not perfectly diligent in removing [[high place]]s; most of them remained at the end of his reign.) As a punishment, the Southern Kingdom would be at war with the Northern, off and on, for the rest of Asa's reign. Asa, furious, had Hanani imprisoned, and furthermore oppressed an undetermined number of people.<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=Hughes/><ref name=Cameron/> This did not, however, stop the wars. These ended only when Baasha died and, two years later, the Northern Kingdom was plunged into civil war.

After this, the [[prophet]] [[Hanani]] rebuked the king, saying that by his negligence King Benhadad had escaped the disaster that God would otherwise have visited upon him.<ref name=Kachelman/> (Worth mentioning also is that Asa was not perfectly diligent in removing [[high place]]s; most of them remained at the end of his reign.) As a punishment, the Southern Kingdom would be at war with the Northern, off and on, for the rest of Asa's reign. Asa, furious, had Hanani imprisoned, and furthermore oppressed an undetermined number of people.<ref name=Kachelman/><ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Hughes/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Cameron/> This did not, however, stop the wars. These ended only when Baasha died and, two years later, the Northern Kingdom was plunged into civil war.

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was stricken with a disease of his feet--and again, instead of praying to God about it, he sought help from physicians who, in the end, could not cure him or treat him with any effectiveness whatsoever.<ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Blank/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Cameron/> Two years after that, he died, and his son [[Jehoshaphat]] succeeded him.

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was stricken with a disease of his feet—and again, instead of praying to God about it, he sought help from physicians who, in the end, could not cure him or treat him with any effectiveness whatsoever.<ref name=Blank/><ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=VanBelkum/><ref name=Cameron/> Two years after that, he died, and his son [[Jehoshaphat]] succeeded him.

== Chronological problems and resolutions ==

== Chronological problems and resolutions ==

The Biblical accounts of the Asa-Baasha wars<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=14-16}}</ref> appear to contradict one another. [[I Kings]] clearly states that Baasha reigned between the third and twenty-sixth years of Asa. How then could Baasha had started a border skirmish with Asa in the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, as [[II Chronicles]] implies?

The Biblical accounts of the Asa-Baasha wars<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_Kings|chap=15}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=14-16}}</ref> appear to contradict one another. [[I Kings]] clearly states that Baasha reigned between the third and twenty-sixth years of Asa. How then could Baasha had started a border skirmish with Asa in the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, as [[II Chronicles]] implies?

[[James Ussher]]<ref name=Ussher/> and his translator, [[Larry Pierce]], suggest<ref name=Pierce3>[[Larry Pierce|Pierce, Larry]]. "[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/magazines/tj/docs/divided.pdf Ussher's Time Line for the Divided Kingdom]." ''Trinity Review'', 170, April 1999, p. 7. Retrieved June 21, 2007, from [http://www.answersingenesis.org Answers in Genesis]. Requires PDF reader or plug-in.</ref> that the thirty-sixth year referred to in II Chronicles is the thirty-sixth year ''in the history of the Southern Kingdom'' and ''not'' the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign. The [[Hebrew]] text, says Pierce, is ambiguous on this point. The assumption that Ussher and Pierce make resolves the apparent paradox. It also explains why the Chronicler says that the land of Judah had rest for ten years, although it also says that the land had no warfare until "the thirty-fifth year"--again, probably the thirty-fifth year of the Southern Kingdom, not of King Asa.

[[James Ussher]]<ref name=Ussher/> and his translator, [[Larry Pierce]], suggest<ref name=Pierce3>[[Larry Pierce|Pierce, Larry]]. "[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/magazines/tj/docs/divided.pdf Ussher's Time Line for the Divided Kingdom]." ''Trinity Review'', 170, April 1999, p. 7. Retrieved June 21, 2007, from [http://www.answersingenesis.org Answers in Genesis]. Requires PDF reader or plug-in.</ref> that the thirty-sixth year referred to in II Chronicles is the thirty-sixth year ''in the history of the Southern Kingdom'' and ''not'' the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign. The [[Hebrew]] text, says Pierce, is ambiguous on this point. The assumption that Ussher and Pierce make resolves the apparent paradox. It also explains why the Chronicler says that the land of Judah had rest for ten years, although it also says that the land had no warfare until "the thirty-fifth year"—again, probably the thirty-fifth year of the Southern Kingdom, not of King Asa.

That the Chronicler records Asa's failure to remove the [[high place]]s in the fifteenth year of his reign, may or may not be significant in the context of the border skirmish occurring one year later.

That the Chronicler records Asa's failure to remove the [[high place]]s in the fifteenth year of his reign, may or may not be significant in the context of the border skirmish occurring one year later.

== Related References ==

== Related References ==

<references/>

<references/>

== See Also ==

== See also ==

* [[Southern Kingdom]]

* [[Southern Kingdom]]

* [[Northern Kingdom]]

* [[Northern Kingdom]]