Changes

== The Ramah Skirmish ==

== The Ramah Skirmish ==

In the fourteenth year of his reign, Baasha began to fortify the city of [[Ramah]], in an attempt to stem the tide of defections from his kingdom to the [[Southern Kingdom]], then under King [[Asa]]. Asa paid an enormous bribe to King [[Benhadad I]] of [[Syria]], and Benhadad then broke his own treaty with Baashs and attacked several Northern Kingdom cities. Benhadad destroyed the cities of [[Ijon]] in the tribal province of [[Asher (tribe)|Asher]], the city of [[Dan (city)]] in the tribal province of [[Dan (tribe)|Dan]], [[Abelbethmaachah]] in the tribal province of [[Manasseh (tribe)]], the borders of [[Chinnereth]], and practically every city of any size in [[Naphthali (tribe)|Naphthali]]. Baasha then had to leave off fortifying Ramah to defend against any further incursions. Subsequently, Asa drafted a large labor force and dismantled Ramah completely.<ref name=Columbia/><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=16|verses=1-14}}</ref>

In the fourteenth year of his reign, Baasha began to fortify the city of [[Ramah]], in an attempt to stem the tide of defections from his kingdom to the [[Southern Kingdom]], then under King [[Asa]]. Asa paid an enormous bribe to King [[Benhadad I]] of [[Syria]], whereupon Benhadad then broke his own treaty with Baasha and attacked several Northern Kingdom cities. Benhadad destroyed the cities of [[Ijon]] in the tribal province of [[Asher (tribe)|Asher]], the city of [[Dan (city)]] in the tribal province of [[Dan (tribe)|Dan]], [[Abelbethmaachah]] in the tribal province of [[Manasseh (tribe)]], the borders of [[Chinnereth]], and practically every city of any size in [[Naphthali (tribe)|Naphthali]]. Baasha then had to leave off fortifying Ramah to defend against any further incursions. Subsequently, Asa drafted a large labor force and dismantled Ramah completely.<ref name=Columbia/><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=16|verses=1-14}}</ref>

== A Baleful Prophecy ==

== A Baleful Prophecy ==