Bible Commentaries

2 Chronicles 16:1. In the six-and-thirtieth year of the reign— In the twenty-sixth year; Houbigant: for Baasha died in the twenty-sixth year of Asa.

2 Chronicles 16:3. There is a league between me and thee— Let there be a league, I pray thee, between me and thee. Houbigant.

2 Chronicles 16:10. For he was in a rage with him, &c.— Though this thing displeased his people, and at that time Asa slew some of the people. Houbigant.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, The event here recorded we had 1 Kings 15. The six-and-thirtieth year of Asa is reckoned from the division of the kingdoms, which is no more than the sixteenth of his reign. The expedient that Asa adopted to divert Baasha was unjustifiable and sinful: it shewed distrust of God, led Ben-hadad into a perfidious breach of his league, and all the mischiefs which ensued lay at Asa's door; whilst himself, with half the expence probably, and without robbing God's temple, might, in dependance on his assistance, have much more nobly succeeded against Baasha. Note; Wrong expedients may succeed to extricate us from present trouble; but we shall afterwards be made to smart for using them.

2nd, Asa now, probably, pleased himself in the success of his policy; but God embittered his joys.

1. By Hanani the prophet he sends him a severe rebuke for his distrust of the divine assistance, and dependance upon an arm of flesh, which was like changing a rock for a reed: and the experience of his past deliverance was an aggravation of his sin, especially when the promises of the same providential care engaged him to rely upon that strong arm which would ever be stretched out for the protection of those who leaned upon it. And herein also his folly was as great as his sin: he lost the glory that he might have gotten by victory over the confederate hosts of Syria and Israel, and entailed upon himself the wars which he thus sought to avoid. Note; (1.) Distrust of God's power and love is exceedingly displeasing to him. (2.) The more we have experienced his mercy in time past, the more sinful is it to distrust him in present trials. (3.) All our departures from God arise from the infidelity of our hearts. Tush, God shall not see, and, the Lord hath forsaken the earth, are at the bottom of every evil. (4.) The very means that we use unlawfully to avert approaching danger, often serve to bring it more heavily upon us. (5.) All the wisdom of the sinner will at last appear the most egregious folly.

2. Far from submitting with penitent shame to the just rebuke, the angry king vents his rage on the prophet, calls him into prison, as if his faithfulness was criminal; and because, probably, the people espoused the prophet's cause, and encouraged him in his sufferings, he wreaked his vengeance upon them in oppressive fines, or corporal punishments. Note; (1.) Passion, and impatience of reproof, even in a man otherwise good, are exceedingly sinful, and will end in bitter groans. (2.) They who know their own hearts had need be jealous of themselves. (3.) Faithful reprovers must expect to meet severe rebuffs. (4.) The prison-house is often the preferment of God's zealous ministers. (5.) We are called upon to support God's persecuted prophets, though by so doing we may be involved in their sufferings.

3. Asa grew diseased in the last years of his life: either the gout, or some oedematous swelling, seized his feet, and he languished for a while in great misery; a just rebuke for his injury to the prophet. In his disease he placed more dependance on his physicians than on God, and was more solicitous for their assistance than to obtain God's blessing upon it. So apt are we still to be looking to man more than to God for help!

4. Medicine, without God's blessing, is no elixir of life. Death mocked at his confidence, and brought him to the grave. In respect of the good things that he had done for Israel, the people gave him a most sumptuous funeral, and the clods of the valley were made sweet unto him. The good report afterwards made of him gives us ground to believe that he lamented his sin, and was forgiven. Note; Though the best of men have their blemishes, their memory is deservedly had in honour. Let their infirmities sleep in the grave, and their virtues rouse us to an imitation of them.