1 Kings 15:18

Then Asa took all the silver and the gold [that were] left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

Then Asa {H609} took {H3947} all the silver {H3701} and the gold {H2091} that were left {H3498} in the treasures {H214} of the house {H1004} of the LORD {H3068}, and the treasures {H214} of the king's {H4428} house {H1004}, and delivered {H5414} them into the hand {H3027} of his servants {H5650}: and king {H4428} Asa {H609} sent {H7971} them to Benhadad {H1130}, the son {H1121} of Tabrimon {H2886}, the son {H1121} of Hezion {H2383}, king {H4428} of Syria {H758}, that dwelt {H3427} at Damascus {H1834}, saying {H559},

Then Asa took all the silver and gold left among the treasures of the house of ADONAI and among the treasures of the royal palace; and, entrusting them to his servants, King Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad the son of Tavrimmon, the son of Hezyon, king of Aram, who lived in Dammesek, with this message:

So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace. He entrusted it to his servants and sent them with this message to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus:

Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants; and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

Commentary

1 Kings 15:18 details a critical decision made by King Asa of Judah during a period of intense conflict with the northern kingdom of Israel. This verse reveals Asa's pragmatic, yet spiritually questionable, strategy to secure peace and victory by forming a foreign alliance through a significant financial offering.

Context of 1 Kings 15:18

This passage is set against the backdrop of an ongoing war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel. Baasha had fortified Ramah, a strategic city just north of Jerusalem, effectively cutting off Judah's access and trade routes (1 Kings 15:17). Faced with this threat, Asa, who had otherwise been a king commended for doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD, chose a political solution. He took valuable silver and gold from both the sacred "treasures of the house of the LORD" (the temple) and the royal palace, sending them as a bribe to Ben-Hadad I, the powerful king of Syria (also known as Aram), whose capital was Damascus. Asa's aim was to persuade Ben-Hadad to break his treaty with Baasha and instead attack Israel, thereby forcing Baasha to withdraw from Ramah.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Reliance on Human Alliances vs. Divine Trust: The central theme is Asa's choice to rely on a worldly alliance and a costly bribe rather than seeking God's direct intervention. While strategically effective in the short term, this act represented a deviation from the complete trust Asa had previously demonstrated, such as when he cried out to the Lord before a battle against the Ethiopians.
  • Compromise and Expediency: Asa's decision to use the consecrated treasures of the temple for political maneuvering highlights a compromise of spiritual principles for immediate, practical gain. This act diminished the sanctity of God's house and underscored a pragmatic, rather than purely faith-driven, approach to national security.
  • Geopolitical Maneuvering: The verse vividly illustrates the complex and often shifting geopolitical landscape of the ancient Near East, where treaties were made and broken, and alliances were forged through diplomacy, threats, and significant payments. Asa's move was a calculated and common tactic of the era.

Linguistic Insights

The name Ben-Hadad literally means "son of Hadad," referring to Hadad, a prominent Canaanite and Aramean storm and fertility deity. This highlights the pagan religious context of the Syrian king with whom Asa sought alliance. Damascus, mentioned as Ben-Hadad's dwelling, was a powerful and ancient city, serving as the capital of the Aramean kingdom, making its king a formidable ally or foe.

Practical Application

King Asa's actions in 1 Kings 15:18 offer a profound lesson for believers today. It serves as a cautionary tale about the temptation to seek worldly solutions and human strength over consistent reliance on God, even when facing significant challenges. In moments of crisis, it's easy to be swayed by what seems expedient or logical, compromising spiritual values for immediate relief. This passage encourages us to consistently trust in the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding or the perceived power of human alliances (Psalm 20:7). While wisdom dictates responsible action, our ultimate confidence and resources should always be rooted in God's provision and guidance, ensuring our faith remains unwavering.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Kings 14:26

    And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

  • 2 Kings 12:18

    And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold [that was] found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent [it] to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.

  • 1 Kings 15:15

    And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.

  • 1 Kings 11:23

    And God stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

  • 1 Kings 11:24

    And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them [of Zobah]: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.

  • Genesis 14:15

    And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which [is] on the left hand of Damascus.

  • 1 Kings 20:1

    ¶ And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and [there were] thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
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