2 Chronicles 16:2

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

Complete Jewish Bible:

Then Asa removed silver and gold from the treasures of the house of ADONAI and the royal palace; and sent this message to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who lived in Dammesek:

Berean Standard Bible:

So Asa withdrew the silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent it with this message to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus:

American Standard Version:

Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Then Asa^{H609} brought out^{H3318} silver^{H3701} and gold^{H2091} out of the treasures^{H214} of the house^{H1004} of the LORD^{H3068} and of the king's^{H4428} house^{H1004}, and sent^{H7971} to Benhadad^{H1130} king^{H4428} of Syria^{H758}, that dwelt^{H3427} at Damascus^{H1834}, saying^{H559},

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Commentary for 2 Chronicles 16:2

2 Chronicles 16:2 is set within the historical context of the divided monarchy of Israel, where the kingdom had been split into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. Asa, the king of Judah, faced a threat from Baasha, the king of Israel, who sought to fortify Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going in or out of Judah's territory.

The verse specifically recounts Asa's response to this threat. Instead of relying on the Lord, as he had done earlier in his reign (see 2 Chronicles 14:11), Asa resorts to diplomatic and financial measures. He takes silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple and the royal palace and sends them to Ben-hadad, the king of Aram (Syria), who was based in Damascus. Asa's message, though not detailed in this verse, would likely have been a plea for military assistance or a bribe to persuade Ben-hadad to break his alliance with Baasha and instead ally with Asa.

The themes present in this verse include the consequences of a leader's failure to trust in God, the misuse of temple resources for political purposes, and the complex geopolitics of the ancient Near East. Asa's actions reflect a lack of faith and a departure from his previous religious reforms and reliance on God. This shift would later be rebuked by the prophet Hanani, who confronts Asa for trusting in the king of Syria instead of in the Lord (2 Chronicles 16:7-9). The verse underscores the importance of trusting in God's provision and faithfulness, rather than in human alliances and worldly wealth, a lesson that resonates throughout the historical books of the Old Testament.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H609
   There are 201 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָסָא
   Transliteration: ʼÂçâʼ
   Pronunciation: aw-saw'
   Description: of uncertain derivation; Asa, the name of a king and of a Levite; Asa.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3318
   There are 992 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָצָא
   Transliteration: yâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: yaw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.; [idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, [idiom] scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, [idiom] still, [idiom] surely, take forth (out), at any time, [idiom] to (and fro), utter.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3701
   There are 343 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כֶּסֶף
   Transliteration: keçeph
   Pronunciation: keh'-sef
   Description: from כָּסַף; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money; money, price, silver(-ling).
   
4. Strong's Number: H2091
   There are 336 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: זָהָב
   Transliteration: zâhâb
   Pronunciation: zaw-hawb'
   Description: from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky; gold(-en), fair weather.
   
5. Strong's Number: H214
   There are 477 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אוֹצָר
   Transliteration: ʼôwtsâr
   Pronunciation: o-tsaw'
   Description: from אָצַר; a depository; armory, cellar, garner, store(-house), treasure(-house) (-y).
   
6. Strong's Number: H1004
   There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בַּיִת
   Transliteration: bayith
   Pronunciation: bah'-yith
   Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out).
   
7. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
8. Strong's Number: H4428
   There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
   Transliteration: melek
   Pronunciation: meh'-lek
   Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal.
   
9. Strong's Number: H7971
   There are 790 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁלַח
   Transliteration: shâlach
   Pronunciation: shaw-lakh'
   Description: a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).
   
10. Strong's Number: H1130
    There are 24 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בֶּן־הֲדַד
    Transliteration: Ben-Hădad
    Pronunciation: ben-had-ad'
    Description: from בֵּן and הֲדַד; son of Hadad; Ben-Hadad, the name of several Syrian kings; Benhadad.
    
11. Strong's Number: H758
    There are 561 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֲרָם
    Transliteration: ʼĂrâm
    Pronunciation: arawm'
    Description: from the same as אַרְמוֹן; the highland; Aram or Syria, and its inhabitants; also the name of the son of Shem, a grandson of Nahor, and of an Israelite; Aram, Mesopotamia, Syria, Syrians.
    
12. Strong's Number: H3427
    There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָשַׁב
    Transliteration: yâshab
    Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.
    
13. Strong's Number: H1834
    There are 40 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: דַּמֶּשֶׂק
    Transliteration: Dammeseq
    Pronunciation: dam-meh'-sek
    Description: or דּוּמֶשֶׂק; or דַּרְמֶשֶׂק; of foreign origin; Damascus, a city of Syria; Damascus.
    
14. Strong's Number: H559
    There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָמַר
    Transliteration: ʼâmar
    Pronunciation: aw-mar'
    Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.