2 Chronicles 16:2

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,

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},

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:

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:

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,

Commentary

2 Chronicles 16:2 describes a pivotal moment in the reign of King Asa of Judah, highlighting a significant shift in his approach to leadership and reliance. Facing a military threat from King Baasha of Israel, Asa chose a strategic, yet ultimately faithless, course of action.

Context

Up to this point, King Asa had been largely commended for his devotion to the Lord, having initiated significant religious reforms and experienced divine deliverance in battles, most notably against the vast Ethiopian army (see 2 Chronicles 14:9-13). However, in the scenario presented in this verse, Baasha King of Israel was fortifying Ramah, a strategic city, to cut off access to Judah. Instead of seeking the Lord for deliverance as he had before, Asa decided to form a political and military alliance with Benhadad, the King of Syria (also known as Aram), whose capital was Damascus. To secure this alliance, Asa took valuable silver and gold from the treasures of both his own royal house and, significantly, from the house of the LORD – the temple treasury.

Key Themes

  • Shifting Reliance: This verse marks a departure from Asa's previous pattern of explicit trust in God for protection. Here, he relies on human strategy and a foreign alliance, rather than divine intervention. This action is later critiqued by the prophet Hanani in 2 Chronicles 16:7, who emphasizes the consequences of not leaning on the Lord.
  • Misuse of Sacred Resources: The act of taking treasures from the "house of the LORD" for a political bribe highlights a sacrilegious misuse of resources dedicated to God. These funds were intended for the temple's upkeep, worship, or perhaps for the nation's defense when God's blessing was sought, not for purchasing worldly alliances.
  • Consequences of Faithlessness: While seemingly pragmatic, Asa's decision to trust in Benhadad rather than God introduces a period of conflict and trouble for Judah, as foretold by the prophet Hanani (see 2 Chronicles 16:9, which speaks to God's steadfastness for those whose hearts are perfect toward Him, and Asa's subsequent illness).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "treasures of the house of the LORD" (Hebrew: 'otsrot beit Adonai) underscores the sacred nature of these funds. Their removal for a worldly political maneuver, rather than for purposes directly serving God or in reliance on His provision, would have been seen as a profound lapse in faith and respect for the divine.

Practical Application

Asa's decision serves as a cautionary tale for believers today. It illustrates the temptation to rely on human wisdom, resources, or alliances even after experiencing God's faithfulness. When faced with challenges, the default response for those who trust in God should be to seek His guidance and strength, rather than immediately turning to purely secular or worldly solutions, especially when it involves compromising principles or misusing consecrated resources. True security and victory come from trusting in the Lord with all your heart and not leaning on your own understanding.

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

  • 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.

  • 2 Kings 16:8

    And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent [it for] a present to the king of Assyria.

  • 2 Kings 18:15

    And Hezekiah gave [him] all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.

  • 2 Chronicles 28:21

    For Ahaz took away a portion [out] of the house of the LORD, and [out] of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave [it] unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.
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