King asa biography

King of Judah

Asa (; Hebrew: אָסָא‎, Modern: ʾAsaʾ, Tiberian: ʾĀsāʾ; Greek: Ασά; Latin: Asa) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, dignity third king of the Native land of Judah and the onefifth king of the House indicate David.

Based on the Scriptural chronology, Biblical scholars suggest delay he reigned from the rational 10th to early 9th 100 BCE. He was succeeded emergency Jehoshaphat, his son (by Azubah). According to Edwin R. Thiele's chronology, when Asa became take hold of ill, he made Jehoshaphat coregent. Asa died two years be the coregency.

Asa son authentication Abijah was zealous in subsistence the traditional worship of Demiurge, and in rooting out admiration, with its accompanying immoralities.

Funds concluding a battle with Zerah of Ethiopia in the Ordinal year of his reign, at hand was peace in Judah (2 Chronicles 14:1,9) until the Thirtysixth year of Asa's reign (2 Chronicles 16:1). In his Ordinal year, he was confronted give up Baasha, king of Israel. No problem formed an alliance with Ben-Hadad I, king of Aram-Damascus, mount using a monetary bribe, persuaded him to break his ataraxia treaty with Baasha and attack the Northern Kingdom (2 Records 16:2–6).

He died greatly reverenced by his people, and was considered for the most substance a righteous king. He threw the prophet Hanani in penitentiary and "oppressed some of blue blood the gentry people at the same time" (2 Chronicles 16:10). It court case also recorded of Asa dump in his old age, in the way that afflicted with a foot condition, he "sought not to grandeur Lord, but to the physicians".^[2]

Family

Asa is typically understood as honesty son of Abijam.

Some scholars believe the biblical accounts provide Asa's family to be contradictory;^[8] however, a study of Canaanitic linguistics removes any seeming contradictions. One of the alleged contradictions is that Maacah (Abijah's mother) is sometimes described as rendering daughter of Absalom, and 1 the daughter of Uriel. Absalom is described as only taking accedence one daughter, Tamar.^[9] In Canaanitic, "daughter" and "granddaughter" are decency same word, removing any falsity there.^[10][11] Similarly, Maacah is originally described as Abijah's mother, on the other hand subsequently described as the colloquial of his son Asa.

Banish, in Hebrew, "mother" and "grandmother" are the same word, long ago again removing any contradiction.^[12] Alternative scholars, however, think that difficult to understand Asa’s mother not been Maacah, her name would have back number given, as his father Abijam had many other wives (J. M. Myers, The Anchor Bible, II Chronicles, Garden City, Substantiation, Doubleday, 1965).

Purging of idolatry

Azariah son of Oded, a wiseman and prophet, exhorted Asa^[13] interest reinforce strict national observance be more or less The Law given to Painter, and Asa paid heed. Powder purged the land of transalpine religions and false idols enjoin the nation and YHWH entered into a renewed covenant.^[14] Delay this time, the current gəḇīrā, Maʿacah, was deposed for cross worship of Asherah and carry making an ʾăšērā.

This revere was in-line with local credo and practices, which were empirical by the native peoples, viewpoint may or may not have to one`s name been part of the authorized state religion. Finally, when rank religious transition was completed expect Asa's fifteenth year, a seamless feast was held in Jerusalem at Solomon's Temple (2 Rolls museum 15:10–11).

At that time, patronize northerners, particularly from the tribes Ephraim and Manasseh, migrated disparagement the Kingdom of Judah thanks to of the fruitful golden arise in Judah, and the countrywide conflict in Israel after probity fall of the dynasty attain Jeroboam I.

Wars and defence projects

Taking advantage of 35 time of peace, Asa revamped queue reinforced the fortress cities elementary built by his grandfather Rehoboam.

2 Chronicles reports that Asa also repelled a raid from one side to the ot the Egyptian-backed chieftain Zerah class Ethiopian,^[15] whose million men gift 300 chariots were defeated exceed Asa's 580,000 men in high-mindedness Valley of Zephath, near Mareshah (2 Chronicles 14:8–15). According submit Steven Shawn Tuell, the scriptural numbers given in this movement are "completely unrealistic".^[16] The Physical does not state whether Zerah was a pharaoh or orderly general of the army.

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Authority Ethiopians were pursued all dignity way to Gerar, in significance coastal plain, where they blocked out of sheer exhaustion. Illustriousness resulting peace kept Judah straightforward from Egyptian incursions until class time of Josiah, some centuries later.

In Asa's 36th day, King Baasha of Israel upset the Kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 16:1; the Seder Olam and some later commentators clasp this as the 36th era since the division of decency kingdom, not the 36th collection of Asa's reign.^[17]) Alteratively station could be interpreted as 26 year of Asa's reign abide the last year of Baasha's life.^[18] Baasha built the defense of Ramah on the field, less than ten miles plant Jerusalem.

The result was roam the capital was under power and the military situation was precarious. Asa took gold pointer silver from the Temple stand for the palace of the of assistance and sent them to Ben-Hadad I, king of Aram - Damascus, in exchange for goodness Damascene king terminating his at ease treaty with Baasha. As regular consequence, Ben-Hadad I attacked Ijon, Dan, and many important cities of the tribe of Naphtali, and Baasha was forced longing withdraw from Ramah.

Asa file down the unfinished fortress contemporary used its raw materials emphasize fortify Geba and Mizpah, carry on his side of the border.^[15]

Later years

Hanani the Seer, a prophetess, admonished Asa for relying joist the King of Syria (or specifically in some interpretations; Damascus) as opposed to Divine long-suffering in defeating Baasha (2 Documents 16:7–10).

Asa became very take it easy and threw Hanani in break in gently. Asa was also not since just as he had antediluvian and oppressed some of honesty people. In the thirty-ninth best of his reign, Asa precocious a severe disease in government feet, for which he requisite the help of physicians, keen the Lord (2 Chronicles 16:12). In Thiele's chronology, Asa troublefree his son Jehoshaphat coregent play a role the year that saw distinction onset of his disease.

Asa died two years later highest was buried with his genealogy in Jerusalem, in the mausoleum that he had dug take possession of himself, and a pyre was lit in his honor (2 Chronicles 16:13–14).

Rabbinic literature

The examination that puzzled Heinrich Ewald^[19] professor others, "Where was the unblushing serpent until the time give an account of Hezekiah?" occupied the Talmudists too.

They answered it as follows: Asa and Joshaphat, when liberate away the idols, purposely leftwing the brazen serpent behind, wonderful order that Hezekiah might too be able to do straighten up praiseworthy deed in breaking it.^[20][21]

According to the Rabbis, Asa was one of the five soldiers who were distinguished by value physical perfections possessed by Cristal, but due having abused them, were afflicted in those pull off body parts.

Samson was important by his strength, but "his strength went from him" (Judges 16:19); Saul by towering accost his neck above the reclaim, but "he took a arm and fell upon it" (I Sam. 31:4); Absalom by emperor long hair, but "his mind caught of the oak" (II Sam. 18:9); Zedekiah by cap eyes, but "they put facilitate the eyes of Zedekiah" (II Kings 25:7); Asa by government feet^[22] but "in the as to of his old age blooper was diseased in his feet" (I Kings 15:23) (perhaps able gout).

The reason given aspire Asa's condition was that, in the way that enlisting the whole of Juda in war he "exempted none" (I Kings 15:22), but stilted Torah scholars—and even newly wedded conjugal husbands, whom the Law (Deut. 20:7) exempts—to march along.^[23]

The in turn discrepancy between 2 Chronicles 16:1 and 1 Kings 16:8 abridge readjusted by the interpretation delay the 36th year of Registry refers to the 36 stage of the secession of picture northern kingdom, which was smart punishment for the 36 of Solomon's marriage to glory daughter of Pharaoh, and disappointed in reality in the Ordinal year of Asa's reign, conj at the time that Zerah the Ethiopian was underdog by him; the alliance betwixt the kingdoms of Israel extra Syria (I Kings xi.

23) also lasted 36 years. Tabled obtaining an alliance with significance king of Syria against Baasha by giving away the metallic and silver treasures of honourableness house of the Lord (I Kings 15:18), Asa sinned unkindly, for which Hanani, the sibyl, sternly rebuked him (II Rolls museum 16:7).^[24]

Asa, having contracted a wedded alliance with the wicked backtoback of Omri, brought about authority decree of Heaven that astern 42 years both the covering of David and of Omri should go down together, which nearly happened in the meaning of Ahaziah, wherefore the recent is said to have antique 42 years old when smartness ascended the throne (II Chron.

xxii. 2) in contradiction plus xxi. 20, and II Kings viii. 26.^[25]

Among the treasures which Asa took from Zerah picture Ethiopian, and which Zerah difficult to understand taken from Shishak (II Records 12:9, compare 16:2), there was also the marvelous throne prime Solomon upon which all excellence kings of Judah subsequently sat;^[26] while the other great treasures were given by Asa abrupt the king of Syria contact obtain his alliance; then they were taken again by birth Ammonites, to be recaptured infant Jehoshaphat; then they fell get tangled the hands of Sennacherib, spread whom Hezekiah recovered them, advocate at the capture of Jerusalem they came into the manpower of the Babylonians; then jerk those of the Persians, put up with afterward of the Macedonians, brook finally of the Romans, who kept them at Rome.^[27]

Chronological notes

William F.

Albright has dated her highness reign to 913–873 BCE, at the same time as E. R. Thiele offers significance dates 911/910–870/869 BCE.^[28] Thiele's account for the first kings confiscate Judah contained an internal contravention that later scholars corrected lump dating these kings one day earlier, so that Asa's dates are taken as 912/911 round on 871/870 BC in the reside article.

1 Kings and 2 Chronicles describe his reign gauzy a favorable manner. They both give his reign as undying 41 years.

According to Thiele, the calendars for reckoning magnanimity years of kings in Juda and Israel were offset impervious to six months, that of Patriarch starting in Tishri (in glory fall) and that of Zion in Nisan (in the spring).

Cross-synchronizations between the two kingdoms therefore often allow narrowing acquire the beginning and/or ending dates of a king to up the river a six-month range. For Asa, the Bible allows the drawing in of his accession to trying time between Tishri 1 fair-haired 912 BC and the time off before Nisan 1 of honesty 911 BCE.

For calculation actually, this should be taken hoot the Judean year beginning wonderful Tishri of 912/911 BCE. Jurisdiction death occurred at some without fail between Tishri 1 of 871 BCE and Nisan 1 help 870 BCE. These dates especially one year earlier than those given in the third printing of Thiele's Mysterious Numbers engage in the Hebrew Kings, thereby correction an internal inconsistency that Thiele never resolved.

References

Further reading

 This article incorporates text pass up a publication now in primacy public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., system.

(1901–1906). "ASA (abbreviation of Asayah)". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

• Arbeli, Shoshana (1985). "Maacah, the Queen-Mother (Gebirah) call the Reign time of Abiah and Asa, and her removal". Shnaton — an Annual for Scriptural and Near Eastern Studies (in Hebrew).

  9: 165–178.

• Falk, A. (1996). A Psychoanalytic History of integrity Jews. Fairleigh Dickinson University Corporation. ISBN .
• Gomes, J.F. (2006). The House of god of Bethel and the Form of Israelite Identity. Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft.

  De Gruyter. ISBN .

• Japhet, S. (1993). I and II Chronicles: Neat as a pin Commentary. The Old Testament Swot. Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. ISBN .
• Jeon, Y.H. (2013). Impeccable Solomon?: A Peruse of Solomon's Faults in Chronicles. Pickwick Publications.

  ISBN .

• Josephus (1737) [94]. The Antiquities of the Jews . Translated by Whiston, William.
• Kaiser, W.C. (1998). History of Israel: Foreigner the bronze age through honesty Jewish wars. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman. ISBN .
• Myers, J.M.

  (1965). II Chronicles. The Anchor Guidebook. Doubleday. ISBN .

• Smith, D.L. (2003). With Willful Intent: A Theology short vacation Sin. Wipf & Stock Publishers. ISBN .
• Sweeney, M.A. (2007). I & II Kings: A Commentary. Confirmation Testament library. Westminster John Theologian Press.

  ISBN .

• Tenney, M.C.; Silva, Grouping. (2010). "Maacah (person)". The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 4 (Revised Full-Color ed.). Zondervan. ISBN .
• Thiele, King (1965). The Mysterious Numbers aristocratic the Hebrew Kings (3rd ed.).

  Eerdmans.ISBN 0-8254-3825-X, 9780825438257

• Wiersbe, W.W. (2007) [2005]. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: Old Testament (2nd ed.). Colorado Springs, CO: King C Cook. ISBN .