Asa

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("healing".) Son of Abijah; third king of Judah. Faithful to Jehovah; determined in rooting out idolatry and its attendant licentiousness ( 1 Kings 15:9-15;  1 Kings 15:2 Chronicles 14; 15; 16). He built fenced cities, the Lord giving him and his land rest and prosperity. No respecter of persons: so much so that he deposed Maachah, the queenmother (wife of Rehoboam and Asa's grandmother), because she made an idol (Hebrew "horror," some abominable and impure object of worship) in a grove; and he cut her idol down, stamped, and burnt it at the brook Kedron, as Moses had done to the golden calf ( Exodus 32:20). For "in a grove," translate" to Asherah" (Hebrew Haasheerah ), the Phoenician Venus ( 1 Kings 15:14;  2 Chronicles 15:16). The high places to idols he took away ( 2 Chronicles 14:3). But those to Jehovah, being an irregularity of a secondary kind, he did not take away ( 2 Chronicles 15:17;  1 Kings 15:14).

Moreover, the gifts dedicated by his father Abijah, in the earlier and better part of his reign, silver, gold, and vessels, but afterward appropriated by the pagan priests for idolatry, he brought into the house of God ( 2 Chronicles 15:18). Encouraged by the prophecy of Azariah, the son of Oded, "the Lord is with you while ye be with Him," he renewed the altar of Jehovah before the porch, after its desecration. The first ten years of his reign were occupied peacefully in such religious reforms. But in the eleventh year danger of war seems to have been anticipated, for "the land," it is said, "was quiet ten years" only ( 2 Chronicles 14:1-2;  2 Chronicles 14:8-15). Then follows Asa's preparation of an army with targets and spears, 300,000 of Judah and 280,000 of Benjamin, bearing shields and drawing bows. In the 14th year the threatened danger came. Zerah, the Cushite or Ethiopian, invaded Judah at Mareshah with 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. (See Zerah .)

The valley of Zephathah, at Mareshah (Marisse, S.W. of Judah, near the later Eleutheropolis), was the battle field. Like Judah, in his father Abijah's time, in the hour of imminent peril ( 2 Chronicles 13:14-15), Asa cried unto Jehovah his God: "Lord, it is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many or with them that have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on Thee. ... Let not man prevail against Thee" (compare  1 Samuel 14:6). So Jehovah smote the Ethiopians before Asa (compare  Isaiah 59:19.) At this very time a king called Azerch Amen, we know from recently deciphered monuments, reigned in Ethiopia (G. Rawlinson). Ewald and Hincks identify him with Osorkon I., king of Egypt, second of the 22nd dynasty. Zerah's army is composed of much the same elements ( 2 Chronicles 16:8;  2 Chronicles 12:3), Ethiopians and Lubims (Libyans), as Shishak's (the Sukkiim being peculiar to the latter); mercenaries, we know, were much employed in the 22nd dynasty. Others fix on Osorkon II., son in law of his predecessor, and reigning in right of his wife. He was probably, if this view be true, an Ethiopian, ruling over both Egypt and Ethiopia.

Asa, having refused to pay the tribute imposed by Shishak on Rehoboam, was invaded. Asa on his return from the victory gathered all Judah and Benjamin and strangers out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, who joined his kingdom, seeing the Lord was with him, in the 15th year of his reign. At this feast of thanksgiving all "entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul." "The Lord gave them rest round about" for a time. But Baasha, king of Israel, jealous of the defections from his own kingdom and the growing prosperity of Judah, fortified Ramah on the road N. of Jerusalem, "that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa" (compare  1 Kings 12:27;  1 Kings 15:17.) This is said (in  2 Chronicles 16:1;  2 Chronicles 16:11) to be in the 36th year of Asa's reign; but Baasha was at that time long dead ( 1 Kings 15:33), therefore this 36th year must be calculated from the separation of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. This calculation was probably drawn from "the book of the kings of Judah and Israel."

Baasha's act was probably in the 17th year of Asa's reign. Asa, instead of trusting in Jehovah, bought the help of the pagan world power, Benhadad I. king of Damascus, against Israel, with the treasures left in the temple and the palace from the tribute for Egypt, which he had ceased to pay. Benhadad smote Ijon, Dan, and Abelmaim, and the store cities of Naphtali. So Baasha had to cease fortifying Ramah, and Asa used the materials to fortify Geba (the hill) and Mizpeh (the watchtower) in Benjamin to guard against future invasion. The large cistern or pit made by Asa to obviate scarcity of water in the event of a siege by Baasha is mentioned long after in  Jeremiah 41:7;  Jeremiah 41:9. Hanani, the seer, reproved Asa, telling him that if he had not relied on the king of Syria, instead of on Jehovah, he should have had him as a vassal instead of being himself subordinate to Syria. Carnal policy brings on the very evil which it shuns, and which would have been completely averted by a policy of faith. So far from escaping wars by his unbelieving course, he must henceforth have them ( 1 Kings 15:32;  2 Chronicles 16:7-9).

Asa, instead of being humbled, was wroth, and put the seer in prison and oppressed some of the people, probably sympathizers with the man of God. It is true he succeeded in capturing cities of Ephraim ( 2 Chronicles 17:2), but his end was under a spiritual cloud. Diseased in his feet, after a reign of 39 years, "he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians," i.e., his trust was less in Jehovah than in human remedies (compare  Jeremiah 17:5). That in the main, nevertheless, he served the Lord truly, appears from  1 Kings 15:14; "Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord (sincere) all his days." The funeral, with its "sweet odorous and divers spices" and "very great burning for him," marks how highly he was esteemed. His whole reign lasted 41 years, 956 to 915 B.C. His later blemishes warn even believers; "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (compare  Galatians 5:7).

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

the son and successor of Abijam, king of Judah, began to reign in the year of the world 3049, and before Christ 955. He reigned forty-one years at Jerusalem, and did right in the sight of the Lord. He purged Jerusalem from the infamous practices attending the worship of idols; and he deprived his mother of her office and dignity of queen, because she erected an idol to Astarte, which he burnt in the valley of Hinnom,  1 Kings 15:8 , &c.

The Scripture reproaches Asa with not destroying the high places, which, perhaps, he thought it politic to tolerate, to avoid the greater evil of idolatry. He carried into the house of the Lord the gold and silver vessels which his father Abijam had vowed to consecrate. He fortified several cities, and repaired others, encouraging his people to this labour while the kingdom was at peace; and the Lord favoured them with his protection. After this he levied three hundred thousand men in Judah, armed with shields and pikes; and two hundred and eighty thousand men in Benjamin, armed with shields and bows, all men of courage and valour. About this time, Zerah, king of Ethiopia, or rather of Cush, which is part of Arabia, marched against Asa with a million of foot, and three hundred chariots of war, and advanced as far as Mareshah. This probably happened in the fifteenth year of Asa's reign, and in the year of the world 3064,

 2 Chronicles 15:10 . Asa advanced to meet Zerah, and encamped in the plain of Zephathah, or rather Zephatah, near Mareshah, and having prayed to the Lord, God struck the forces of Zerah with such a panic that they began to flee. Asa and his army pursued them to Geran, and slew of them a great number. After this, Asa's army returned to Jerusalem, laden with booty.

The prophet Azariah met them, and said, "Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, The Lord is with you while ye be with him, and if ye seek him he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.— Be ye strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded,"  2 Chronicles 15:2;  2 Chronicles 15:7 . After this exhortation, Asa, being animated with new courage, destroyed the idols of Judah, Benjamin, and Mount Ephraim; repaired the altar of burnt-offerings; and assembled Judah and Benjamin, with many from the tribes of Simeon, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and on the third day, in the fifteenth year of his reign, celebrated a solemn festival. Of the cattle taken from Zerah, they sacrificed seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand sheep; they renewed the covenant with the Lord; and, with cymbals and trumpets sounding, they swore to the covenant, and declared that whoever should forsake the true worship of God, should be put to death. The Lord gave them peace; and, according to the Chronicles, the kingdom of Judah had rest till the thirty-fifth year of Asa. Concerning this year, however, there are difficulties; and some think that we should read the twenty-fifth, instead of the thirty-fifth; since Baasha, who made war on Asa, lived no longer than the twenty-sixth year of Asa,  1 Kings 16:8 .

In this year Baasha, king of Israel, began to fortify Ramah, on the frontiers of the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel, that he might prevent the Israelites from resorting to the kingdom of Judah, and the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem. When Asa was informed of this, he sent to Benhadad, king of Damascus, all the gold and silver of his palace, and of the temple, to induce him to break his alliance with Baasha, and to assist him against the king of Israel. Benhadad accepted Asa's presents, and invaded Baasha's country, where he took several cities belonging to the tribe of Naphtali. This obliged Baasha to retire from Ramah, that he might defend his dominions nearer home. Asa immediately ordered his people to Ramah, carried off all the materials prepared by Baasha, and employed them in building Geba and Mizpah. This application to Benhadad for assistance was inexcusable. It implied, that Asa distrusted God's power and goodness, which he had so lately experienced. Therefore the Prophet Hanani was sent to reprove him for his conduct. Asa, however, was so exasperated at his rebukes that he put the Prophet in chains, and at the same time ordered the execution of several persons in Judah. Toward the latter part of his life, he was incommoded with swellings in his feet, which, gradually rising upwards, killed him. The Scripture reproaches him with having had recourse to physicians, rather than to the Lord. He was buried in the sepulchre which he had provided for himself in the city of David; and after his death they placed on the bed great quantities of perfumes and spices, with which his body was burned. His bones and ashes were then collected, and put into his grave.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. Great grandson of Solomon and king of Judah, B.C. 955-914. "Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David his father." He removed the idols his fathers had made,  1 Kings 15:11 , and he deposed Maachah, his mother, or perhaps grandmother, from being queen because she favoured idolatry. On the country being invaded by the Ethiopians with a million troops and 300 chariots, he cried to the Lord, who fought for him, and the enemy was smitten. He was counselled by Azariah not to forsake the Lord, which led to the spoil being offered to God, and to the king and his people entering into a covenant to seek the Lord.

Subsequently Asa was threatened by Baasha king of Israel who began to build Ramah, a fortified city only a few miles from Jerusalem. To stop this Asa paid a large sum of money to Benhadad king of Syria to invade Israel. This was for the time successful: the building of Ramah was stopped, and Asa carried away the stones thereof and built Geba and Mizpah.

This recourse for aid to the king of Syria, who was an idolater, was very displeasing to God, and the king was rebuked by Hanani the seer. While Asa trusted in the Lord he had deliverance, but having relied on the king of Syria, he should have war all his days. Asa, alas, did not humble himself, but put Hanani in prison, and oppressed some of the people. He was disciplined in his person, for he was diseased in his feet, and the disease increased exceedingly; yet he sought not the Lord, but to the physicians (perhaps these were healers by magic arts in connection with idolatry, on which God's blessing could not be asked) and he died after a reign of 41 years.  1 Kings 15 .;  2 Chronicles 14,15,16 .;  Matthew 1:7,8 .

2. A Levite, the father of Berechiah.  1 Chronicles 9:16 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The third king of Judah after Solomon, son and successor of Abijam,  1 Kings 15:8 . He began to reign B. C. 951, and reigned forty-one years at Jerusalem. The first part of his reign was comparatively peaceful and prosperous. He restored the pure worship of God; expelled those who, from sacrilegious superstition, prostituted themselves in honor of their false gods; purified Jerusalem from the infamous practices attending the worship of idols; and deprived his mother of her office and dignity of queen, because she erected an idol to Astarte. In the eleventh year of his reign, God gave him the victory over the vast army of the Cushite king Zerah; and the prophet Azariah encouraged him to go on in his work of reform. And yet, when Baasha king of Israel opposed this very work, he sought aid not from God, but from heathen Syria. In the latter part of his life, he became diseased in his feet; and Scripture reproaches him with having had recourse to the physicians, rather than to the Lord,  2 Chronicles 16:12 . Yet his reign was, on the whole, one of the happiest which Judah enjoyed, and the Bible repeatedly commends his piety as an example.  1 Kings 22:43   2 Chronicles 20:32   21:12 . His funeral rites were celebrated with special magnificence. There was ill-will and strife between Asa and Baasha all their days, as between Rehoboam and Israel,  1 Kings 15:6,16 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

A'sa. (Physician or Cure).

1. Son of Abijah and third king of Judah. (B.C. 956-916). His long reign of 41 years was peaceful in its earlier portion, and he undertook the reformation of all abuses, especially of idolatry. He burnt the symbol of his grandmother Maachah's religion and deposed her from the dignity of "king's mother," and renewed the great altar which the idolatrous priests apparently had desecrated.  2 Chronicles 15:8. Besides this, he fortified cities on his frontiers, and raised an army, amounting, according to  2 Chronicles 14:8 to 580,000 men, a number probably exaggerated by an error of the copyist.

During Asa's reign, Zerah, at the head of an enormous host,  2 Chronicles 14:9, attacked Mareshah. There he was utterly defeated, and driven back with immense loss to Gerar. The peace which followed this victory was broken by the attempt of Baasha of Israel to fortify Ramah. To stop this, Asa purchased the help of Benhadad I, king of Damascus, by a large payment of treasure, forced Baasha to abandon his purpose, and destroyed the works which he had begun at Ramah. In his old age, Asa suffered from gout. He died, greatly loved and honored, in the 41st year of his reign.

2. Ancestor of Berechiah a Levite who resided in one of the villages of the Netophathites after the return from Babylon.  1 Chronicles 9:16.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ASA . 1 . The third king of Judah after the disruption, succeeding Ahijah. Since his mother’s name is given as the same with that of Abijah’s mother, some have supposed the two kings to have been brothers. But there may be some mistake in the text. Asa is praised by the Biblical writer for his religious zeal, which led him to reform the worship, and even to depose his mother from her place of influence at court because of her idolatrous practices. Politically he took a mistaken course when he submitted to Benhadad of Damascus to secure his aid against Baasha of Israel, who had captured Ramah. The Temple treasures were sent to Benhadad, who thereupon invaded Israel, and Baasha was compelled to evacuate the threatening fortress (  1 Kings 15:9 ff.). The Chronicler (  2 Chronicles 14:9 ff.) credits Asa with a victory over an enormous force of Ethiopians. 2 . A Levite (  1 Chronicles 9:16 ).

H. P. Smith.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Asa ( Â'Sah ), Physician. 1. The third king of Judah; he succeeded his father Abijam, about b.c. 955, and reigned 41 years at Jerusalem. He was distinguished for his success in war, and his zeal for the worship of Jehovah. He purified Jerusalem from the infamous practices attending the worship of idols; and deprived his mother of her office and dignity of queen, because she erected an idol to Astarte. In the latter part of his life he became diseased in his feet; and Scripture reproaches him with having had recourse to the physicians, rather than to the Lord.  1 Kings 16:8-9;  2 Chronicles 16:2. 2. A Levite.  1 Chronicles 9:16.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Kings 15:8 1 Kings 15:13 2 Chronicles 16:7 1 Kings 15:17-20 2 Chronicles 16:12 Matthew 1:7-8Israel

2. A Levite who returned from the Exile to Jerusalem. He was the head of a family in the villages of the Netophathites near Jerusalem ( 1 Chronicles 9:16 ).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Kings 15:8-14 Jeremiah 17:5 2 Chronicles 16:1-13

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

ASA. —A king of Judah ( circa (about) 918–878 b.c.), named in our Lord’s genealogy,  Matthew 1:7 f.

King James Dictionary

Asa, A corruption of lasar, an ancient name of a gum. See Ooze.

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) An ancient name of a gum.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Asa', אָסָא , Healing, or Physician), the name of two men.

1. (Sept. Ἀσά , Josephus, ῎Ασανος . ) The son of Abijah, grandson of Rehoboam, and third king of the separate kingdom of Judah (1 Kings 15 :2 Chronicles 14-16;  Matthew 1:7-8). He began to reign two years before the death of Jeroboam, in Israel, and he reigned forty-one years (B.C. 953-912). As Asa was very young at his accession, the affairs of the government were administered by his mother, or, according to some (comp.  1 Kings 15:1;  1 Kings 15:10), his grandmother Maachah, who is understood to have been a granddaughter of Absalom. (See Maachah).

But the young kin,, on assuming the reins of government; was conspicuous for his earnestness in supporting the worship of God, and rooting out idolatry with its attendant immoralities, and for the vigor and wisdom with which he provided for the prosperity of his kingdom. In his zeal against heathenism he did not spare his grandmother Maachah, who occupied the special dignity of "King's Mother," to which great importance was attached in the Jewish court, as afterward in Persia, and to which parallels have been found in modern Eastern countries, as in the position of the Sultana Valide in Turkey (see 1 Kings ii, 19;  2 Kings 24:12;  Jeremiah 29:2; also Calmet, Fragm. xvi; and Bruce's Travels, ii, 537, and 4:244). She had set up some impure worship in a grove (the word translated "idol,"  1 Kings 15:13, is מִפְלֶצֶת , Afright or horrible image, while in the Vule. we read Ne Esset [Maacha] Princeps In Sacris Priap' ); but Asa burnt the symbol of her religion, and threw its ashes into the brook Kidron, as Moses had done to the golden calf ( Exodus 32:20), and then deposed Maachah from her dignity. He also placed in the Temple certain gifts which his father had dedicated, probably in the earlier and better period of his reign, (See Abijah),. and which the heathen priests must have used for their own worship, and renewed the great altar which they apparently had desecrated ( 2 Chronicles 15:8) during his minority and under the preceding reigns, and only the altars in the "high-places" were suffered to remain ( 1 Kings 15:11-13;  2 Chronicles 14:2-5). He neglected no human means of putting his kingdom in the best possible military condition, for which ample opportunity was afforded by the peace which he enjoyed for ten years (B.C. 938-928) in the middle of his reign. His resources were so well organized, and the population had so increased, that he fortified cities on his frontiers, and raised an army amounting, according to  2 Chronicles 14:8, to 580,000 men; but the uncertainty attaching to the numbers in our present text of Chronicles has been pointed out by Kennicott and by Davidson (Introduction to the 0. T. p. 686), who consider that the copyists were led into error by the different modes of marking them, and by confounding the different letters which denoted them, bearing as they do a great resemblance to each other. (See Number).

Thus Asa's reign marks the return of Judah to a consciousness of the hiah destiny to which God had called her, and to the belief that the Divine power was truly at work within her. The good effects of this were visible in the 13th year of his reign, when, relying upon the Divine aid, Asa attacked and defeated the numerous host of the Cushite king Zerah (q.v.), who had penetrated through Arabia Petraea into the vale of Zephathah with an immense host, reckoned at a million of men (which Josephus distributes into 900.000 infantry and .100,000 cavalry, Ant. 8:12,'1) and 300 chariots ( 2 Chronicles 14:9-15). As the triumphant Judahites were returning, laden with spoil, to Jerusalem, they were met by the prophet Azariah, who declared this splendid victory to be a consequence of Asa's confidence in Jehovah, and exhorted him to perseverance. Thus encouraged, the king exerted himself during the ten ensuing years of tranquillity to extirpate the remains of idolatry, and caused the people to renew their covenant with Jehovah ( 2 Chronicles 15:1-15). It was this clear knowledge of his dependent political position, as the vicegerent of Jehovah, which won for Asa the highest praise that could be given to a Jewish king-that he walked in the steps of his ancestor David ( 1 Kings 15:11). Nevertheless, toward the latter end of his reign (the numbers in  2 Chronicles 15:19;  2 Chronicles 16:1, should be 25th and 26th) the king failed to maintain the character he had thus acquired. When Baasha, king of Israel, had renewed the war between the two kingdoms, and had taken Ramah, which he was proceeding to fortify as a frontier barrier, Asa, the conqueror of Zerah, was so far wanting to his kingdom and his God as to employ the wealth of the Temple and of the royal treasury to induce the King of Syria (Damascus) to make a diversion in his favor by invading the dominions of Baasha (see Kitto's Daily Bible Illust. in loc.). By this means he recovered Ramah, indeed; but his treasures were squandered, and he incurred the rebuke of the prophet Hanani, whom he cast into prison, being, as it seems, both alarmed and enraged at the effect his address was calculated to produce upon the people. Other persons (who had probably manifested their disapprobation) also suffered from his anger ( 1 Kings 15:16-22;  2 Chronicles 16:1-10). The prophet threatened Asa with war, which appears to have been fulfilled by the continuance for some time of that with Baasha, as we infer from an allusion, in  2 Chronicles 17:2, to the cities of Ephraim which he took, and which can hardly refer to any events prior to the destruction of Ramah. In the last three years of his life Asa was afflicted with a grievous "disease in his feet," probably the gout, (See Disease); and it is mentioned to his reproach; that he placed too much confidence in his physicians (q.v.), i.e. he acted in an arrogant and independent spirit, and without seeking God's blessing on their remedies. At his death, however, it appeared that his popularity had not been substantially impaired, for he was honored with a funeral of unusual cost and magnificence ( 2 Chronicles 16:11-14; with which  1 Kings 15:24, does not conflict). He was succeeded by his son Jehoshaphat. (See Kingdom Of Judah).

2. (Sept. Ο᾿Σσά .) A Levite, son of Elkanah and father of Berechiah, which last was one of those who resided in the villages of the Netophathites on the return from Babylon ( 1 Chronicles 9:16). B.C. ante 536.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

A´sa (healing or physician), son of Abijah, grandson of Rehoboam, and third king of Judah. He began to reign two years before the death of Jeroboam, in Israel, and he reigned forty-one years, from B.C. 955 to 914. As Asa was very young at his accession, the affairs of the government were administered by his mother, or, according to some (comp.  1 Kings 15:9-10), his grandmother Maachah, who is understood to have been a granddaughter of Absalom [MAACAH, 8]. She gave much encouragement to idolatry; but the young king, on assuming the reins of government, zealously rooted out the idolatrous practices which had grown up during his minority and under the preceding reigns; and only the altars in the 'high places' were suffered to remain ( 1 Kings 15:11-13;  2 Chronicles 14:2-5). He neglected no human means of putting his kingdom in the best possible military condition, for which ample opportunity was afforded by the peace which he enjoyed in the ten first years of his reign. And his resources were so well organized, and the population had so increased, that he was eventually in a condition to count on the military services of 580,000 men ( 2 Chronicles 14:6-8). In the eleventh year of his reign, relying upon the Divine aid, Asa attacked and defeated the numerous host of the Cushite king Zerah, who had penetrated through Arabia Petræa into the vale of Zephathah, with an immense host ( 2 Chronicles 14:9-15). As the triumphant Judahites were returning, laden with spoil, to Jerusalem, they were met by the prophet Azariah, who declared this splendid victory to be a consequence of Asa's confidence in Jehovah, and exhorted him to perseverance. Thus encouraged, the king exerted himself to extirpate the remnants of idolatry, and caused the people to renew their covenant with Jehovah ( 2 Chronicles 15:1-15). It was this clear knowledge of his dependent political position, as the vice-gerent of Jehovah, which won for Asa the highest praise that could be given to a Jewish king—that he walked in the steps of his ancestor David ( 1 Kings 15:11).

Nevertheless, the king failed towards the latter end of his reign to maintain the character he had thus acquired. When Baasha, king of Israel, had renewed the war between the two kingdoms, and had taken Ramah, which he was proceeding to fortify as a frontier barrier, Asa, the conqueror of Zerah, was so far wanting to his kingdom and his God as to employ the wealth of the Temple and of the royal treasures to induce the king of Syria (Damascus) to make a diversion in his favor by invading the dominions of Baasha. By this means he recovered Ramah, indeed; but his treasures were squandered, and he incurred the rebuke of the prophet Hanani, whom he cast into prison, being, as it seems, both alarmed and enraged at the effect his address was calculated to produce upon the people. Other persons (who had probably manifested their disapprobation) also suffered from his anger ( 1 Kings 15:16-22;  2 Chronicles 16:1-10). In the three last years of his life Asa was afflicted with a grievous 'disease in his feet;' and it is mentioned to his reproach that he placed too much confidence in his physicians. At his death, however, it appeared that his popularity had not been substantially impaired; for he was honored with a funeral of unusual cost and magnificence ( 2 Chronicles 16:11-14).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ā´sa ( אסא , 'āṣā' , "healer"; Ἀσά , Asá ):

(1) A king of Judah, the third one after the separation of Judah and Israel. He was the son of Abijah and grandson of Rehoboam. Maacah, his mother, or rather grandmother, was daughter of Abishalom (Absalom) ( 1 Kings 15:1 ). The first ten years of his reign were prosperous and peaceful ( 2 Chronicles 14:1 ). He introduced many reforms, such as putting away the sodomites or male prostitutes, removing idols from holy places, breaking down altars, pillars and Asherim. He even deposed the "queen mother" because of her idolatrous practices, and of the image which she had made for Asherah ( 1 Kings 15:12;  2 Chronicles 14:3 ). Though the king himself, in the main, was a zealous reformer, his subjects did not always keep pace with him ( 1 Kings 15:17 ). With an army of 580,000 he repelled an attack of Zerah, the Ethiopian, and routed him completely at Mareshah in the lowlands of Judah ( 2 Chronicles 14:6 ). Directed and encouraged by Azariah the prophet, he carried on a great revival. Having restored the great altar of burnt offering in the temple, he assembled the people for a renewal of their covenant with Yahweh. On this occasion 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep were offered in sacrifice. For the next twenty years there was apparently great prosperity and peace throughout his kingdom, but in the thirty-sixth year of his reign, Judah was attacked by Baasha, king of Israel, at all times hostile to Judah ( 1 Kings 15:32 ). Baasha continued to encroach and finally fortified Ramah as a frontier fortress. Asa, faint-hearted, instead of putting his entire trust in Yahweh, made an alliance with Ben-hadad, of Damascus. The Syrian king, in consideration of a large sum of money and much treasure from the temple at Jerusalem, consented to attack the northern portion of Baasha's territory. It was at this favorable moment that Asa captured Ramah, and with the vast building material collected there by Baasha, he built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah ( 1 Kings 15:16-22 ). This lack of faith in Yahweh was severely criticized by Hanani the prophet. Asa, instead of listening patiently to this prophet of God, was greatly offended and enraged and Hanani was put in prison ( 2 Chronicles 16:1-10 ). Three years later, Asa was attacked by gout or some disease of the feet. Here again he is accused of lack of faith, for "he sought not to Yahweh, but to the physicians" ( 2 Chronicles 16:12 ). Having ruled forty-one years, he died and was buried with great pomp in a tomb erected by himself in the city of David, i.e. Jerusalem. On the whole his reign was very successful, but it is sad to chronicle that as the years rolled on he became less and less faithful to Yahweh and His law.

(2) A son of Elkanah, a Levite, who dwelt in one of the villages of the Netophathites ( 1 Chronicles 9:16 ).