Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that was left in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,
Parallel Translations
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Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that was left in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,
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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 Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
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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 Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, that dwelt at Damascus, saying:
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to 1 Kings 15:18 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Kings 14:26 and he took away the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house. He even took away all of it, including all the gold shields which Solomon had made.
- 2 Kings 12:18 Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem.
- 1 Kings 11:23-24 God raised up an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. He gathered men to himself, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of Zobah. They went to Damascus, and lived there, and reigned in Damascus.
- 1 Kings 15:15 He brought into Yahweh’s house the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that he himself had dedicated: silver, gold, and utensils.
- Genesis 14:15 He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
- Genesis 15:2 Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”
- 1 Kings 20:1-5 Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, with horses and chariots. He went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. He sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, “Ben Hadad says, ‘Your silver and your gold is mine. Your wives also and your children, even the best, are mine.’ ” The king of Israel answered, “It is according to your saying, my lord, O king. I am yours, and all that I have.” The messengers came again, and said, “Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent indeed to you, saying, “You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;
- 1 Kings 20:33-34 Now the men observed diligently, and hurried to take this phrase; and they said, “Your brother Ben Hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben Hadad came out to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. Ben Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore. You shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” “I”, said Ahab, “will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him, and let him go.
- 2 Kings 8:7-15 Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick. He was told, “The man of God has come here.” The king said to Hazael, “Take a present in your hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Yahweh by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ” So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ” Elisha said to him, “Go, tell him, ‘You will surely recover;’ however Yahweh has shown me that he will surely die.” He settled his gaze steadfastly on him, until he was ashamed. Then the man of God wept. Hazael said, “Why do you weep, my lord?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, and will dash their little ones in pieces, and rip up their pregnant women.” Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he could do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “Yahweh has shown me that you will be king over Syria.” Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” He answered, “He told me that you would surely recover.” On the next day, he took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died. Then Hazael reigned in his place.
- 2 Kings 18:15-16 Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in Yahweh’s house, and in the treasures of the king’s house. At that time, Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of Yahweh’s temple, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
- 2 Chronicles 15:18 He brought the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, gold, and vessels into God’s house.
- 2 Chronicles 16:2-6 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Yahweh’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, “Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.” Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease. Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Rama, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built Geba and Mizpah with them.
- Jeremiah 49:27 “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.”
- Amos 1:4 but I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Or, Syria.
Or, Syria.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ki 15:18 Then Asa took all the silver and…
1Ki 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,
Ver. 18. Then Asa took all the silver.] This was plain sacrilege, since no necessity urged him thereunto.
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And the treasures of the king’s house.] Which were much augmented doubtless by the great spoils of the Ethiopians and Lubims, lately beaten by him.
The son of Hezion.] Alias Rezon, of whom see 1Ki 11:23.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain All the silver and the gold that were left;…
All the silver and the gold that were left; these poor remainders, which either Shishak had left at that time, 1Ki 14:26, or Abijam, or Asa, or others, both of Israel and Judah, had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zerah, 2Ch 14, and he and his numerous and prosperous people did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God.
Asa sent them to Ben-hadad; wherein he committed three great faults, amongst many others. First, He alienated things consecrated to God without necessity. Secondly, He did this out of carnal fear and distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. Thirdly, He did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, 1Ki 15:19, and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The rest of all the acts of Asa, and…
The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?.... Some of which are to be met with in the canonical book of that name, Ch2 14:1, and others in the annals of the kings, out of which the Scripture account was taken:
nevertheless, in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet; seized with the gout, as the Jews say (a), and which was two years before his death, see Ch2 16:12.
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(a) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 48. 2. So Clemens of Alexandria, Stromat. l. 1. p. 326.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Were left - What either Shishak had left, or…
Were left - What either Shishak had left, or Abijam, or Asa, or others, both of Israel or Judah had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zerah, 2 Chron. xiv, 9-15, and he and his numerous and prosperous people, did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God. Sent them - Wherein he committed three great faults, amongst many others, first, he alienated things consecrated to God, without necessity. Secondly, he did this out of distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. Thirdly, he did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, ver. 19, and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 18. Asa took all the silver] Shishak, king…
Verse 18. Asa took all the silver] Shishak, king of Egypt, had not taken the whole, or there had been some treasures brought in since that time.
Ben-hadad] This was the grandson of Rezon, called here Hezion, who founded the kingdom of Damascus. See 1Kg 11:23-24; and Calmet.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 1Ki 15:18. Asa took all the silver and gold…
1Ki 15:18. Asa took all the silver and gold that were left — Which either Shishak had left, or Abijam or Asa or others, of both Israel or Judah, had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zarah, (2 Chronicles 14.) and he, and his numerous and prosperous people, did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God. Sent them — Wherein he committed three great faults, among many others; 1st, He alienated things consecrated to God, without necessity. 2d, He did this out of distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. 3d, He did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, (1Ki 15:19,) and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Left - Or, according to another reading, “found.” The…
Left - Or, according to another reading, “found.” The wealthy condition of the temple treasury is sufficiently indicated in 1Ki 15:15. Compare 2Ch 15:18.
Asa’s conduct in calling Benhadad to his aid, condemned by the seer Hanani 2Ch 16:7, cannot, of course, be justified; but there was much to excuse it. An alliance, it appears, had existed between Abijam and Tabrimon, Benhadad’s father 1Ki 15:19 - an alliance which may have helped Abijam to gain his great victory over Jeroboam and achieve his subsequent conquests 2Ch 13:17-20. This had been brought to an end by Baasha, who had succeeded in inducing Benhadad to enter into a league with him. It was only natural that Asa should endeavor to break up this league; and, politically speaking, he had a full right to go further, and obtain, if he could, the support of the Syrian troops for himself. The Israelites had set the example of calling in a foreign power, when Jeroboam obtained the aid of Shishak.
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To Benhadad - On the probable succession of the Damascene kings, and on the meaning of the name Hadad, see 1Ki 11:14, 1Ki 11:23.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain House. Sesac had not carried off all the treasures,…
House. Sesac had not carried off all the treasures, (Calmet) and the losses had been since in a great measure repaired, ver. 15. (Haydock) --- Asa thought himself justified in employing these treasures in such a pressing necessity, (Calmet) perhaps (Haydock) without reason, as the danger was not so great; and he might have gained the victory without having recourse to an infidel, if he had placed more confidence in God, 2 Paralipomenon xvi. 7, 9. (Menochius) --- He had already discomfited Zara, king of Ethiopia, and had an army of 580,000 men. (Calmet) (2 Paralipomenon xiv. 8.) --- Tabremon, "Good Remmon," idol of Damascus. (Haydock) --- Hezion, the same with Razon, chap. xi. 23. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Then Asa took all the silver and the gold…
Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the . . . house of the Lord--Asa's religious character is now seen to decline. He trusted not in the Lord (Ch2 16:7). In this emergency Asa solicited the powerful aid of the king of Damascene-Syria; and to bribe him to break off his alliance with Baasha, he transmitted to him the treasure lying in the temple and palace. The Syrian mercenaries were gained. Instances are to be found, both in the ancient and modern history of the East, of the violation of treaties equally sudden and unscrupulous, through the presentation of some tempting bribe. Ben-hadad poured an army into the northern provinces of Israel, and having captured some cities in Galilee, on the borders of Syria, compelled Baasha to withdraw from Ramah back within his own territories.
Ben-hadad--(See on Kg1 11:14).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 18. Then Asa took all the silver — Alas!…
18. Then Asa took all the silver — Alas! that he who so recently dedicated these spoils to the Lord (1Ki_15:15) should make such use of them as is here described!
Ben-hadad — Three kings of this name reigned in Damascus. The name seems to have been a royal title, like the Egyptian Pharaoh.
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Son of Tabrimon — Of whom nothing more is known.
Hezion — He was probably the same as Rezon, the contemporary and adversary of Solomon. 1Ki_11:23.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 18. Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon [R.V. Tabrimmon] the…
18. Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon [R.V. Tabrimmon] the son of Hezion, king of Syria] This is the earliest of the three kings of this name mentioned in the Old Testament. ‘Hezion’ is probably the same person as the ‘Rezon,’ king of Damascus mentioned in 1Ki_11:23, and Ben-hadad 1. was apparently his grandson. We cannot always determine whether the names of these kings are merely significant titles, or true names. ‘Hadad’ was a Syrian god, perhaps the sun-god, and Ben-hadad, ‘son of Hadad’ may mean one devoted to Hadad’s worship. So ‘Tab-rimmon’ signifies ‘good is Rimmon’; Rimmon being another Syrian divinity (see 2Ki_5:18). This is much more likely to be a personal name than Ben-hadad. The war which Ben-hadad now began against Israel appears to have been continued in the days of Ahab. See below 1Ki_20:1. In the LXX. this king is called υἱὸς Ἄδερ.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (18) Sent them to Ben-hadad.—This shows that Syria, recovering…
(18) Sent them to Ben-hadad.—This shows that Syria, recovering its independence at the fall of Solomon’s empire, was already attaining the formidable power, which so soon threatened to destroy Israel altogether. The Ben-hadad of the text is the grandson of Hezion, who must be the Rezon of 1Ki_11:23. Already, as we gather from the next verse, there had been leagues between Syria and Judah in the preceding reign. Now it is clear that Baasha had attempted to supersede these by a closer league—possibly, like Pekah in later times (2Ki_16:5-6), desiring to strengthen and secure himself against invasion by the subjugation of Judah. Asa naturally resolved to bribe Ben-hadad by presents to prefer the old tie to the new; but he went beyond this, and proposed a combined attack on Israel, for the first time calling in a heathen power against his “brethren, the children of Israel.” It was an expedient which, though it succeeded for its immediate purpose, yet both as a desperate policy and an unfaithfulness to the brotherhood, which, in spite of separation and corruption, still bound the two kingdoms in the covenant of God with Abraham, deserved and received prophetic rebuke. (See 2Ch_16:7-9.) Just so Isaiah, in the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah, denounced the vain trust in confederacies with the neighbouring nations and alliance with Egypt (Isa_30:1-17).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Then Asa took all the silver and the gold…
Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left LXX to suJreqen, which Rawlinson thinks points to a corruption of our text. He says, "The Jewish treasuries should now have been tolerably full," because
(1) of the long peace, (2Ch_14:1-6) and
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(2) the "very much spoil" they had taken from the Ethiopians (ib., ver. 13). Compare ver. 15 above. But the historian has in mind the depletion of the treasury by Shishak. (1Ki_14:26) It is true there was nothing "left" on that occasion, but the treasures since accumulated are referred to under this term. It may be the phrase is not strictly accurate, but the LXX reading looks suspiciously like an emendation 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 cf. 2Ki_16:8. For this act of faithlessness he was reproved by Hanani the: (2Ch_16:7) "O Asa, where was thy piety, while thou robbedst God to corrupt an infidel for the slaughter of the Israelites?" (Hall) to Ben-hadad "the son of the sun". (see note on 1Ki_11:23) Three kings of Damascus at least bore this name, viz., this king, his, (1Ki_20:1) and the son of Hazael, (2Ki 24) the son of Tabrimon the name means, Good is Rimmon, as to which deity, (see note 2Ki_5:18) the son of Hezion by some identified with Rezin, (1Ki_11:23) but on insufficient grounds king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus "The centre of the Aramaean power west of the Euphrates" (Ewald), saying,
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 He put it into the hands of his servants
He put it into the hands of his servants
Putting things in their hands represents giving those things to them. It is implied that they would do with it what he wanted them to do. The full meaning of this statement can be made clear. AT: "He entrusted it to his servants" (See: Metonymy and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
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He said
This means he spoke by means of his servants. Asa told his servants what to say to Ben Hadad and they did. The meaning of this can be made clear. AT: "Asa told his servants to say to Ben Hadad" or "Through his servants, Asa said to Ben Hadad" (See: Metonymy and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Let there be a covenant between me and you
A covenant being between two people represents those two people having a covenant with each other. AT: "Let us have a covenant with each other" or "Let us make a peace treaty" (See: Metaphor)
Look, I
"As proof that I want a treaty with you, I"
Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel
Breaking a covenant represents canceling it and not doing what one has promised to do. AT: "Cancel your covenant with Baasha king of Israel" or "Do not be loyal to Baasha king of Israel as you promised in your covenant with him" (See: Metaphor)
Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel
Asa wanted Ben Hadad to attack Israel. Ben Hadad could only do that if he broke his covenant with the king of Israel. The meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, and attack Israel" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
palace
hand
servant
send
Aram
Damascus
gift
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 15:18-19 Ben-hadad . . . the king of Aram…
15:18-19 Ben-hadad . . . the king of Aram and his successors were a major factor in Aramean-Israelite relations for many years. Asa’s appeal for Ben-hadad’s help was reinforced with rich gifts taken from the Temple treasury. Despite previous enmity between the Arameans and Israel (11:23-25; 2 Sam 8:3-12; 2 Chr 8:3-4), Ben-hadad and Baasha had established a treaty. Asa understood that the Aramean king’s assistance could be purchased for the right price (1 Kgs 15:20). When God’s prophet Hanani delivered the Lord’s rebuke to Asa for approaching Ben-hadad, Asa reacted uncharacteristically and threw him into prison (2 Chr 16:7-10). Asa apparently forgot God’s previous intervention on his behalf against Zerah’s sizeable army (2 Chr 14:7-8).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.