17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent e anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah . 18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the treasuries 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 , who lived in Damascus , saying , 19 "Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father . Behold , I have sent you a present of silver and gold ; go , break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me." 20 So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel , and conquered Ijon , Dan , Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth , besides all the land of Naphtali . 21 When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah . 22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah -none was exempt -and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built . And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 15:17-22
Commentary on 1 Kings 15:9-24
(Read 1 Kings 15:9-24)
Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. That is right indeed which is so in God's eyes. Asa's times were times of reformation. He removed that which was evil; there reformation begins, and a great deal he found to do. When Asa found idolatry in the court, he rooted it out thence. Reformation must begin at home. Asa honours and respects his mother; he loves her well, but he loves God better. Those that have power are happy when thus they have hearts to use it well. We must not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well; not only cast away the idols of our iniquity, but dedicate ourselves and our all to God's honour and glory. Asa was cordially devoted to the service of God, his sins not arising from presumption. But his league with Benhadad arose from unbelief. Even true believers find it hard, in times of urgent danger, to trust in the Lord with all their heart. Unbelief makes way for carnal policy, and thus for one sin after another. Unbelief has often led Christians to call in the help of the Lord's enemies in their contests with their brethren; and some who once shone brightly, have thus been covered with a dark cloud towards the end of their days.