9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned hath Asa over Judah, 10 and forty and one years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Maachah daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Asa doth that which 'is' right in the eyes of Jehovah, like David his father, 12 and removeth the whoremongers out of the land, and turneth aside all the idols that his fathers made; 13 and also Maachah his mother—he turneth her aside from being mistress, in that she made a horrible thing for a shrine, and Asa cutteth down her horrible thing, and burneth 'it' by the brook Kidron; 14 and the high places have not turned aside; only, the heart of Asa hath been perfect with Jehovah all his days, 15 and he bringeth in the sanctified things of his father, and his own sanctified things, to the house of Jehovah, silver, and gold, and vessels.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 15:9-15
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.