2 Chronicles 16:1
in 2 Chronicles 16In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
KJV
In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 16
Commentary
6 notes on this verseIn the thirty and sixth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah,.... How this is to be reconciled with the reign of Baasha, which was but twenty four years, and was begun in the third of Asa, and therefore must have been dead nearly ten years before this year of Asa's reign; see Gill on 1Ki 15:17 where, and in the following verses, are the same things related as here, to the end of the sixth verse; the explanation of which the reader is referred to.
This site's exposition
the six and thirtieth year
Chronicles opens this parallel passage with a date that has troubled readers, since Baasha reigned only twenty four years from the division of the kingdom and by a strict count of Asa's own reign was already dead before his thirty sixth year. The bench generally reckons the number from the split of the two kingdoms rather than from Asa's own coronation, which removes the apparent conflict with the Baasha of 1 Kings 15 and 16. Baasha fortifies Ramah, a few miles north of Jerusalem, to seal the road and cut off movement and defection into Judah.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Of the reign - Or, of the kingdom of Asa, that is, of the kingdom of Judah, which was now Asa's kingdom; or from the time of the division of the two kingdoms.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
The six and thirtieth year - After the division of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah; according to Usher. This opinion is followed in our margin; see the note on 1Ki 15:16, where this subject is farther considered. Concerning Baasha’s building of Ramah, see the note on 1Ki 15:17.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Baasha . . . built Ramah--that is, fortified it. The blessing of God which manifestly rested at this time on the kingdom of Judah, the signal victory of Asa, the freedom and purity of religious worship, and the fame of the late national covenant, were regarded with great interest throughout Israel, and attracted a constantly increasing number of emigrants to Judah.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
This passage runs parallel with Kings (see the marginal reference).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha initiated a war. How could this be?
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּשְׁנַ֨ת | bishnat | in year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים | sheloshim | thirty | H7970 → | 172 times |
| וָשֵׁשׁ֙ | vashesh | and six | H8337 → | 216 times |
| לְמַלְכ֣וּת | lemalkhut | of [the] reign of | H4438 → | 91 times |
| אָסָ֔א | ʾasa' | Asa | H609 → | 57 times |
| עָלָ֞ה | ʾalah | he came up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| בַּעְשָׁ֤א | ba'sha' | Baasha | H1201 → | 28 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יְהוּדָ֔ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וַיִּ֖בֶן | vaiyiven | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָרָמָ֑ה | haramah | <the> Ramah | H7414 → | 36 times |
| לְבִלְתִּ֗י | levilti | to not | H1115 → | |
| תֵּ֚ת | tet | [surely] permitting | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יוֹצֵ֣א | yotze' | one going out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| וָבָ֔א | vava' | or one coming in | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לְאָסָ֖א | leasa' | to Asa | H609 → | 57 times |
| מֶ֥לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָֽה׃ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
בִּשְׁנַ֨תin year
bishnatH8141 →877 times
שְׁלֹשִׁ֤יםthirty
sheloshimH7970 →172 times
וָשֵׁשׁ֙and six
vasheshH8337 →216 times
לְמַלְכ֣וּתof [the] reign of
lemalkhutH4438 →91 times
אָסָ֔אAsa
ʾasa'H609 →57 times
עָלָ֞הhe came up
ʾalahH5927 →890 times
בַּעְשָׁ֤אBaasha
ba'sha'H1201 →28 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יְהוּדָ֔הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וַיִּ֖בֶןand he built
vaiyivenH1129 →376 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָרָמָ֑ה<the> Ramah
haramahH7414 →36 times
לְבִלְתִּ֗יto not
leviltiH1115 →
תֵּ֚ת[surely] permitting
tetH5414 →2011 times
יוֹצֵ֣אone going out
yotze'H3318 →1067 times
וָבָ֔אor one coming in
vava'H935 →2568 times
לְאָסָ֖אto Asa
leasa'H609 →57 times
מֶ֥לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָֽה׃Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Chronicles 15:9And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 11:16
Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
- Acts 9:31
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
- Zechariah 8:21–23
and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’
- 2 Chronicles 11:16
Through
2 Chronicles 15:5In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts.
it leads to
- Judges 5:6
In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways.
- Psalms 121:8
The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.
- Judges 5:6
Through
1 Kings 12:27If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, their hearts will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return…
it leads to
- Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.
- Deuteronomy 12:14
you must offer them only in the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribal territories, and there you shall do all that I command you.
- Deuteronomy 12:5–7
Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
- Proverbs 29:25
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.