¹⁷ Israel’s King Baasha went to war against Judah.^(A) He built Ramah^(B) in order to deny anyone access to Judah’s King Asa. ¹⁸ So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple^(C) and the treasuries of the royal palace and put it into the hands of his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad^(D) son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion king of Aram who lived in Damascus,^(E) saying, ¹⁹ “There is a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father.^(F) Look, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel^(G) so that he will withdraw from me.”

²⁰ Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked Ijon,^(H) Dan,^(I) Abel-beth-maacah,^(J) all Chinnereth,^(K) and the whole land of Naphtali.^{(L) 21} When Baasha heard about it, he quit building Ramah and stayed in Tirzah.^{(M) 22} Then King Asa gave a command to everyone without exception in Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had built it with. Then King Asa built Geba^(N) of Benjamin and Mizpah^(O) with them.

Asa’s Treaty with Aram

16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa,^(A) Israel’s King Baasha went to war against Judah. He built Ramah in order to deny access to anyone—going or coming—to Judah’s King Asa. ² So Asa brought out the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and sent it to Aram’s King Ben-hadad, who lived in Damascus, saying, ³ “There’s a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Look, I have sent you silver and gold. Go break your treaty with Israel’s King Baasha so that he will withdraw from me.”

⁴ Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies to the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim,^[a] and all the storage cities^[b] of Naphtali. ⁵ When Baasha heard about it, he quit building Ramah and stopped his work. ⁶ Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had built it with. Then he built Geba and Mizpah with them.