1 Kings 15 18

1 Kings 15:18 kjv

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,

1 Kings 15:18 nkjv

Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was 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 Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying,

1 Kings 15:18 niv

Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD's temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.

1 Kings 15:18 esv

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 gave them into the hands of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,

1 Kings 15:18 nlt

Asa responded by removing all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace. He sent it with some of his officials to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message:

1 Kings 15 verses

1 Kings 15 18 Meaning

King Asa of Judah, facing military pressure from King Baasha of Israel, took the dedicated silver and gold from the treasures of the Lord's house and his own royal palace. He then gave these valuable resources to his servants to deliver as tribute to Ben-hadad, king of Aram (Syria) who ruled from Damascus. This action was intended to secure a military alliance with Aram against Baasha, initiating a foreign political dependency rather than relying solely on the Lord for deliverance.

1 Kings 15 18 Context

First Kings 15 primarily covers the reigns of three kings: Abijam (or Abijah) of Judah, Jeroboam of Israel, and Baasha of Israel. Verse 18 is situated within the narrative of King Asa of Judah. Asa's reign began positively, as he diligently removed idolatry and fortified Judah's cities, even calling for national prayer during a massive invasion by Zerah the Ethiopian (2 Chr 14). However, as chronicled in 1 Kings 15 and more extensively in 2 Chronicles 16, Asa later diverged from complete trust in God. When Baasha king of Israel strengthened Ramah to cut off access to Judah, Asa resorted to human political and financial means. This specific act marks a critical point where Asa prioritizes a foreign pagan alliance and temple treasures over relying on the divine power that had previously delivered him.

1 Kings 15 18 Word analysis

• Then Asa took: אָסָא (Asa). King of Judah, grandson of Rehoboam. Generally seen as a good king who reformed religious practices early in his reign (1 Kgs 15:11-14; 2 Chr 14:2-5), this act however shows a lapse in his unwavering faith.

• all the silver and the gold: הַכֶּסֶף֙ וְהַזָּהָ֔ב (hakkesef v’hazzahav). Precious metals, currency of the ancient world. They represent value and political leverage.

• that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD: בֵּית־יְהוָ֣ה (beit YHWH). The Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. The treasures here included temple offerings, dedications, and stored resources for its upkeep. Taking them for political bribery indicates a shift from reverence for sacred offerings to their utilitarian function as mere state assets, undermining the spiritual purpose of the temple treasury. This also points to prior depletions (e.g., Shishak, 1 Kgs 14:26).

• and the treasures of the king's house: The royal treasury. While the king's resources were his to use, linking them with the temple treasures emphasizes the depth of the expenditure and the sacrifice Asa was willing to make for the alliance.

• and delivered them into the hand of his servants: Common practice for sending envoys and transport of valuable goods. It emphasizes the physical act of giving away these sacred and national resources.

• and king Asa sent them to Benhadad: בֶּן־הֲדַ֣ד (ben-Hadad). "Son of Hadad," a reference to Hadad, the Aramean storm and fertility deity. This pagan name underscores that Asa sought help from a nation dedicated to a foreign god, a violation of God's covenant instructions for His people (Exod 34:15-16, Deut 7:1-5). Ben-hadad I was a powerful king of Aram-Damascus.

• the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion: Genealogical lineage establishing Ben-hadad's identity. This helps date the event and identifies the specific Aramean dynasty.

• king of Syria: אֲרָ֑ם (Aram). Referring to Aram-Damascus, a powerful kingdom to Judah's north, constantly vying for influence and territory in the region.

• that dwelt at Damascus: דַּמֶּ֖שֶׂק (Dammaśeq). The capital city of Aram, a strategically important city. Its mention highlights Ben-hadad's central location and power.

• saying: Introduces the message Asa sent with the treasures, explained in the following verse (1 Kgs 15:19), which proposes a covenant between them.

• "treasures of the house of the LORD" vs. "treasures of the king's house": This distinction is crucial. While a king could use his own treasury, taking from the Lord's house implies using resources dedicated to God for human, geopolitical purposes. This choice signifies a lack of faith in God's provision and protection, especially in light of past divine interventions on Judah's behalf. It contrasts sharply with the expectation that sacred objects would be kept inviolable for worship and offerings.

• "sent them to Benhadad...king of Syria": Seeking foreign alliances, particularly with a pagan nation, was a recurring temptation and theological error for the kings of Israel and Judah. It undermined the exclusive covenant relationship with Yahweh and fostered a dependency on external, unreliable powers instead of relying on divine strength and wisdom.

1 Kings 15 18 Bonus section

The chronicler (2 Chr 16:7-9) explicitly attributes Asa's subsequent challenges, including his war with Aram, to his failure to rely on the Lord. Hanani the seer's rebuke in 2 Chronicles provides the divine commentary on this act: "Because you relied on the king of Aram and did not rely on the LORD your God, you did not escape the hand of the king of Aram." This underscores that God, seeing all, views such human efforts to gain security apart from Him as a grave departure. Asa's action also demonstrates the temptation of visible, tangible resources (silver, gold, foreign armies) over the invisible, though real, power of God, a pattern frequently repeated by kings of Judah and Israel.

1 Kings 15 18 Commentary

King Asa's action in 1 Kings 15:18 marks a pragmatic yet theologically problematic shift in his reign. While seemingly a shrewd political maneuver to counter Baasha of Israel, it reflects a foundational distrust in the Lord. Instead of seeking God for deliverance, as he successfully did against Zerah the Ethiopian (2 Chr 14), Asa chose to deplete both national and sacred treasuries to purchase a foreign alliance. This act was implicitly a polemic against the biblical principle of relying solely on Yahweh for security, violating the spirit of God's command not to trust in human power, wealth, or foreign entanglements. It illustrates a recurring failure of kings to grasp that true security for Israel/Judah lay in covenant faithfulness rather than strategic diplomacy based on wealth. Furthermore, employing temple treasures for such secular ends devalued their sacred purpose and demonstrated a utilitarian view of what belonged to God. The short-term benefit gained from this alliance introduced a new, long-term threat from Aram that would trouble Judah for generations.