2 Chronicles 16 12

2 Chronicles 16:12 kjv

And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

2 Chronicles 16:12 nkjv

And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.

2 Chronicles 16:12 niv

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.

2 Chronicles 16:12 esv

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians.

2 Chronicles 16:12 nlt

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the LORD's help but turned only to his physicians.

2 Chronicles 16 verses

2 Chronicles 16 12 Meaning

2 Chronicles 16:12 reveals a tragic end to King Asa's reign, focusing on his spiritual failing in his final years. Despite his debilitating disease, which grew increasingly severe, he demonstrated a critical lapse in faith by neglecting to seek the Lord for healing. Instead, he relied exclusively on human physicians, symbolizing a departure from the covenantal trust in God's ultimate power and sovereignty over all things, including health and life. The verse underscores a principle that while human means can be used by God, turning to them instead of or without turning to God signifies a deeper spiritual issue.

2 Chronicles 16 12 Context

This verse marks a significant turning point and tragic end to the reign of King Asa, who initially was commended for his zealous reforms and devotion to Yahweh (2 Chr 14:1-15:15). His reign began with military victories secured by prayer and reliance on God (2 Chr 14), and a renewed covenant with the Lord (2 Chr 15). However, a turning point occurred when, facing the threat of King Baasha of Israel, Asa chose to rely on a strategic alliance with King Ben-Hadad of Aram instead of the Lord (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani rebuked Asa for this lack of trust (2 Chr 16:7-9), warning that Asa's future would be marked by wars. Asa reacted harshly by imprisoning Hanani (2 Chr 16:10). Verse 12 is the climax of this spiritual decline: even in severe physical distress, Asa maintained his pattern of self-reliance, seeking human means (physicians) exclusively and neglecting to seek the Lord, demonstrating a hardened heart and a failure to repent or return to God, which contributed to his inability to recover from the sickness. The disease of the feet may have been gout or a severe circulatory issue, indicative of an ailment affecting the king's very ability to stand and lead, symbolizing his diminished spiritual standing.

2 Chronicles 16 12 Word analysis

• And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased: This specific temporal marker highlights the precise moment of Asa's final downfall, close to the end of his life and reign (he reigned 41 years, v. 13). His disease manifested at a time when he had already veered significantly from faithful obedience. The word for "diseased," khalah (חָלָה), denotes general sickness or weakness, often implying being broken or frail. It suggests God's sovereign hand allowing this affliction, perhaps as a direct consequence or divine chastisement.
• in his feet, until his disease was exceedingly great: The ailment was specific to his feet (Hebrew: raglav, רַגְלָיו), which might have been a metaphor for the king's ability to "walk" uprightly, lead, or maintain his kingdom's stability. Literally, it could have been a debilitating condition like severe gout or gangrene. The phrase "exceedingly great" (Hebrew: ad lema'alah mitza'ahab / עַד לְמַעְלָה מִצָּהָב) vividly conveys the severity and progressive worsening of his condition, reaching an extreme point of no return. It suggests a chronic, escalating pain.
• yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians: This is the core spiritual indictment. "Sought not to the LORD" uses the Hebrew verb darash (דָּרַשׁ), which means to inquire, consult, seek out, investigate, or seriously turn to for guidance or help. It implies an intentional turning away, a deliberate neglect of God as his primary resource for healing. The contrast is sharp: lo darash et Yahweh (he did not seek Yahweh) ki lirfaim (but to the physicians). This does not condemn medicine, as physicians existed and were known. The polemic is against exclusive reliance on human means, to the exclusion of, or in place of, God. It implies a lack of faith in God's power and sovereignty, prioritizing human effort and wisdom above divine intervention, a similar error to his reliance on Aram. This spiritual failure overshadows any physical pain and serves as the ultimate critique of his later life.

2 Chronicles 16 12 Bonus section

The chronicler often structures narratives to show cause and effect between a king's spiritual fidelity and the state of the kingdom or their personal well-being. Asa's story, particularly in his later years, stands as a strong example. The contrast between Asa's beginning (2 Chr 14:11: "Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power") and his end (seeking only physicians, not the Lord) highlights the devastating impact of wavering faith. This is not a prohibition against medicine but a reminder of who holds ultimate authority over life and death, sickness and healing. For believers today, this verse serves as a crucial caution: prayer and seeking God's will should precede and accompany any medical treatment. Our primary reliance must always be on the Great Physician (Exod 15:26), knowing that any human healing is ultimately His permissive will and by His grace. It's a call to integrate faith and medical care, with God firmly at the center, recognizing His sovereignty above all human efforts. The silence of the Chronicler on what became of Hanani after Asa's imprisonment suggests that Asa’s decline was not only spiritual but also marked by tyranny, fitting for a king who rejected God's messengers.

2 Chronicles 16 12 Commentary

2 Chronicles 16:12 delivers a poignant message about the culmination of a king's spiritual decline. Asa's initial reign exemplified godliness, bringing reform and experiencing divine deliverance. However, a pattern of growing self-reliance emerged when he trusted in human alliances over God against Baasha and then subsequently abused his power. This verse reveals the logical conclusion of that downward trajectory: when suffering physical pain, Asa continued to look horizontally rather than vertically. The sin was not seeking physicians, for medicine is a gift of common grace and means God can use for healing. Rather, it was his exclusive reliance on physicians, actively choosing not to seek the Lord, thereby denying God His rightful place as sovereign healer and ultimate deliverer. This was a direct spiritual defiance, highlighting a profound hardening of his heart, refusing to repent and seek God's face even in his agony. His disease, both physical and spiritual, became a testament to the dangers of gradual spiritual backsliding and the tragic end of a once-faithful leader. The divine displeasure and a shortened, bitter end to a once-glorious reign resulted from this deliberate abandonment of faith.