2 Chronicles 16 14

2 Chronicles 16:14 kjv

And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odorous and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

2 Chronicles 16:14 nkjv

They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.

2 Chronicles 16:14 niv

They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honor.

2 Chronicles 16:14 esv

They buried him in the tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer's art, and they made a very great fire in his honor.

2 Chronicles 16:14 nlt

He was buried in the tomb he had carved out for himself in the City of David. He was laid on a bed perfumed with sweet spices and fragrant ointments, and the people built a huge funeral fire in his honor.

2 Chronicles 16 verses

2 Chronicles 16 14 Meaning

This verse details the solemn and elaborate burial of King Asa. Despite his spiritual failings later in life, he was accorded significant royal honor upon his death. The description emphasizes the care taken in preparing his personal tomb, his repose on a perfumed bed, and the highly aromatic "burning" or pyre that accompanied his funeral rites, signifying great reverence and a traditional mark of respect for a departed king in Judah.

2 Chronicles 16 14 Context

This verse concludes the narrative of King Asa's reign in 2 Chronicles. Chapters 14-16 initially present Asa as a righteous king who purged idolatry and depended on the Lord for victory in war. However, 2 Chronicles 16 details his moral and spiritual decline. When King Baasha of Israel threatened Judah, Asa relied on a political alliance with Syria rather than trusting God, earning rebuke from Hanani the seer (2 Chr 16:7-9). Asa reacted by imprisoning Hanani and oppressing some of his people (2 Chr 16:10). His final failing was that in his illness (a severe foot disease), "he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians" (2 Chr 16:12). Despite this departure from the Lord, his burial rites, described in 2 Chronicles 16:14, reflect the customary lavish honor bestowed upon a king of Judah, particularly one who, for the greater part of his reign, had been a strong reformer and had built up the kingdom. The detail about his custom-dug tomb and elaborate spices underlines his royal status, yet also subtly highlights the temporal and material focus he increasingly adopted in his later years.

2 Chronicles 16 14 Word analysis

• And they buried him: This refers to the usual Jewish custom of burial, contrasting with cremation, which was less common and generally only practiced in specific circumstances or by other cultures (1 Sam 31:12).
• in his own sepulchre: קבר (qeber) – meaning "tomb, sepulchre." This highlights that Asa had a personal burial place, not merely laid with his ancestors in a communal or pre-existing tomb. This often implies foresight and perhaps a long reign where such preparations could be made.
• which he had digged for himself: כרה (karah) – meaning "to dig, to carve out." This signifies a self-prepared, likely rock-cut tomb, a substantial and often expensive undertaking for a king, showing forethought and personal initiative regarding his resting place (cf. Mt 27:60 for Jesus' tomb).
• in the city of David: דוד עיר (Ir David) – also known as Zion. This confirms his burial place within Jerusalem, the capital and spiritual heart of the kingdom, the traditional burial ground for most righteous kings of Judah, enhancing his status (1 Kgs 2:10).
• and laid him in the bed: This was not merely lying in a sarcophagus but on a special funerary bed, suggesting comfort and dignity even in death, a royal privilege.
• which was filled with sweet odours: בשמים (besamim) – "spices, perfume, sweet od smells." These were expensive aromatic resins and compounds, used both for anointing the body and filling the burial chamber or bed, signifying honor, purification, and preservation. (Lk 23:56, Jn 19:39).
• and divers kinds of spices: מיני מיני (miney miney) – literally "kinds, kinds," emphasizing a rich variety. מעטרים (ma'atarim) – from 'atar, "to crown, encompass," here referring to aromatics for wreaths or for anointing, stressing the abundance and luxury of the embalming materials.
• prepared by the apothecaries' art: ברוקחי מרקחת (b'rokchey mirqachat) – "by perfumers of perfume" or "by ointment-mixers." This refers to skilled professional perfumers or ointment makers, indicating a sophisticated process of preparing the aromatic compounds, showcasing royal affluence and the high degree of honor given.
• and they made a very great burning for him: שריפה גדולה (srephah gedolah) – literally "a great burning." This does not imply cremation of the body, which was generally not practiced by Israelites for their dead. Instead, it refers to a significant ceremonial burning of a large quantity of spices, aromatic woods, and other valuable items, possibly on a funeral pyre beside the tomb, a symbol of honor and lamentation for a deceased king (Jer 34:5, 2 Chr 21:19 for Jehoram's lack of one).

• "in his own sepulchre, which he had digged for himself": This phrase highlights King Asa's personal preparedness and autonomy concerning his final resting place. Unlike some kings who might be interred in established royal family tombs, Asa specifically commissioned or prepared his own, a mark of foresight and a display of his individual status, contrasting with those lacking such an honor.
• "filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art": This section details the elaborate and costly nature of the embalming and anointing, underscoring Asa's wealth and the high reverence he received. The use of specialized "apothecaries" suggests a royal custom of skilled professionals tending to these solemn rites, emphasizing the lavishness, even though his spiritual life declined.
• "they made a very great burning for him": This is a distinct aspect of the funeral. The "great burning" or funeral pyre (not consuming the body) of spices, garments, or other valuable materials was a powerful visual and olfactory sign of immense respect, status, and collective mourning, often performed for kings (Jer 34:5). Its "greatness" denotes the unparalleled honor extended to Asa.

2 Chronicles 16 14 Bonus section

The "great burning" (שריפה גדולה, srephah gedolah) for King Asa, and also mentioned in Jeremiah 34:5 for King Zedekiah, is a crucial detail to distinguish from cremation of the body. The practice of body cremation was abhorrent to the ancient Israelites, whose reverence for the human body, created in God's image, and belief in a future resurrection, mandated burial (Gen 23:4, Gen 50:24-26). The "burning" was a ritualistic act of burning aromatic substances, personal items, or even furniture, in honor of the deceased, similar to a perpetual lamp being lit, providing a fragrant and visible display of profound sorrow and respect at the time of mourning and interment. This was often an expression of public lament and a symbolic cleansing or purification. The very use of "apothecaries' art" to prepare the sweet odours underscores that the smell, more than a practical aspect, was part of a sacred and honorific ritual. The narrative about Asa highlights how the people retained a profound respect for his office, despite his recorded spiritual downturn.

2 Chronicles 16 14 Commentary

2 Chronicles 16:14 presents a paradox: the solemn, honorable, and lavish funeral of a king who, in his final years, departed from wholehearted dependence on the Lord. The details — the personal, excavated sepulchre in the City of David, the perfumed bed, the abundant spices prepared by skilled artisans, and the "very great burning" — underscore the deep respect and high royal honor afforded to King Asa by his people. This was a fitting send-off for a monarch who, despite his ultimate spiritual failing in his later life by seeking only physicians and not the Lord (2 Chr 16:12), had previously initiated significant reforms and experienced God's help. The account here is a testament to the cultural customs of royal burial in ancient Israel, demonstrating that even spiritual imperfections in life might not prevent a ruler from receiving a burial commensurate with their royal office and public standing. It stands in contrast to Jehoram's unhonored burning (2 Chr 21:19), highlighting Asa's comparatively dignified end.

• Example: Asa's burial signifies that outwardly, human society often honors status and accomplishments, even when personal spiritual integrity might be compromised in a believer's private life or later years.