2 Chronicles 16 3

2 Chronicles 16:3 kjv

There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

2 Chronicles 16:3 nkjv

"Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."

2 Chronicles 16:3 niv

"Let there be a treaty between me and you," he said, "as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me."

2 Chronicles 16:3 esv

"There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me."

2 Chronicles 16:3 nlt

"Let there be a treaty between you and me like the one between your father and my father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone."

2 Chronicles 16 verses

2 Chronicles 16 3 Meaning

2 Chronicles 16:3 records King Asa of Judah's strategic decision to form an alliance with Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram (Syria), against Baasha, the king of Israel. Asa initiated this by sending a considerable sum of silver and gold as a tribute or payment to Ben-Hadad, referencing previous friendly relations between their fathers. His explicit instruction was for Ben-Hadad to break his existing treaty with Baasha. The ultimate goal was to divert Baasha's aggression from Judah, specifically causing him to withdraw from fortifying Ramah, which threatened Jerusalem directly. This act signifies a turning point in Asa's reign, moving from reliance on God (as seen in 2 Chr 14) to reliance on human alliances and wealth.

2 Chronicles 16 3 Context

This verse is situated at a critical juncture in the reign of King Asa of Judah. Asa began his rule commendably, showing faithfulness to the Lord, reforming the kingdom, and eliminating idolatry (2 Chr 14:2-5). His early trust in God was remarkably demonstrated when he faced the massive Cushite army of Zerah, a million strong; Asa cried out to the Lord, and God gave him victory (2 Chr 14:9-15).

However, chapter 16 marks a turning point. Faced with Baasha, King of Israel, fortifying Ramah—a strategic outpost only a few miles from Jerusalem, threatening Judah's security and trade routes—Asa chose a different path. Instead of seeking the Lord, he resorted to a political strategy common in the ancient Near East: bribing an ally to disrupt his enemy's operations. This act, described in verse 3, represents a departure from his earlier reliance on God, a decision that incurred the Lord's displeasure and a prophetic rebuke from Hanani the seer, foreshadowing future troubles for Asa's kingdom.

2 Chronicles 16 3 Word analysis

• I am sending: The Hebrew is shō·lê·aḥ (שֹׁלֵ֨חַ), a present participle, indicating a deliberate and ongoing action by Asa. It highlights his active decision and initiative in this diplomatic maneuver.
• a covenant: The Hebrew word is bərît (בְּרִ֣ית). While bərît can refer to a divine covenant (like God's covenant with Noah or Abraham), here it denotes a secular treaty or alliance between human kings. The emphasis is on a humanly initiated and sustained agreement, subject to breaking, rather than a divinely instituted, unbreakable promise. This highlights that Asa sought a human solution rather than a divine one.
• between me and you, between my father and your father: This phrasing establishes a historical precedent for the alliance, giving it legitimacy and continuity in diplomatic terms. Asa leverages past relationships (Abijah of Judah and Tabrimmon of Aram) to strengthen his present appeal, framing the requested alliance as a re-establishment of friendly relations.
• Behold, I have sent you silver and gold: The Hebrew is hinneh ke·seṯ wə·zā·hāḇ (הִנֵּה֙ כֶּ֤סֶף וְזָהָב֙), literally, "Behold, silver and gold I have sent you." Hinneh is an interjection often used to draw attention, emphasizing the significant value of the "gift." This offering of wealth serves as a strategic inducement, a form of tribute or bribe to sway Ben-Hadad's allegiance. In the broader narrative, this silver and gold likely came from "the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king’s house" (1 Kgs 15:18), indicating a desecration of sacred funds for worldly gain.
• go, break your treaty: The verb "break" is tāp̄êr (תָפֵר֙), meaning to violate, nullify, or annul. It explicitly instructs Ben-Hadad to commit an act of perfidy. This reveals the moral cost of Asa's pragmatic strategy: he solicited treachery, encouraging another king to act dishonorably. Such actions are in stark contrast to God's faithfulness to His own covenants.
• with Baasha king of Israel: Baasha was a constant threat to Judah, building fortifications at Ramah to block access to Jerusalem. Asa's fear of Baasha (described in 2 Chr 16:1) motivated this entire strategy, yet his solution bypasses the divine intervention that previously ensured his victory against even larger threats.
• that he may withdraw from me: The Hebrew ya‘a·leh (יַעֲלֶ֥ה), commonly means "go up" or "ascend." Here, it signifies to move up and away from a location, meaning to withdraw his forces. This phrase states Asa's desired outcome: for Baasha to abandon his fortification efforts at Ramah and cease his hostilities against Judah, driven away by the new threat from the north. This goal, though understandable, was pursued through means that challenged divine principles of trust and righteous conduct.

2 Chronicles 16 3 Bonus section

• Theological Irony: Asa's previous victory against Zerah the Cushite involved an army a "million strong" (2 Chr 14:9), while Baasha's threat, though strategic, was less overwhelming. The irony lies in Asa's reliance on God for a massive victory, yet his turn to human alliances for a comparatively smaller challenge, revealing a potential shift in heart or a testing of his faith that he failed.
• Asa's Character Arc: This verse is a crucial point in understanding Asa's deterioration from a faithful king to one who imprisoned a prophet and ultimately relied on physicians instead of God for healing (2 Chr 16:10, 12). His actions here show the initial step down the path of hardening his heart against the Lord.
• Chronistic Intent: The Chronicler (author of Chronicles) places strong emphasis on "seeking the Lord" and the consequences of not doing so. This event serves as a prime example for his audience (post-exilic Judah) of how a king, initially faithful, suffered when he turned away from absolute reliance on God. The lesson is that human wisdom, political maneuvering, and material resources, however powerful, are subordinate to divine sovereignty.

2 Chronicles 16 3 Commentary

2 Chronicles 16:3 encapsulates King Asa's fateful shift from divinely directed action to humanly devised strategy. Having previously experienced the Lord's miraculous deliverance against the Cushite forces solely through prayer and faith (2 Chr 14), Asa now faces a lesser threat in Baasha but chooses a different path: political manipulation and material bribery. He dispatches the temple and palace treasures to secure a worldly alliance, soliciting the breaking of an existing covenant. This verse is pivotal because it marks Asa's self-reliance taking precedence over his demonstrated trust in God. From a biblical perspective, relying on earthly wealth and foreign alliances, rather than the sovereign power and protective care of the Lord, signifies a departure from faith and sets the stage for God's prophetic rebuke and Asa's subsequent decline, marked by persistent warfare and illness. It stands as a powerful reminder that human wisdom and strategic acumen, however clever, are insufficient and often detrimental when they bypass God's direction and sovereignty.