1 Kings 15:18

1Ki 15:18 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,

Ver. 18. Then Asa took all the silver.] This was plain sacrilege, since no necessity urged him thereunto.

And the treasures of the king’s house.] Which were much augmented doubtless by the great spoils of the Ethiopians and Lubims, lately beaten by him.

The son of Hezion.] Alias Rezon, of whom see 1Ki 11:23.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Left - Or, according to another reading, “found.” The wealthy condition of the temple treasury is sufficiently indicated in 1Ki 15:15. Compare 2Ch 15:18.

Asa’s conduct in calling Benhadad to his aid, condemned by the seer Hanani 2Ch 16:7, cannot, of course, be justified; but there was much to excuse it. An alliance, it appears, had existed between Abijam and Tabrimon, Benhadad’s father 1Ki 15:19 - an alliance which may have helped Abijam to gain his great victory over Jeroboam and achieve his subsequent conquests 2Ch 13:17-20. This had been brought to an end by Baasha, who had succeeded in inducing Benhadad to enter into a league with him. It was only natural that Asa should endeavor to break up this league; and, politically speaking, he had a full right to go further, and obtain, if he could, the support of the Syrian troops for himself. The Israelites had set the example of calling in a foreign power, when Jeroboam obtained the aid of Shishak.

To Benhadad - On the probable succession of the Damascene kings, and on the meaning of the name Hadad, see 1Ki 11:14, 1Ki 11:23.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

1Ki 15:18. Asa took all the silver and gold that were left — Which either Shishak had left, or Abijam or Asa or others, of both Israel or Judah, had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zarah, (2 Chronicles 14.) and he, and his numerous and prosperous people, did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God. Sent them — Wherein he committed three great faults, among many others; 1st, He alienated things consecrated to God, without necessity. 2d, He did this out of distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. 3d, He did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, (1Ki 15:19,) and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15:18-19 Ben-hadad . . . the king of Aram and his successors were a major factor in Aramean-Israelite relations for many years. Asa’s appeal for Ben-hadad’s help was reinforced with rich gifts taken from the Temple treasury. Despite previous enmity between the Arameans and Israel (11:23-25; 2 Sam 8:3-12; 2 Chr 8:3-4), Ben-hadad and Baasha had established a treaty. Asa understood that the Aramean king’s assistance could be purchased for the right price (1 Kgs 15:20). When God’s prophet Hanani delivered the Lord’s rebuke to Asa for approaching Ben-hadad, Asa reacted uncharacteristically and threw him into prison (2 Chr 16:7-10). Asa apparently forgot God’s previous intervention on his behalf against Zerah’s sizeable army (2 Chr 14:7-8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, Syria.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the . . . house of the Lord--Asa's religious character is now seen to decline. He trusted not in the Lord (Ch2 16:7). In this emergency Asa solicited the powerful aid of the king of Damascene-Syria; and to bribe him to break off his alliance with Baasha, he transmitted to him the treasure lying in the temple and palace. The Syrian mercenaries were gained. Instances are to be found, both in the ancient and modern history of the East, of the violation of treaties equally sudden and unscrupulous, through the presentation of some tempting bribe. Ben-hadad poured an army into the northern provinces of Israel, and having captured some cities in Galilee, on the borders of Syria, compelled Baasha to withdraw from Ramah back within his own territories.

Ben-hadad--(See on Kg1 11:14).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. Asa took all the silver] Shishak, king of Egypt, had not taken the whole, or there had been some treasures brought in since that time.

Ben-hadad] This was the grandson of Rezon, called here Hezion, who founded the kingdom of Damascus. See 1Kg 11:23-24; and Calmet.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) Sent them to Ben-hadad.—This shows that Syria, recovering its independence at the fall of Solomon’s empire, was already attaining the formidable power, which so soon threatened to destroy Israel altogether. The Ben-hadad of the text is the grandson of Hezion, who must be the Rezon of 1Ki_11:23. Already, as we gather from the next verse, there had been leagues between Syria and Judah in the preceding reign. Now it is clear that Baasha had attempted to supersede these by a closer league—possibly, like Pekah in later times (2Ki_16:5-6), desiring to strengthen and secure himself against invasion by the subjugation of Judah. Asa naturally resolved to bribe Ben-hadad by presents to prefer the old tie to the new; but he went beyond this, and proposed a combined attack on Israel, for the first time calling in a heathen power against his “brethren, the children of Israel.” It was an expedient which, though it succeeded for its immediate purpose, yet both as a desperate policy and an unfaithfulness to the brotherhood, which, in spite of separation and corruption, still bound the two kingdoms in the covenant of God with Abraham, deserved and received prophetic rebuke. (See 2Ch_16:7-9.) Just so Isaiah, in the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah, denounced the vain trust in confederacies with the neighbouring nations and alliance with Egypt (Isa_30:1-17).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon [R.V. Tabrimmon] the son of Hezion, king of Syria] This is the earliest of the three kings of this name mentioned in the Old Testament. ‘Hezion’ is probably the same person as the ‘Rezon,’ king of Damascus mentioned in 1Ki_11:23, and Ben-hadad 1. was apparently his grandson. We cannot always determine whether the names of these kings are merely significant titles, or true names. ‘Hadad’ was a Syrian god, perhaps the sun-god, and Ben-hadad, ‘son of Hadad’ may mean one devoted to Hadad’s worship. So ‘Tab-rimmon’ signifies ‘good is Rimmon’; Rimmon being another Syrian divinity (see 2Ki_5:18). This is much more likely to be a personal name than Ben-hadad. The war which Ben-hadad now began against Israel appears to have been continued in the days of Ahab. See below 1Ki_20:1. In the LXX. this king is called υἱὸς Ἄδερ.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?.... Some of which are to be met with in the canonical book of that name, Ch2 14:1, and others in the annals of the kings, out of which the Scripture account was taken:

nevertheless, in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet; seized with the gout, as the Jews say (a), and which was two years before his death, see Ch2 16:12.

(a) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 48. 2. So Clemens of Alexandria, Stromat. l. 1. p. 326.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

House. Sesac had not carried off all the treasures, (Calmet) and the losses had been since in a great measure repaired, ver. 15. (Haydock) --- Asa thought himself justified in employing these treasures in such a pressing necessity, (Calmet) perhaps (Haydock) without reason, as the danger was not so great; and he might have gained the victory without having recourse to an infidel, if he had placed more confidence in God, 2 Paralipomenon xvi. 7, 9. (Menochius) --- He had already discomfited Zara, king of Ethiopia, and had an army of 580,000 men. (Calmet) (2 Paralipomenon xiv. 8.) --- Tabremon, "Good Remmon," idol of Damascus. (Haydock) --- Hezion, the same with Razon, chap. xi. 23. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

All the silver and the gold that were left; these poor remainders, which either Shishak had left at that time, 1Ki 14:26, or Abijam, or Asa, or others, both of Israel and Judah, had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zerah, 2Ch 14, and he and his numerous and prosperous people did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God.

Asa sent them to Ben-hadad; wherein he committed three great faults, amongst many others. First, He alienated things consecrated to God without necessity. Secondly, He did this out of carnal fear and distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. Thirdly, He did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, 1Ki 15:19, and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. Then Asa took all the silver — Alas! that he who so recently dedicated these spoils to the Lord (1Ki_15:15) should make such use of them as is here described!

Ben-hadad — Three kings of this name reigned in Damascus. The name seems to have been a royal title, like the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Son of Tabrimon — Of whom nothing more is known.

Hezion — He was probably the same as Rezon, the contemporary and adversary of Solomon. 1Ki_11:23.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left LXX to suJreqen, which Rawlinson thinks points to a corruption of our text. He says, "The Jewish treasuries should now have been tolerably full," because

(1) of the long peace, (2Ch_14:1-6) and

(2) the "very much spoil" they had taken from the Ethiopians (ib., ver. 13). Compare ver. 15 above. But the historian has in mind the depletion of the treasury by Shishak. (1Ki_14:26) It is true there was nothing "left" on that occasion, but the treasures since accumulated are referred to under this term. It may be the phrase is not strictly accurate, but the LXX reading looks suspiciously like an emendation 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 cf. 2Ki_16:8. For this act of faithlessness he was reproved by Hanani the: (2Ch_16:7) "O Asa, where was thy piety, while thou robbedst God to corrupt an infidel for the slaughter of the Israelites?" (Hall) to Ben-hadad "the son of the sun". (see note on 1Ki_11:23) Three kings of Damascus at least bore this name, viz., this king, his, (1Ki_20:1) and the son of Hazael, (2Ki 24) the son of Tabrimon the name means, Good is Rimmon, as to which deity, (see note 2Ki_5:18) the son of Hezion by some identified with Rezin, (1Ki_11:23) but on insufficient grounds king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus "The centre of the Aramaean power west of the Euphrates" (Ewald), saying,

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Were left - What either Shishak had left, or Abijam, or Asa, or others, both of Israel or Judah had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zerah, 2 Chron. xiv, 9-15, and he and his numerous and prosperous people, did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God. Sent them - Wherein he committed three great faults, amongst many others, first, he alienated things consecrated to God, without necessity. Secondly, he did this out of distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. Thirdly, he did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, ver. 19, and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

He put it into the hands of his servants

Putting things in their hands represents giving those things to them. It is implied that they would do with it what he wanted them to do. The full meaning of this statement can be made clear. AT: "He entrusted it to his servants" (See: Metonymy and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

He said

This means he spoke by means of his servants. Asa told his servants what to say to Ben Hadad and they did. The meaning of this can be made clear. AT: "Asa told his servants to say to Ben Hadad" or "Through his servants, Asa said to Ben Hadad" (See: Metonymy and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Let there be a covenant between me and you

A covenant being between two people represents those two people having a covenant with each other. AT: "Let us have a covenant with each other" or "Let us make a peace treaty" (See: Metaphor)

Look, I

"As proof that I want a treaty with you, I"

Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel

Breaking a covenant represents canceling it and not doing what one has promised to do. AT: "Cancel your covenant with Baasha king of Israel" or "Do not be loyal to Baasha king of Israel as you promised in your covenant with him" (See: Metaphor)

Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel

Asa wanted Ben Hadad to attack Israel. Ben Hadad could only do that if he broke his covenant with the king of Israel. The meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, and attack Israel" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

palace

hand

servant

send

Aram

Damascus

gift

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.