9 In the twentieth year of King Yarave’am’s reign over Israel, Asa became king of Yehudah 10 and reigned from Yerushalem for forty-one years. (His grandmother was Abishalom’s daughter Maakah.) 11 Asa did what was pleasing to Yahweh, like his ancestor David had done, 12 and he expelled the male prostitutes from the country and removed all the idols made by the previous generations.[ref] 13 He also removed his grandmother Maakah from being queen-mother because she had made a horrid Asherah goddess, then he cut down her horrid idol and burnt it in the Kidron valley. 14 He didn’t remove the hilltop temples, but despite that he was fully devoted to Yahweh all his life. 15 He brought everything that father had dedicated, plus more of his own, into Yahweh’s temple, including gold, silver, and containers.

16 Asa and King Baasha of Israel were in a continual state of war during their reigns. 17 King Baasha invaded Yehudah and fortified Ramah so that no one could pass in or out to help King Asa of Yehudah. 18 So Asa took all the remaining gold and silver from the temple and palace storerooms, and sent it with his servants to take to Ben-Hadad, son of Tabrimmon, son of King Hezion of Aram who lived in Damascus, to tell him, 19 “You and me have an agreement between us that was made by our two fathers, so look, I’ve sent a present of gold and silver to you. So then, break your agreement with King Baasha of Israel so he’ll give up on attacking me.”

20 Ben-Hadad did what king Asa requested, and he sent the commanders of his best warriors to attack Israeli cities including Iyon, Dan, Abel-Beyt-Maakah, and all Kinnerot along with all Naftali region. 21 When King Baasha heard about that, he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirtsah.

22 Then King Asa informed all Yehudah that they were needed at Ramah. They removed the stones and timber from Baasha’s fortifications, and king Asa used the materials to build Geba (in Benyamin) and Mitspah. 23 Everything else that Asa did, and all his great works and all the cities he built, are described in the book of the events of the kings of Yehudah. However in his old age, he developed problems with his feet. 24 Then he died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David (also his ancestor) and his son Yehoshafat replaced him as king.