Single lesson
Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance
1 Kings 15:16–24; 2 Chronicles 16:1–14
Pressed by Baasha of Israel, King Asa turned to Syria for help, and a seer warned him that he had trusted the wrong ally.
Before you teach
There was war between Asa king of Judah and Baasha king of Israel. Baasha built up Ramah to stop people from going out or coming in to Asa. So Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of Yahweh’s house and the king’s house, and sent them to Ben Hadad king of Syria, asking for a treaty and urging him to break his agreement with Baasha. Ben Hadad listened to Asa and sent his army commanders against cities in Israel. They struck cities in the north, and when Baasha heard…
Describe the central teaching of Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance, using two details from the reading. Pressed by Baasha of Israel, King Asa turned to Syria for help, and a seer warned him that he had trusted the wrong ally.
Welcome: Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance
4 minIntroduce “Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance” and locate 1 Kings 15:16–24; 2 Chronicles 16:1–14. Pressed by Baasha of Israel, King Asa turned to Syria for help, and a seer warned him that he had trusted the wrong ally. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
1 Kings 15:16, 2 Chronicles 16:3, 2 Chronicles 16:14
Read and explain the passage
8 minThere was war between Asa king of Judah and Baasha king of Israel. Baasha built up Ramah to stop people from going out or coming in to Asa. So Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of Yahweh’s house and the king’s house, and sent them to Ben Hadad king of Syria, asking for a treaty and urging him to break his agreement with Baasha.
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa with a hard message. He said Asa had relied on the king of Syria instead of relying on Yahweh. Hanani reminded him that God had helped against a huge army before. He said Yahweh looks throughout the earth to show his strength for those whose hearts are wholly his. Because Asa had acted foolishly, wars would follow.
Later, in his old age, Asa became badly diseased in his feet. Chronicles says that in his illness he did not seek Yahweh, but only physicians. Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign. He was buried in David’s city, and Jehoshaphat his son became king after him.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
1 Kings 15:18, 2 Chronicles 16:2, 1 Kings 15:19, 2 Chronicles 16:7, 2 Chronicles 16:9, 2 Chronicles 16:8, 2 Chronicles 16:12, 1 Kings 15:23, 1 Kings 15:24
Discuss the details and their meaning
6 minUse the three questions below. Begin with ““Ben Hadad listened to Asa and sent his army commanders against cities in Israel.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. Pressed by Baasha of Israel, King Asa turned to Syria for help, and a seer warned him that he had trusted the wrong ally. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
1 Kings 15:22, 2 Chronicles 16:6, 1 Kings 15:20, 2 Chronicles 16:7, 2 Chronicles 16:9, 2 Chronicles 16:8, 2 Chronicles 16:12, 1 Kings 15:23, 1 Kings 15:24
Make and respond: Story sequence booklet
9 minWork on “Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance: Story sequence booklet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
1 Kings 15:16, 2 Chronicles 16:3, 2 Chronicles 16:14
Closing: return to Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance
3 minRevisit 1 Kings 15:16–24; 2 Chronicles 16:1–14. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
1 Kings 15:16, 2 Chronicles 16:3, 2 Chronicles 16:14
Questions to explore
“Ben Hadad listened to Asa and sent his army commanders against cities in Israel.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?
Ben Hadad listened to Asa and sent his army commanders against cities in Israel. They struck cities in the north, and when Baasha heard it, he stopped building Ramah. Then Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber from Ramah. Asa used them to build Geba and Mizpah.
1 Kings 15:22, 2 Chronicles 16:6, 1 Kings 15:20
How does this moment affect the rest of the account: “At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa with a hard message.”?
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa with a hard message. He said Asa had relied on the king of Syria instead of relying on Yahweh. Hanani reminded him that God had helped against a huge army before. He said Yahweh looks throughout the earth to show his strength for those whose hearts are wholly his. Because Asa had acted foolishly, wars would…
2 Chronicles 16:7, 2 Chronicles 16:9, 2 Chronicles 16:8
“Later, in his old age, Asa became badly diseased in his feet.” How does this ending connect with the beginning?
Later, in his old age, Asa became badly diseased in his feet. Chronicles says that in his illness he did not seek Yahweh, but only physicians. Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign. He was buried in David’s city, and Jehoshaphat his son became king after him.
2 Chronicles 16:12, 1 Kings 15:23, 1 Kings 15:24
Make, think or respond
Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance: Story sequence booklet
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or crayons
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Beginning”, “What changes?”, “How it ends”.
- Read 1 Kings 15:16–24; 2 Chronicles 16:1–14. Use “Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Talk through your notes with an adult. Add a word, drawing or short quotation that helps you remember each part.
- Retell the account using your three panels, checking the order against the passage.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, read the selected verses aloud, prepare the three panels and let them respond with drawings or a few words. Use Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance as the retelling prompt.
- For older children, add verse references to the response sheet and explain a connection between Asa Relies on a Foreign Alliance and the final part of the reading.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read 1 Kings 15:16–24; 2 Chronicles 16:1–14. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
1 Kings 15
16 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that was left in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,
19 “Let there be a treaty between me and you, like that between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”
20 Ben Hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
21 When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and lived in Tirzah.
22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah. No one was exempted. They carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and King Asa used it to build Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
23 Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
24 Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 16
1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Yahweh’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,
3 “Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”
4 Ben Hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
5 When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, with which Baasha had built; and he built Geba and Mizpah with them.
7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.
8 Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and exceedingly many horsemen? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.
9 For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”
10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.
11 Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great; yet in his disease he didn’t seek Yahweh, but just the physicians.
13 Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign.
14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug out for himself in David’s city, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.