Asa

Concise Bible Dictionary:

1. Great grandson of Solomon and king of Judah (B.C. 955-914). “Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David his father.” He removed the idols his fathers had made (1 Kings 15:11¹¹And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father. (1 Kings 15:11)), and he deposed Maachah, his mother, or perhaps grandmother, from being queen because she favored idolatry. On the country being invaded by the Ethiopians with a million troops and 300 chariots, he cried to the Lord, who fought for him, and the enemy was smitten. He was counseled by Azariah not to forsake the Lord, which led to the spoil being offered to God, and to the king and his people entering into a covenant to seek the Lord.

Subsequently Asa was threatened by Baasha king of Israel who began to build Ramah, a fortified city only a few miles from Jerusalem. To stop this Asa paid a large sum of money to Benhadad king of Syria to invade Israel. This was for the time successful: the building of Ramah was stopped, and Asa carried away the stones thereof and built Geba and Mizpah.

This recourse for aid to the king of Syria, who was an idolater, was very displeasing to God, and the king was rebuked by Hanani the seer. While Asa trusted in the Lord he had deliverance, but having relied on the king of Syria, he should have war all his days. Asa, alas, did not humble himself, but put Hanani in prison, and oppressed some of the people. He was disciplined in his person, for he was diseased in his feet, and the disease increased exceedingly; yet he sought not the Lord, but to the physicians (perhaps these were healers by magic arts in connection with idolatry, on which God’s blessing could not be asked) and he died after a reign of 41 years (1 Kings 15; 2 Chron. 14-16; Matt. 1:7-8⁷And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; ⁸And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; (Matthew 1:7‑8)).

2. A Levite, the father of Berechiah (1 Chron. 9:16¹⁶And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites. (1 Chronicles 9:16)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:

609 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Transliteration:

’Aca’

Phonic:

aw-saw’

Meaning:

of uncertain derivation; Asa, the name of a king and of a Levite

KJV Usage:

Asa

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

healer: injurious (?)

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

He healed; physician:-a Levite, ancestor of Berechiah, 1 Chron. 9:16. {Sanavit}