“In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.”
Who reigned after Nadab the son of Jeroboam. He fortified it with walls and ditches: it was a city in Benjamin near to Gibeon. Cross references: : 1 Kings 15:17
“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.”
He thought to repulse his adversary by an unlawful means, that is, by seeking help of infidels, as they that seek the Turks’ amity, thinking thereby to make themselves more strong.
“Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. oppressed: Heb. crushed”
Hebrew , prison house. Thus instead of turning to God by repentance, he disdained the admonition of the Prophet, and punished him, as the wicked do when they be told of their faults.
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.”
1 Kings 15:23 Or, gouty, or swollen. Or, to the top of his head. God plagued his rebellion, and hereby declareth that it is nothing to begin well, except we so continue to the end, that is, zealous of God’s glory, and put our whole trust in him. He showeth that it is in vain to seek to the Physicians, except we first seek to God to purge our sins, which are the chief cause of all our diseases, and after use the help of the Physician, as a means by whom God worketh.