Synopsis of the Chapter
King Asa, alarmed by the army of Baasha king of Israel, seeks help from Benhadad king of Syria. Rebuked for this reason by the prophet Hanani, he imprisons him; soon after he dies of gout in the 41st year of his reign.
Verse 1: The Thirty-Sixth Year ¶
1. AND IN THE THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR OF HIS REIGN, BAASHA CAME UP. — You will object: Baasha had already been dead for ten years. More truly, these 36 years are of the kingdom of Judah; and therefore they should be counted from the first year of Rehoboam, who was the first king of Judah. Rehoboam reigned 17 years, then Abijah three years, and finally Asa sixteen: add all these together, and you will have the 36 years we are seeking. Therefore this 36th year of the kingdom of Judah was precisely the sixteenth year of Asa's reign.
Verse 7: The Army of Syria Has Escaped ¶
7. THEREFORE THE ARMY OF THE KING OF SYRIA HAS ESCAPED — that is to say: If you had trusted in God and invoked His help, and not that of Benhadad king of Syria, you would have conquered him, as a perpetual enemy of Judah, just as you conquered Zerah king of Ethiopia, who was invading Judea with a far more numerous army.
Verse 10: He Put to Death Many ¶
10. HE PUT TO DEATH MANY OF THE PEOPLE — who were grieved that the innocent prophet Hanani was being unjustly afflicted in prison by Asa, and therefore more freely accused his tyranny.
Verse 12: Pain in His Feet ¶
12. OF A MOST VIOLENT PAIN IN HIS FEET. — In Hebrew and Greek it is added: even to the upper parts; for when the humor and pain of gout invades the head, it is most violent and brings swift death.
He Trusted in Physicians
BUT HE RATHER TRUSTED IN THE SKILL OF PHYSICIANS. — Procopius and Theodoret note that "physicians" can be understood here either as enchanters and magical impostors, or as true physicians. If the latter, he could have sinned by placing too much hope in them, neglecting the help of the Lord God; or by seeking their help out of order, that is, before seeking appeasement and help from God, as Ecclesiasticus chapter XXXVIII, verses 9 and following explains.
Verse 14: Spices and Ointments ¶
14. FULL OF SPICES AND OINTMENTS — "of harlots" therefore means the same as most sweet and most delicate; such as harlots use. AND THEY BURNED OVER HIM — to show honor and civil respect to the royal corpse, and to drive away the stench and decay from it. For they did not burn the body itself with the spices, but burned the spices alongside the body.