A reading from the book of Second Chronicles.

In the 36th year of the reign of Asa, Beyesha King of Israel went up against Judah and

built Rama that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa, King of Judah.

Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king's

house, and sent them to Ben-Had, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,

There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father.

Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold.

Go, break your covenant with Bayesha, king of Israel,

that he may withdraw from me. And Ben Hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the commanders of his

armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Aijan, Dan, Abelmeam, and all the store

cities of Neftali. And when Bayesha heard of it, he stopped

building Rama and let his work cease. Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the

stones of Rama and its timber with which Bayesha had been building, and with them he built

Giba and Mizba. At that time, Hananiah, the seer,

came to Asa King of Judah and said to him, Because you relied on the King of Syria and did not rely

on the Lord your God, the army of the King of Syria has escaped you. We're not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge

army with very many chariots and horsemen, yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them

into your hand, for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth,

to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars. Then Asa was angry with the seer

and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this, and Asa inflicted cruelties

upon some of the people at the same time. The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written

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