1 KING. XV. ver. 16. to ver. 23.
[World 3065] [Asa. 16] [Baasha. 14] [Division. 35] ASA bringeth dedicate things [Asa. 17] [Baasha. 15] [Division. 36] into the Temple. This se∣venteenth year of Asaes reign is called the six and thirtieth year of his Kingdom, 2 Chron. 15. 19. And there was no war more unto the five and thirtieth year of Asaes King∣dom. And 2 Chron. 16. 1. In the six and thirtieth year of Asaes Kingdom, Baasha King of Israel came up: The Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not to be understood of the time of Asaes reign, but the Kingdom of Asa, distinct from the Kingdom of Israel: That it cannot be understood of the time of Asaes reign appears by this, because Baasha was dead many years before the six and thirtieth year of Asaes reign came: For if Baasha began to reign in the third year of Asa, and reigned but four and twenty years, as 1 King. 15. 33. asserteth, then was Baasha dead nine full years before the six and thir∣tieth year of Asa came, and therefore he could not then possibly come up against Judah, for he was rotten in his grave: But it is thus to be under∣stood, that in the six and thirtieth year of Asaes Kingdom, that is, of the Kingdom of Judah since the revolt of the ten tribes, Baasha came up against that Kingdom and warred against it, the Kingdom that God would not have to be fought against. Now as Jeroboam had made the division, which had now continued six and thirty years, viz. 17 of Rehoboam, 3 of Abijah and 16 of Asa, so doth Baasha go about now to confirm that division, for he setteth on to build and Garrison Ramah, that he might stop all entercourse betwixt Israel and Judah, and therefore the Holy Ghost reckoneth the time of this act of Baasha by a computation from the first division. And he calls it the Kingdom of Asa, the rather also, because he had lately confirmed and established it to himself, as far as it was possible for him to do, namely, by a Reformation and a Covenant: But now doth Asa exceeding ill, for he relieth upon an arm of flesh, the King of Syria, he hireth him with dedicate things which himself had dedicated but a year or two before: he bringeth