1. The third king of Judah (reigned c. 908-867 B.C.); he was the son and successor of Abijah. His mother was Maachah (I Kgs 15:1-2). Asa was a loyal adherent of the worship of God and "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord". He instituted reforms to rid the land of heathen deities and practices. "He banished the perverted persons from the land, and removed all the idols that his father had made." (I Kgs 15:9-12). He also demoted Maachah from her position as queen mother "because she had made an obscene image of Asherah" (I Kgs 15:13-14). There were ten years of peace at the beginning of Asa's reign (II Chr 14:1), during which he fortified cities on his frontiers and raised an army of 580,000 men (II Chr 14:5-8). When Zerah the Ethiopian invaded Judah with an enormous army, Asa repulsed him at Maresha, taking much booty (II Chr 14:9-13). Asa was constantly engaged in border conflict with King Baasha of Israel. Baasha extended his domain as far as Ramah, some 5 miles (9 km) north of Jerusalem, and fortified it. Asa then turned for help to Ben-Hadad, the king of the Arameans, who attacked the Israelite cities of Ijon, Dan and Abel Beth Maachah (I Kgs 15:16-22).
In his old age Asa suffered from a disease which affected his feet; he was reproved by a prophet because he sought physicians rather than the Lord (II Chr 16:11). When he died he was buried in the City of David (I Kgs 15:24). Asa is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew.
2. Asa, a Levite, the son of Elkanah, an ancestor of Obadiah; he lived in one of the villages of the Netophathites after the return from Babylon.
Concordance
ASA 1:
I Kgs 15:8-9,11, 13-14, 16-18,20, 22-25, 28,32-33; 16:8,10, 15, 23, 29; 22:41, 43, 46. I Chr 3:10. II Chr 14:1-2,8, 10-13; 15:2, 8,10, 16-17, 19; 16:1-2, 4, 6-7,10-13; 17:2; 20:32; 21:12. Jer 41:9. Matt 1:7-8
ASA 2:
I Chr 9:16
