II. THE REIGN OF ASA OVER JUDAH
Verses 8b through 24a speak of the reign of Asa over Judah. Asa was a good king, perhaps the best among the eight good kings of Judah.
A. Reigning for Forty-one Years in Jerusalem
Asa began to reign over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel and reigned for forty-one years in Jerusalem (vv. 8b-10a).
B. Doing What Was Upright in the Sight of Jehovah
with a Perfect Heart All His Days
Asa did what was upright in the sight of Jehovah with a perfect heart all his days, as David his forefather had done. Asa put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his forefathers had made. He also removed his grandmother Maacah from being queen mother. She had made an abominable image for Asherah, but Asa cut it down and burned it at the brook Kidron (vv. 11-14).
C. Bringing Sanctified Things
into the House of Jehovah
Asa brought into the house of Jehovah the things his father had sanctified and also the things that he himself had sanctified to God (v. 15).
D. War Being Waged between Asa
and Baasha King of Israel All Their Days
War was waged between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. Asa made an alliance with Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, in order to overcome Baasha (vv. 16-22).
E. Being Diseased in His Feet in His Old Age
Asa was diseased in his feet in his old age. He slept with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of David (vv. 23-24a).
(Life-Study of 1 & 2 Kings, Chapter 9, by Witness Lee)
