238 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

children ; you must all have them impressed on your me-
mories, and I trust you may have them impressed on your
hearts. They speak to us of comfort to those who trust
in God, of encouragement to those who seek after him,
and of punishment to those who wander from his ways.

George. Was there any more wat in Asa’s reign ?

Grandfather. There was, but he did not act so wisely
‘n his next difficulty. Baasha, king of Israel, went up
against Judah, and his plan was to fortify the town of
Ramah, by which means he would be able to cut off all
communication between some parts of the country and
the capital. Asa, for fear of him, determined to seek
foreign aid. He collected all the silver and gold that
was in his own treasury, and in the treasury of the temple,
and sent it to Damascus to bribe Benhadad, king of
Syria, to take up his quarrel against Baasha. ‘This
Benhadad agreed to do, although he had had a league
with Baasha. The treaties of bad men are not to be
trusted to. He sent the captains of his armies against
the cities of Israel. They took several of them, so that
Baasha was glad to leave Judah alone, and go to the
defence of his own kingdom. The Lord was displeased
with Asa; and he sent to him Hanani, the prophet, to
tell him that because he had done foolishly, from hence-
forth he would have wars. We are not told the parti-
culars of any of these wars, but we may be sure that
when the Israelites saw Asa resort to a foreign power to
assist him in overcoming them, it would embolden them
to make further attempts against him. Yet, when com-