What Does the Bible Say about King Asa of Judah?
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From King Saul’s days ruling the united kingdom of Israel to the nation’s division and both offshoots being defeated by foreign powers, the rulers over God’s people offer a compelling history filled with intrigue, turmoil, and profound leadership lessons. King Asa of Judah is a particularly interesting example in this history. Most of the kings are cautionary tales on the dangers of pride, idolatry, and sinful ambition. Some kings were politically inept. Many more were moral failures in the eyes of God. Several kings, though flawed, were regarded as good kings so long as they obeyed God and led His people toward righteousness and true worship.
Asa seems to fit into the third group. But was he?
Who was King Asa really, and what can we learn from his leadership and legacy?
Where Does the Bible Mention King Asa?
The history of Asa’s reign appears in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 14-16. In both accounts, we learn that Asa became king of Judah following the death of his father Abijam—the son of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the son of David. Thus, Asa came from a healthy heritage, the great-grandson of the wise King Solomon and the great-great-grandson of King David.
Rehoboam inherited the kingdom after Solomon’s death but made some mistakes early on. He disregarded his father’s advisors and followed the counsel of inexperienced friends, who encouraged him to flex his political muscles. The people were already burdened by heavy taxation and harsh labor conditions. When Rehoboam announced he would make things harder for them, they turned against Rehoboam.
Israel’s 10 northern tribes abandoned Rehoboam in favor of Jeroboam I, one of Solomon’s labor secretaries, and formed a separate northern kingdom, the kingdom of Israel. Two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, remained loyal to the house of David and became known as the kingdom of Judah from then on.
Rehoboam continued to be a weak, wicked, and worthless king. He allowed high places of false worship to be built and “perverted persons” to prosper in the land (1 Kings 14:24). When he died, his son Abijam only ruled for three years before he died for not following God. Asa became king in approximately 911/912 BC. Unlike his father, however, Asa had a long and successful reign, which lasted 41 years (1 Kings 15:10).
Was King Asa a Good King of Judah?
According to the Bible, “Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father.” (1 Kings 15:11; 2 Chronicles 14:3). As we see throughout the history of Israel and Judah’s kings, David was the standard that all future kings were judged against.
So, if Asa was a relatively good king, what did he do right?
We learn that he:
- expelled the male cult prostitutes from Judah.
- tore down the sacred pillars (2 Chronicles 14:3).
- removed the high places and incense altars (2 Chronicles 14:5).
- expelled his mother from the royal court for making and worshipping an image of Asherah, then he burned the image (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chronicles 15:16).
- strengthened Judah’s armies.
- fortified Judah’s cities (2 Chronicles 14:6-8).
At the prophet Azariah’s behest, Asa also “took courage” and removed the abominable idols from all the land (2 Chronicles 15:1-8). He then restored the altar of the Lord in front of the porch of the Lord (2 Chronicles 15:8).
King Asa’s work had good effects. He gathered those faithful to the Lord from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and people who had defected from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon to Jerusalem. When they saw that the Lord was with Asa, they sacrificed to the Lord, seeking Him “with all their heart and soul,” renewing their covenant with the God of David (2 Chronicles 15:9-12).
Lastly, Asa commanded Judah to “seek the Lord God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment” (2 Chronicles 14:4). As a result, “the land was undisturbed and with him during those years because the Lord had given him rest” (2 Chronicles 14:6).
Because ‘the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days” (1 Kings 15:14), the first 35 years of his reign were marked by peace and prosperity.
However, that didn’t mean everything went smoothly.
When Did King Asa Go to War with Israel?
Early in Asa’s reign, we read that Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Judah with an army of over a million soldiers, including 300 chariots (2 Chronicles 14). Asa called out to the Lord, trusting that the God of his fathers would deliver Judah from the far superior force.
As a result, “the Lord routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah and the Ethiopians fled . . . for they were shattered before the Lord and before His army” (2 Chronicles 14:12-13). The massive victory was one of the greatest in the military history of either Israel or Judah.
Unfortunately, Asa’s second military campaign did not go as well. During the thirty-sixth year of his reign, King Baasha of Israel came against the armies of Judah (2 Chronicles 16). Rather than consulting with the Lord and trusting the God who had delivered him from the Ethiopians, Asa instead looked to ally with Ben-hadad, the king of Aram.
For a time, this political alliance seemed to repel Baasha’s invasion.
However, the seer Hanani rebuked Asa for trusting in a foreign prince instead of the Lord. “You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on, you will surely have war” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
Asa imprisoned Hanani for his prophetic rebuke. Three years later, Asa developed a severe disease in his foot. Rather than looking to God for healing, Asa only turned to doctors. He died a few years later and was succeeded by his son Jehoshaphat.
What Can We Learn from King Asa Today?
Despite his later lapses in faith, Asa is regarded as one of the few good, effective kings over Judah. His story teaches us several things.
1. Spiritual Reform Should Never be Half-Hearted
When Asa ascended to the throne, Judah was already heading in the wrong direction. The nation had not ended up in idolatry overnight. Many previous kings’ foolish decisions and moral compromises had opened the door for all sorts of wickedness to permeate Judah’s culture.
Since the spiritual decline was so deep, true reform had to be deep and thorough. Half-hearted efforts would not save Judah. It would only delay inevitable destruction. Asa’s reforms showed courage and total commitment were required to reform the nation. Repentance had to be followed by action. No stone could be left unturned. No idol could remain. Asa was even willing to expel his mother from court to remove her idolatrous practices from the palace. In the end, true revival must be whole-hearted, even when faced with wicked people’s outrage. They must press on with courage and commitment.
2. National Revival Can Start at the Top
Many political movements start at the grassroots level, moving from the ground up. However, we should never underestimate the power and effectiveness of thoughtful, committed leadership at any level. Judah’s revival began with a king who sought the Lord’s will and wasn’t afraid to lead by example. Whether they lead a nation, army, company, church, or a family, a bold leader can change the trajectory of the people he’s called to lead. Under Asa’s leadership, good changes followed.
3. Generational Sin Can be Broken
One thing all the good kings of Judah and Israel had in common was a willingness to break from their predecessors’ sinful traditions. In some cases, this meant breaking with their own fathers. Thankfully, every king had a righteous example to look back to: King David.
Sadly, many kings failed to break the ancestral cycle of sin. However, the good kings recognized that no son is destined to follow in his father’s footsteps, just as no child is responsible for their fathers’ sins. Everyone is accountable for their actions. Even today, many parents don’t lead their children in the paths of righteousness. Their example is poor, their mistakes devastating, and their influence is strong. Yet in the kingdom of God, all it takes is one child making a different choice, committing to seek the Lord with all their heart, to break the cycle. Those who make that choice have radically changed entire families and nations.
4. A Strong Finish Matters as Much as a Strong Start
The crucial flaw in Asa’s leadership was his preference for human wisdom and strength over divine wisdom and strength. It’s not that rulers should never make alliances or that people should never consult human doctors. The problem is when God becomes a second thought—a last resort when all other options have failed. God had proven Himself to Asa enough times for Asa to remember His goodness, faithfulness, power, and promises.
Notably, Asa didn’t abandon God and turn to idolatry, a mistake many other kings made. In fact, “the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days” (1 Kings 15:14; emphasis added). But he looked too much to human power in his later hours of need and dealt with the consequences. If only he had finished his race as strongly as he started it. How much more may God have been glorified in the miracles He could have performed in Asa’s final days.
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This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. We have compiled these articles to help you study those whom God chose to set before us as examples in His Word. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul.
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