War between Asa and Baasha
Conflict between Asa and Baasha becomes concrete when Baasha fortifies Ramah to control movement in and out of Asa's territory.
N16ow there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days. 17Baasha king of Israel went to war against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.
Asa responds by emptying remaining treasure from temple and palace and sending it to Ben-hadad to break Aram's treaty with Baasha, which succeeds.
18So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace. He entrusted it to his servants and sent them with this message to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus: 19“Let there be a treaty between me and you as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.” 20And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the whole land of Naphtali, including the region of Chinnereth.
Baasha stops fortifying Ramah and withdraws, and Asa has all Judah reuse Ramah's stones and timber to strengthen Geba and Mizpah.
21When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. 22Then King Asa summoned all the men of Judah, with no exceptions, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials King Asa built up Geba of Benjamin, as well as Mizpah.