1. Six and thirtieth year. Except for this date, 1-6 run parallel with 1 Kings 15:17-22. Baasha began to reign in the 3d year of Asa, reigned 24 years, inclusive, and was succeeded by his son in Asa’s 26th year (1 Kings 15:33; 16:8). That would make impossible a war between Asa and Baasha in Asa’s 36th year. But there is no contradiction if the reference here (and probably that in 2 Chron. 15:19) was actually to the years, not of Asa’s personal reign, but of his kingdom, namely Judah. The 35th year of the southern kingdom, counted from Rehoboam’s accession, would be the 14th year of Asa, the year when the conflict with Zerah probably took place, or at least began (see on 2 Chron. 15:10); and in that case 2 Chron. 15:19 would provide the information that “there was no war” in Asa’s reign till that year. The following year, the 36th year since the founding of the monarchy of which Asa was king, would be the year when Baasha began to fortify Ramah.
Ramah. Most probably Ramah of Benjamin, a city about 51/2 (8.8 ) north of Jerusalem (see on Joshua 18:25).
Let none go out. This would logically refer to the exodus from Israel to Judah after Asa’s great victory over Zerah ( 15:9). Since the gathering at Jerusalem in celebration of this victory was held in Asa’s 15th year ( 15:10), it must have been at that time that the exodus from the northern kingdom was taking place and that the necessity arose for Baasha’s building of a stronghold on the border “to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa.” If this building of Ramah did not take place until Asa’s 36th year of reign, 21 years would have elapsed since the exodus to Judah before measures were taken to stop it. But since the death of Baasha took place in Asa’s 27th year, Baasha could not have built Ramah in Asa’s 36th year. If the 36th year is understood as that of Asa’s southern kingdom of Judah, then the supposed discrepancy disappears and the events fit perfectly into the 14th and 15th years of Asa.
