2 Chronicles 16:12-13
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Even when facing his most debilitating illness, Asa's problem wasn't just his physical ailment; it was his persistent choice to look to human remedies instead of relying on the Lord. This highlights the subtle but crucial difference between seeking aid and seeking the Lord through the aid you receive.
In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Asa has just won a major victory against a larger enemy, largely due to his faithfulness to God. Despite this recent demonstration of God's power and favor, he faces a personal health crisis. Instead of turning to the Lord who just saved him, Asa relies on human medical skill, a choice that ultimately proves fatal and tragically marks a decline in his relationship with God.
Asa was a king known for his devotion to God. So why, when facing a severe illness, did he turn away from the Lord?
This verse presents a stark contrast in Asa's life. For years, he had followed God, even removing idols and calling people back to worship. Yet, when physical suffering struck, his default setting shifted. Instead of leaning into his relationship with God, he relied on human remedies.
The Trap of Competence
It's easy to assume that turning to doctors or medicine is inherently wrong. But the issue here isn't the physicians themselves; it's the direction of Asa's seeking. He sought 'help' from them, implying he placed his trust and hope in their abilities rather than in the Lord, the ultimate healer. This is a timeless challenge: when we face difficulties, do we first look to what we can see and manage, or do we look to the Unseen who holds all power?
Asa's physical ailment worsened, but the text points to a deeper, more dangerous condition: his spiritual state.
The 'disease' mentioned wasn't just a physical sickness; it was a symptom of a deeper spiritual departure. While physicians could treat the body, they couldn't address the soul's turning away from God.
A Crisis of Faith
For a king who had experienced God's deliverance and led his people in worship, this shift is tragic. It reveals that even those who have walked closely with God can, under pressure, neglect Him. His feet, the very instruments of his movement and reign, became afflicted. This physical limitation mirrors his spiritual immobility – he was no longer moving towards God but away from Him. His severe disease became a consequence and a sign of his severe spiritual neglect.
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
A title referring to the sovereign Creator and covenant-keeping God of Israel, identified by the personal name Yahweh. It denotes His supreme authority and His relational presence with His people.
rophe'im · Hebrew Noun
An ancient medical practitioner or one who uses arts and remedies to treat illness. Biblically, seeking physicians is not condemned inherently, but the failure to seek God in the context of illness is presented as a spiritual lapse.
shakab im abotayw · Hebrew Phrase (Verb)
An idiomatic expression in the Old Testament used to describe the death of kings and patriarchs. It implies passing away to join one's ancestors in the afterlife.
This verse starkly contrasts Asa's early, God-honoring reign with his final years. His turn to physicians over the LORD in his sickness, after rejecting prophetic counsel, serves as a potent warning against spiritual pride and a reminder that even seasoned believers can falter when they stop seeking God directly.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides After Solomon
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom of Israel splits into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel (10 tribes) and the southern Kingdom of Judah (2 tribes, including Jerusalem). This division marks a period of ongoing political instability and religious compromise for both realms.
c. 911-870 BC
Reign of Asa in Judah
Asa becomes king of Judah and initially rules with a strong focus on religious reform, removing idolatry and seeking God. His reign is marked by wars with the northern kingdom and Egypt, and by his reliance on God during these conflicts.
c. 875 BC
Asa's Military Victory
Asa achieves a significant victory over a massive Ethiopian army, attributing his success entirely to God's intervention. This event highlights his earlier faithfulness and reliance on the LORD.
c. 873 BC
Prophet Hanani's Rebuke
The prophet Hanani confronts Asa for making an alliance with the Aramean king Ben-Hadad of Damascus, rather than fully trusting God. Asa imprisons Hanani for this rebuke.
c. 873 BC— this verse
Asa's Feet Disease Begins
Shortly after imprisoning the prophet, Asa's feet become diseased. This marks the beginning of his final illness, which his later choices will tragically define.
c. 873 BC
Asa Seeks Physicians, Not God
In his severe illness, Asa turns to medical treatment from physicians instead of seeking the LORD for healing. This marks a stark departure from his earlier faith and reliance on God.
c. 873 BC
Death of Asa
Asa dies after a long reign of 41 years. His legacy is one of initial faithfulness and reform, but ultimately marred by his later pride and distrust in God during his final sickness.
This verse speaks directly to the danger of relying on human strength or resources over God, mirroring Asa's misplaced trust.
Isaiah 31:1This passage warns against seeking help from Egypt (representing worldly alliances and solutions) rather than the Lord, a principle Asa clearly ignored.
Psalm 107:17-20This psalm describes people suffering due to disobedience and their eventual crying out to God for deliverance, highlighting the path Asa failed to take.
Job 2:9-10Job's wife encouraged him to curse God and die in his suffering, but Job rebuked her, showing faith in the midst of severe trial, contrasting with Asa's reaction.
Even when facing his most debilitating illness, Asa's problem wasn't just his physical ailment; it was his persistent choice to look to human remedies instead of relying on the Lord. This highlights the subtle but crucial difference between seeking aid and seeking the Lord through the aid you receive.
King Asa has just won a major victory against a larger enemy, largely due to his faithfulness to God. Despite this recent demonstration of God's power and favor, he faces a personal health crisis. Instead of turning to the Lord who just saved him, Asa relies on human medical skill, a choice that ultimately proves fatal and tragically marks a decline in his relationship with God.
King Asa has just won a major victory against a larger enemy, largely due to his faithfulness to God. Despite this recent demonstration of God's power and favor, he faces a personal health crisis. Instead of turning to the Lord who just saved him, Asa relies on human medical skill, a choice that ultimately proves fatal and tragically marks a decline in his relationship with God.
"In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first…" — Even when facing his most debilitating illness, Asa's problem wasn't just his physical ailment; it was his persistent choice to look to human remedies instead of relying on the Lord. This highlights…
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Last reviewed October 2026
