Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

2 CHRONICLES 16:6KJV
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2 Chronicles 16:6 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 16:6 mean?

2 Chronicles 16:6 describes how King Asa of Judah gathered all the people of Judah to remove the building materials—stones and timber—that King Baasha of Israel had used to fortify the town of Ramah. Asa then used those same materials to strengthen the towns of Geba and Mizpah for Judah’s own defense.

This verse takes place after King Asa forced Baasha to abandon his construction at Ramah by making an alliance with the king of Syria. Asa’s men carried away the supplies Baasha left behind, showing a shift in control and resources from Israel to Judah. The verse highlights Asa’s strategic use of what his enemy left behind to benefit his own kingdom.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 16:6

  • רָמָה (Ramah, H7414): This was a strategic town near the border of Israel and Judah. Baasha tried to fortify it to control movement, so its capture and dismantling was a significant event.
  • גֶּבַע (Geba, H1387) and מִצְפָּה (Mizpah, H4709): These are towns in Judah that Asa fortified using the materials from Ramah. The names show that Asa was strengthening Judah’s defenses at key locations.
  • לָקַח (laqach, H3947): Translated as “took,” this word often means to seize or carry away, emphasizing Asa’s active removal of the enemy’s resources for his own use.

Why 2 Chronicles 16:6 matters

  • This verse clears up that Asa did not just stop Baasha’s building project—he repurposed the very materials, turning a threat into an advantage for Judah.
  • It shows the practical side of ancient conflicts, where building materials were valuable and often reused, rather than destroyed.
  • The verse connects to the broader story of Asa’s reign, illustrating both his resourcefulness and the ongoing tension between Israel and Judah.

Where else these words appear

“Geba” Hebrew H1387 · used in 19 verses

  • Joshua 18:24 And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:
  • 1 Samuel 14:5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
  • Ezra 2:26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

“Baasha” Hebrew H1201 · used in 26 verses

  • 1 Kings 15:16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
  • 1 Kings 15:33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
  • 1 Kings 16:11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

“Mizpah” Hebrew H4709 · used in 31 verses

  • Genesis 31:49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
  • 1 Samuel 7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
  • Nehemiah 3:19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall.

“Ramah” Hebrew H7414 · used in 35 verses

  • Joshua 18:25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
  • 1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
  • 1 Kings 15:22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.