Asa Allies with Aram and Is Rebuked

"In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah." Asa sends silver and gold to Ben-hadad, who strikes Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim and the store cities of Naphtali.

Hanani the seer: "Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God… For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly." Asa puts him in the stocks.

"And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians." He is laid "in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices," and a great fire is made for him.

Hanani's rebuke

Only Chronicles has the prophet's rebuke and Asa's response. Kings reports the alliance without criticism.

Physicians

The point is not that medicine is wrong, but that Asa sought healers instead of God (the Hebrew may also suggest healers associated with other gods, as rophe'im can be wordplay on rephaim, "shades"). The burial "great burning" was of spices, not cremation (compare Jeremiah 34:5).