Reading for August 1st

Read 1 Kings 15.9-24
In 15.9-24: Asa of Judah.
In verse 12: The term for idols is a disparaging one and sounds like the word "dung" in 14.10.
In verses 13: The nature of Maach's abominable image is not known; it may have been related to Asherah's role as a Canaanite fertility goddess.
In verse 14: The high places were shrines.
Here, they were apparently used for the worship of the Lord, not of other gods.
In verse 17: Ramah was in Benjamin on the main road between north and south.
In verse 20: The place listed in this verse are all in northern Israel.
Thus, Asa used Ben-hadad to divert Baasha's attention from his southern border with Judah.
In verse 22: None was exempt means that Asa conscripted a labor force of all the men of Judah for this project.
Geba and Mizpah were on opposite sides of the pass along the north-south road a little north of Ramah.
Asa was, therefore, extending his northern border.
In verse 23: Feet is probably a euphemism for the sexual organs; Asa likely died of venereal disease.
This verse implies that the disease was punishment for some unnamed sin.
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