1 Kings 15:17

“And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, etc.] Which, in (<141601>2 Chronicles 16:1) is said to be in the thirty sixth year of Asa’s reign, or rather of his kingdom; for it can never mean the year of his reign, for Baasha was dead many years before that, since his reign began in the third of Asa, and he reigned but twenty four years, and therefore must die in the twenty seventh of Asa; but it is to be understood of the kingdom of Judah, when it was divided from Israel; from that time to this were thirty six years, seventeen under Rehoboam, three under Abijam, so that this year must be the sixteenth of Asa; thus it is calculated in the Jewish chronology f344, and which is followed by…”

“Ramah (perhaps “Er-Ram;” marginal reference) was situated halfway between Bethel and Jerusalem. Its distance from Jerusalem was no more than five miles so that its occupation was a menace to that capital. Baasha’s seizure of Ramah implies a previous recovery of the towns taken by Abijam from Jeroboam, namely, Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephrain 2 Chronicles 13:19, and was a carrying of the war into the enemy’s country. Could his conquest have been maintained, it would have crippled Judah seriously, and have almost compelled a transfer of the capital to Hebron. That he might not suffer any to go out or come in - Baasha, in seizing Ramah, professed to be acting on the defensive. His complaint seems…”

“Built - That is, repaired and fortified. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 15:18”

“15:17 Baasha’s southward thrust recaptured towns previously lost to Abijam (2 Chr 13:19), as well as Ramah in Judah, about four miles north of Jerusalem. This sealed the border, preventing the Israelites from defecting to Judah and confining Asa to his own territory. Ramah commanded the important north–south and east–west routes in Canaan (Judg 4:5; Isa 10:29; Jer 31:15; 40:1).”

“am 3074, bc 930 Baasha: Kg1 15:27; Ch2 16:1-6 Ramah: By building Ramah is here meant fortifying it, in order to prevent all intercourse with the kingdom of Judah, lest his subjects should cleave to the house of David. for Ramah was a city of Benjamin, situated on the confines of both kingdoms, probably on a hill, as the name imports, commanding a narrow defile between the mountains, through which lay the principal road to Jerusalem; so that a fortification being erected here, no communication could be held between the people of Israel and Judah, without Baasha's permission. Kg1 15:21; Jos 18:25; Sa1 15:34; Jer 31:15 he might not suffer: Kg1 12:27; Ch2 11:13-17 3 Kings (1 Kings) 15:18”