I Kings 15:24 · Bible study
1 Kings 15:24 Commentary: Asa's Honorable Burial and Succession
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does Asa's burial in David's city and Jehoshaphat's succession reveal about legacy, compromise, and God's faithfulness? A study of 1 Kings 15:24.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Asa's death and honorable burial in David's city, followed by Jehoshaphat's succession, affirm God's covenant faithfulness despite the king's mixed legacy.
- Key words: slept (H7901, euphemism for death), buried (H6912, with honor), city of David (royal tomb), reigned in his place (orderly succession).
- Main debate: How to reconcile Asa's honorable burial with his diseased feet and later compromise, is divine judgment or grace more evident?
- Theological theme: God's enduring covenant with David's house; human leaders are flawed but God's purposes prevail.
- Best use: Transition narrative introducing Jehoshaphat, funeral customs of ancient Judah, and a model for evaluating complex legacies.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And Asa rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David, and his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Asa lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigneth in his stead.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father. And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David, his father. And Josaphat, his son, reigned in his place.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y durmió Asa con sus padres, y fué sepultado con sus padres en la ciudad de David su padre: y reinó en su lugar Josaphat su hijo.
E descansou Asa com seus pais, e foi sepultado com seus pais na cidade de Davi seu pai: e reinou em seu lugar Josafá seu filho.
Asa se coucha avec ses pères, et il fut enterré avec ses pères dans la ville de David, son père. Et Josaphat, son fils, régna à sa place.
Und Asa entschlief mit seinen Vätern und ward begraben mit seinen Vätern in der Stadt Davids, seines Vaters. Und Josaphat, sein Sohn, ward König an seiner Statt.
En Asa ontsliep met zijn vaderen, en werd begraven met zijn vaderen, in de stad van zijn vader David; en zijn zoon Josafat werd koning in zijn plaats.
E Asa si addormentò coi suoi padri, e fu sepolto con essi nella città di Davide, suo padre; e Giosafat, suo figliuolo, regnò in luogo suo.
I zasnął Aza z ojcy swymi, a pochowany jest z nimi w mieście Dawida, ojca swego. A Jozafat, syn jego, królował miasto niego.
И почил Аса с отцами своими и погребен с отцами своими в городе Давида, отца своего. И воцарился Иосафат, сын его, вместо него.
亞撒 與 他列祖 同睡，葬 在 他祖 大衛 城 他列祖的墳地裡。他兒子 約沙法 接續他 作王。
So Asa went to rest with his fathers and was put into the earth in the town of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 15:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse reports Asa's death and burial with the customary honor due a king of Judah. Barnes notes that Asa prepared his own sepulchre in his lifetime, and his funeral was conducted with great magnificence, referencing 2 Chronicles 16:14. Cambridge adds that the burial involved a bed filled with sweet odours and spices, and a very great burning, a sign of deep respect. Gill echoes this, pointing to the pomp and solemnity with which Asa was laid to rest. Yet the surrounding context (1 Kings 15:23) records that in his old age Asa was diseased in his feet, and earlier he had relied on Syria rather than the Lord. Matthew Henry observes that despite this, Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days, suggesting a life of genuine faith even if it ended with compromises. The consensus, then, is that the formulaic language of “slept with his fathers” and burial in David's city affirms God's ongoing covenant with David's line. The king receives an honorable burial not because he was perfect, but because God keeps his promises.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Covenant faithfulness view: God honors Asa with a royal burial because of his earlier faithfulness and the unconditional promise to David, despite his later compromise.
- Mixed legacy view: Asa's later failures (disease, reliance on Syria) do not negate his earlier reforms; the text presents both honestly, leaving evaluation to God.
What is clear: Asa died, was buried honorably in Jerusalem's royal tombs, and his son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Burial with his fathers | All traditions read 'slept with his fathers' as referring to Asa's death and burial in the royal tombs of Jerusalem. | Some interpret the phrase as including hope of an afterlife with ancestors; others see it as purely physical burial without theological implications. |
| Asa's legacy | Christians agree that Asa did what was right in the Lord's eyes, especially in his early reforms. | There is discussion about whether his later reliance on Syria and his diseased feet indicate a loss of faith, or whether his 'perfect heart' (1 Kings 15:14) covers his entire life. |
| Honor of the funeral | The great burning and spices (2 Chronicles 16:14) are seen as signs of public honor. | Some traditions view this as a lavish display that may have been excessive; others see it as appropriate for a king who served God. |
| Succession of Jehoshaphat | Jehoshaphat's reign is presented as a continuation of the Davidic line and a blessing to Judah. | No significant debate; Jehoshaphat is universally commended as a godly king. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The city of David is Jerusalem, the ancient Jebusite stronghold that David captured and made his capital (2 Samuel 5:7). It became the royal burial ground for the kings of Judah. The phrase “slept with his fathers” is a standard euphemism for death in the Deuteronomistic history, carrying the sense of joining one's ancestors in the afterlife of Sheol. But it also refers concretely to being entombed in the family tomb. Asa, we learn from 2 Chronicles 16:14, had dug out his own tomb in the city of David, a practice common among Oriental kings. The funeral included a great burning of spices and sweet odours, a custom of honour reserved for the most respected rulers. In Jewish tradition, such burning was not cremation but an act of homage, as seen in later rabbinic accounts of burning goods at the death of a sage (Cambridge cites the Talmud).
The succession formula, “Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place”, is typical of the royal annals. It marks the orderly continuation of the Davidic dynasty. Jehoshaphat is introduced here as a godly king who would walk in the ways of Asa (1 Kings 22:43), strengthening the kingdom and teaching the law (2 Chronicles 17:9). The political context at the time of Asa's death is stable, though earlier Asa had made a treaty with Ben-Hadad of Syria to break Baasha's siege. That decision, while effective, showed a lack of trust in God and brought prophetic rebuke. His diseased feet may have been a consequence of that compromise (2 Chronicles 16:12). Yet God did not cast off his house. The burial honour and the smooth succession underscore that the divine promise to David endures even through flawed kings.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Kings 15:24. The Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions (Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate) agree closely on the wording. The phrase 'slept with his fathers' is a standard formula, and the names Asa and Jehoshaphat are consistent across witnesses. No variant readings affect the meaning of the verse.
Reception History
This verse has received comparatively little direct commentary from early church fathers, who focused more on the reigns of David and Solomon. In Jewish tradition, Asa is remembered as one of the pious kings of Judah, despite his later illness and dependence on Syria. Medieval Christian exegetes like Rashi and later reformers such as John Calvin used the verse to illustrate the mixed nature of even good kings, pointing to God's mercy in preserving the Davidic line. Matthew Henry's popular commentary (1710) highlighted Asa's faithful beginning and his honorable burial as evidence that God does not cast off his people for every failure. In modern preaching, the passage often serves as a bridge from Asa's flawed reign to Jehoshaphat's faithful one, with an emphasis on succession and legacy. It is also cited in discussions of Old Testament funeral practices and the hope of resurrection implied by the phrase 'slept with his fathers.'
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The End of a King's Journey: Asa's burial with his fathers in David's city completes his reign. The verse uses peaceful language, reminding us that even a mixed legacy can end with honor when God's faithfulness is the anchor.
- The Hope of Succession: Jehoshaphat's reign begins. The succession is not just political; it is the continuation of God's covenant with David. God raises up new leaders to carry his work forward.
- The Tension of a Mixed Legacy: Asa did much right (removing idols, renewing the temple) but also compromised (relying on Syria, possibly growing spiritually cold in old age). His honorable burial does not whitewash his failures; it shows grace at work.
Five-point outline
- Asa's death, a peaceful end despite earlier disease
- Burial in David's city, a sign of covenant belonging
- The funeral customs, honor given by the nation
- Jehoshaphat's accession, God's plan continues
- The theological point, God keeps his promises even through imperfect vessels
Illustration hooks
- A respected church leader who had a faithful start but later made compromised decisions. How do his funeral and succession still point to God's grace?
- A family business passed from a founder who made both wise and unwise choices. The new generation inherits both blessing and challenge.
- The custom of a state funeral for a flawed politician, public honor does not erase private failings, but it recognizes that no life is a complete failure in God's hands.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God honour a person's life even if they made serious mistakes at the end?
- What does this verse say about legacy and succession in my own family or church?
- How do I reconcile the account of Asa's diseased feet with his honorable burial?
Leading a Discussion
This verse marks the end of Asa's reign and the beginning of Jehoshaphat's. It invites us to consider how God works through both the faithfulness and the failures of his people. Asa's burial was honorable, but his later life included compromise and physical affliction. The succession of his son Jehoshaphat, a godly king, shows that God's purposes outlast any single leader. As you discuss, let the text speak to how we evaluate our own lives and the legacy we leave.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Kings 15:23-24. What surprises you about Asa's burial given his diseased feet and earlier compromise with Syria?
- Why do you think the writer includes the detail “buried with his fathers in the city of David his father”? What does that location represent in the biblical story?
- How does the succession of Jehoshaphat (see 2 Chronicles 17:1-9) show God's faithfulness despite Asa's shortcomings?
- What does “slept with his fathers” suggest about the biblical view of death and hope beyond it?
- In what ways do you see a tension between a person's good deeds and their later failures in this passage? How does that apply to your own life or to a leader you know?
- How can we celebrate the good in a person's legacy without ignoring their mistakes? What does this verse teach about grace and truth?
- What does Jehoshaphat's response to his father's legacy (strengthening himself, teaching the law) teach us about building on the past wisely?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 22:41 | Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. |
| I Kings 22:43 | He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes. However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. |
| II Chronicles 16:14 | They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug out for himself in David’s city, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him. |
| II Chronicles 17:1 | Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. |
| II Chronicles 17:9 | They taught in Judah, having the book of Yahweh’s law with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. |
| Matthew 1:8 | Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the contrast between the simple notice of Asa's death here and the fuller account in Chronicles, which describes an elaborate and costly funeral. For Clarke, the parallel passage adds significant detail that the reader would otherwise miss.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Asa followed an Eastern royal custom by preparing his own tomb while still alive. His funeral was marked by great splendor, fitting for a king who had arranged his own burial in advance.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools commentary highlights the custom of burning items at funerals of the great, as seen in Asa's burial. It notes 2 Chronicles describes the bed filled with spices and a great burning, and cites a Talmudic account of a similar honor paid to Rabban Gamaliel.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note records the close of Asa's reign with his death and burial in David's city, then simply notes that his son Jehoshaphat succeeded him. No additional interpretation or theological point is added to the historical transition.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Asa was buried with great honor in a tomb he had prepared for himself, with a bed filled with sweet spices that were burned in a ceremonial fire. He then observes simply that Jehoshaphat, a pious and worthy prince, succeeded him as king.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that verses 4-5 are not an addition but essential: even though Abijam allowed idol worship, God kept David's line alive purely out of covenant faithfulness to David, not because of anything in Abijam. He also clarifies that Asa's "perfect heart" means he never wavered between Jehovah and idols, not that he was morally flawless—his later actions showed mixed motives.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Asa's heart was perfect with God even though the high places remained, but his later decision to hire the Syrian king with temple treasures reveals a tragic failure to trust the Lord fully in time of war. The king who boldly removed his own mother's idol now leans on a pagan alliance rather than on God.