2 Chronicles 16:12 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →In his thirty-ninth year, Asa develops a severe foot disease and seeks physicians instead of God.
The Context of 2 Chronicles 16:12
Asa suffers a severe illness and responds by seeking physicians rather than returning to God in faith.
What Does 2 Chronicles 16:12 Mean?
Three years after his confrontation with Hanani, Asa falls gravely ill. His feet become diseased to an extreme degree. The ailment is specific—it targets the very members that should carry him into God's presence. Rather than see in this affliction an invitation to repentance and a return to faith, Asa turns exclusively to physicians and medical remedies.
This is not a condemnation of medicine itself, but a statement about Asa's spiritual condition. He does not seek the Lord; he does not repent or ask God for healing. Instead, he relies entirely on human skill. The pattern is clear: Asa has replaced faith in God with faith in human solutions—first military and political allies, now medical ones.
2 Chronicles 16:12 in the Original Language
diseased (חוֹלָה, cholah) — literally 'weak' or 'sick,' but here implies a deep, wasting disease that resists all remedy.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Chronicles 16:12
What does 2 Chronicles 16:12 mean?
In his thirty-ninth year, Asa develops a severe foot disease and seeks physicians instead of God.
What is the context of 2 Chronicles 16:12?
Asa suffers a severe illness and responds by seeking physicians rather than returning to God in faith.