דברי הימים ב, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ב׳

A heavy sense of threat hangs over the Kingdom of Judah, forcing King Asa to take emergency political and economic steps to dismantle a dangerous military alliance. Baasha, the king of Israel, has conspired to form a treaty with Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, with the shared goal of waging war against Asa. This situation closely mirrors a later historical event during the days of Ahaz when Aram and Ephraim joined forces against Judah. Terrified by the prospect of facing a united front, Asa decides to reach out directly to the king of Aram [מלבי״ם].

To counter the impending attack, Asa takes the silver and gold from the treasuries of both the House of God and the royal palace. These reserves serve as the emergency funds for the kingdom [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Asa sends this wealth to Ben-hadad, who is residing in the city of Damascus [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], hoping to win his favor and break his pact with the king of Israel.