Verse 16 states that Asa was at war with Baasha throughout Baasha’s reign. Now verse 17 introduces one specific battle by way of illustration. Contemporary English Version introduces verse 17 with the words “One time” as a way of showing that what follows is only one instance of the numerous battles between the two kings.

Baasha … went up against Judah: Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says that “Baasha moved toward the south against Judah.” Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New Living Translation translate the Hebrew verb here according to the context as “invaded.” Others may prefer a verbal expression like “attacked” (New American Bible), “marched on” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “fought against” (International Children’s Bible).

Built Ramah: Ramah was a town about seven kilometers (less than five miles) north of Jerusalem. It already existed so the Hebrew verb rendered built must be understood in this context to mean “fortified” (so Good News Translation, La Bible Pléiade, and most modern versions). The Hebrew text leaves implicit that Baasha first captured the town of Ramah before he was able to begin fortifying it, but compare Contemporary English Version for the last half of the verse: “captured the town of Ramah. He started making the town stronger, so he could put troops there to stop people from going in and out of Judah.”

That he might permit no one to go out or come in: This describes the purpose of Baasha’s military action. The sense of the Hebrew may be that Asa’s military troops were prevented from traveling north. Revised Standard Version gives a fairly literal translation here. More idiomatic translations include “so he could keep people from leaving or entering Judah, Asa’s country” (New Century Version; similarly Revised English Bible, New Living Translation), “in order to cut off communications with Asa, king of Judah” (Osty-Trinquet,Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente; similarly New American Bible, Peregrino), and “to blockade Asa king of Judah” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .