1The Spirit of God came[1] upon Azariah the son of Oded, (Nu 24:2; Jud 3:10; 2Ch 15:8; 2Ch 20:14; 2Ch 24:20)2and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. (1Ch 28:9; 2Ch 12:5; 2Ch 20:17; 2Ch 24:20; Isa 55:6; Jer 29:13)3For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law, (Ho 3:4)4but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. (De 4:30)5In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. (Jud 5:6)6They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress.7But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” (Ge 15:1; Jos 1:6; Jos 1:9; Ps 62:12)8As soon as Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded, he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the vestibule of the house of the Lord.[2] (Jos 24:33; 2Ch 8:12; 2Ch 13:19; 2Ch 15:1; 2Ch 17:2)9And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were residing with them, for great numbers had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. (2Ch 11:16)10They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.11They sacrificed to the Lord on that day from the spoil that they had brought 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep. (2Ch 14:13)12And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, (2Ki 23:3; 2Ch 29:10; 2Ch 34:31; Ne 10:29)13but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. (De 13:6)14They swore an oath to the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets and with horns.15And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around. (2Ch 14:7; 2Ch 20:30)16Even Maacah, his mother, King Asa removed from being queen mother because she had made a detestable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her image, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. (Ex 34:13; 1Ki 15:2; 1Ki 15:10; 1Ki 15:13; 2Ki 23:6; 2Ki 23:15; 2Ch 30:14)17But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days. (2Ch 14:3; 2Ch 14:5)18And he brought into the house of God the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.19And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.
1The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded.2He went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.3For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law.4But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.5In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil.6One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress.7But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.’8When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of[1] Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple.9Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.10They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.11At that time they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back.12They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.13All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.14They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns.15All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.16King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley.17Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.18He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.19There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
2 Chronicles 15
King James Version
1And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:2And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.3Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.4But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.5And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.6And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.7Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.8And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.9And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.10So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.11And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.12And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;13That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.14And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.15And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.16And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it , and burnt it at the brook Kidron.17But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.18And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.19And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
1The Spirit of God came on Azariah. He was the son of Oded.2Azariah went out to meet Asa. He said to him, ‘Asa and all you people of Judah and Benjamin, listen to me. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you really look for him, you will find him. But if you desert him, he will desert you.3For a long time Israel didn’t worship the true God. They didn’t have a priest who taught them. So they didn’t know God’s law.4But when they were in trouble, they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel. When they did, they found him.5In those days it wasn’t safe to travel around. The people who lived in all the areas of the land were having a lot of trouble.6One nation was crushing another. One city was crushing another. That’s because God was causing them to suffer terribly.7But be strong. Don’t give up. God will reward you for your work.’8Asa heard that prophecy. He paid attention to the words of Azariah the prophet, the son of Oded. So Asa became bolder than ever. He removed the statues of gods from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin. He also removed them from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He did it because the LORD hated those gods. Asa repaired the altar of the LORD. It was in front of the porch of the LORD’s temple.9Then Asa gathered together all the people of Judah and Benjamin. He also gathered together the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who were living among them. Large numbers of people had come over to him from Israel. They came because they saw that the LORD his God was with him.10They gathered in Jerusalem. It was the third month of the 15th year of Asa’s rule.11At that time they sacrificed to the LORD 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep and goats. The animals were among the things they had taken after the battle.12They made a covenant to obey the LORD, the God of their people. They would obey him with all their heart and soul.13All those who wouldn’t obey the LORD, the God of Israel, would be killed. It wouldn’t matter how important they were. It wouldn’t matter whether they were men or women.14They made a promise to the LORD. They praised him out loud. They shouted. They blew trumpets and horns.15All the people of Judah were happy about the promise they had made. They turned to God with all their heart. When they did, they found him. So the LORD gave them peace and rest on every side.16King Asa also removed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother. That’s because she had made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. The LORD hated it. So Asa cut it down. He broke it up. He burned it in the Kidron Valley.17Asa didn’t remove the high places from Israel. But he committed his whole life completely to the LORD.18He and his father had set apart silver, gold and other things to the LORD. Asa brought them into God’s temple.19There weren’t any more wars until the 35th year of Asa’s rule.