15 God's Spirit came to Oded's son Azariah. 2 Azariah went to meet King Asa. He said to him, ‘Listen to me Asa and all you people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The Lord will be with you while you are faithful to him. If you ask him for help, he will answer you. But if you turn away from him, he will turn away from you. 3 For a long time, the Israelites did not serve the true God. They did not have any priests to teach them what was right. They did not know God's law. 4 But when they were in trouble, they turned to the Lord , Israel's God. They asked him to help them and he answered them. 5 At that time it was not safe to travel very far. There was too much trouble among the people of other countries. 6 One nation would attack and destroy another nation. The people of one city destroyed other cities. God caused all this trouble to happen to those people. 7 But you must be strong. Continue to be brave. God will make your work successful.’
8 Asa felt strong again when he heard God's message from Azariah, son of the prophet Oded. He removed the disgusting idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin. He also removed them from the towns that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the Lord 's altar that was in the yard at the front of the Lord 's temple.
9 Then King Asa brought all the people together who belonged to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He also brought people from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had come to live in Judah. Many people from the other tribes of Israel had come to Judah to serve King Asa. They had seen that the Lord his God was with him to help him.
10 All these people met together in Jerusalem in the 15th year after Asa had become king. They met in the third month of the year. 11 At that time they offered many animals to the Lord as sacrifices. They were animals that they had taken from their enemies. There were 700 bulls and 7,000 sheep. 12 They made a serious promise that they would faithfully serve the Lord , the God of their ancestors. 13 If anyone refused to worship the Lord , Israel's God, they would punish that person with death. They agreed to do that, whoever the person was, young or old, male or female. 14 As they made this promise to the Lord , they shouted loudly to show that they agreed. They also made a loud noise with trumpets and sheep's horns. 15 All Judah's people were happy to make this promise, because they truly wanted to serve the Lord . They wanted him to help them and he answered them.
After that, the Lord made them safe from their enemies all around them.
16 King Asa also told his grandmother Maakah that she could no longer have authority as the Queen Mother. [ a ] This was because she had made a disgusting Asherah pole to worship. Asa cut down the Asherah pole and he burned it in the Kidron Valley. [ b ] 17 Asa did not remove the altars on all the hills in Israel, but he served the Lord faithfully for his whole life. 18 He brought into God's temple the things that he and his father had made as gifts for God. They used silver and gold to make some of these things.
19 There were no more wars in Judah until Asa had been king for 35 years.
15 The Spirit of God came on Azariah, who was Obed’s son. 2 Azariah went to meet Asa and said, “Listen to me, Asa and all you people of Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you look for him, you will find him. But if you leave him, he will leave you. 3 For a long time Israel was without the true God. And they were without a teaching priest, and without the law. 4 But when the Israelites had trouble, they turned again to the Lord , the God of Israel. They looked for him and found him. 5 In those times of trouble, no one could travel safely. There was great trouble in all the nations. 6 One nation would destroy another nation and one city would destroy another city. This was happening because God gave them all kinds of trouble. 7 But Asa, you and the people of Judah and Benjamin, be strong. Don’t be weak and don’t give up, because you will get a reward for your good work!”
8 Asa felt encouraged when he heard these words and the message from Obed the prophet. Then he removed the hated idols from the whole area of Judah and Benjamin. He also removed the hated idols from the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the Lord ’s altar that was in front of the porch of the Lord ’s Temple.
9 Then Asa gathered all the people from Judah and Benjamin and the people from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had moved from the country of Israel to live in the country of Judah. A great many of these people came to Judah because they saw that the Lord , Asa’s God, was with him.
10 Asa and these people gathered together in Jerusalem on the third month in the 15th year of Asa’s rule. 11 At that time they sacrificed 700 bulls and 7000 sheep and goats to the Lord . Asa’s army had taken the animals and other valuable things from their enemies. 12 Then they made an agreement to serve the Lord God with all their heart and with all their soul. He is the God their ancestors served. 13 Anyone who refused to serve the Lord God was to be killed. It did not matter if that person was important or not or if that person was a man or woman. 14 Then Asa and the people made an oath to the Lord . They shouted it out loudly and blew their trumpets and rams’ horns. 15 All the people of Judah were happy about the oath, because they had promised with all their heart. They followed God with all their heart. They looked for God and found him, so the Lord gave them peace in all the country.
16 King Asa also removed Maacah, his mother, from being queen mother. He did this because she had set up one of those awful poles to honor the goddess Asherah. Asa cut down that Asherah pole, smashed it into small pieces, and burned the pieces in the Kidron Valley. 17 Asa did not destroy the high places, even though he was faithful to God all his life.
18 Asa and his father had given some special gifts to God. Asa put these gifts of gold, silver, and other things into the Temple. 19 There was no more war until the 35th year of Asa’s rule. [ a ]
15 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
2 And 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.
3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
5 And 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.
6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
8 And 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 .
9 And 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.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And 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.
16 And 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.
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
18 And 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.
19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
15 Now ( A ) the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded, 2 and he went out [ a ] to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: ( B ) the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And ( C ) if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you. 3 ( D ) For many days Israel was without the true God and without ( E ) a teaching priest and without the Law. 4 But ( F ) in their distress they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him. 5 ( G ) In those times there was no peace for him who went out or him who came in, because many disturbances [ b ] afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. 6 ( H ) Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. 7 But you, ( I ) be strong and do not [ c ] lose courage, for there is a ( J ) reward for your work.”
8 Now when Asa heard these words and the [ d ] prophecy which Azariah the son of Oded the prophet spoke, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and from ( K ) the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. ( L ) He then restored the altar of the Lord which was in front of the porch of the Lord . 9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon ( M ) who resided with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 10 So they assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 11 ( N ) They sacrificed to the Lord on that day seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from the spoils they had brought. 12 ( O ) They entered into the covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul; 13 and whoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel ( P ) was to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. 14 Moreover, they made an oath to the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and with horns. 15 All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought Him [ e ] earnestly, and He let them find Him. So ( Q ) the Lord gave them rest on every side.
16 ( R ) He also removed Maacah, the mother of King Asa, from the position of queen mother, because she had made an abominable image [ f ] as ( S ) an Asherah, and ( T ) Asa cut down her abominable image, crushed it , and burned it at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not removed from Israel; nevertheless Asa’s heart was blameless all his days. 18 He brought into the house of God the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver, gold, and utensils. 19 And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
15 The Spirit of God came on ( B ) Azariah son of Oded. 2 He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you ( C ) when you are with him. ( D ) If you seek ( E ) him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. ( F ) 3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach ( G ) and without the law. ( H ) 4 But in their distress they turned to the Lord , the God of Israel, and sought him, ( I ) and he was found by them. 5 In those days it was not safe to travel about, ( J ) for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. 6 One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, ( K ) because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. 7 But as for you, be strong ( L ) and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” ( M )
8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of [ a ] Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols ( N ) from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured ( O ) in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar ( P ) of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord ’s temple.
9 Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers ( Q ) had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month ( R ) of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 11 At that time they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder ( S ) they had brought back. 12 They entered into a covenant ( T ) to seek the Lord , ( U ) the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. 13 All who would not seek the Lord , the God of Israel, were to be put to death, ( V ) whether small or great, man or woman. 14 They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. 15 All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God ( W ) eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest ( X ) on every side.
16 King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah ( Y ) from her position as queen mother, ( Z ) because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. ( AA ) Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ( AB ) 17 Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. 18 He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated. ( AC )
19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
