2 Chronicles 15

The Prophecy of Azariah

1Now the SpiritH7307 of GodH430 cameH1961 uponH5921 AzariahH5838 sonH1121 of OdedH5752. 2So he went outH3318 to meetH6440 AsaH609 and saidH559 to him, “Listen to meH8085, AsaH609 and allH3605 JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144. The LORDH3068 is with youH5973 when you areH1961 with HimH5973. IfH518 you seek HimH1875, He will be foundH4672 by you, but ifH518 you forsake HimH5800, He will forsakeH5800 youH853. 3For manyH7227 yearsH3117 IsraelH3478 has been withoutH3808 the trueH571 GodH430, withoutH3808 a priestH3548 to instruct themH3384, and withoutH3808 the lawH8451. 4But in their distressH6862 they turnedH7725 toH5921 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, and sought HimH1245, and He was foundH4672 by them. 5In thoseH1992 daysH6256 there was noH369 safetyH7965 for travelersH3318H935, becauseH3588 the residentsH3427 of the landsH776 hadH5921H3605 manyH7227 conflictsH4103. 6NationH1471 was crushedH3807 by nationH1471, and cityH5892 by cityH5892, forH3588 GodH430 afflicted themH2000 with all kinds ofH3605 adversityH6869. 7But as for youH859, be strongH2388; do notH408 be discouragedH7503H3027, forH3588 your workH6468 will beH3426 rewardedH7939.”

Asa’s Reforms

(1 Kings 15:9–15)

8When AsaH609 heardH8085 theseH428 wordsH1697 and the prophecyH5016 of Azariah son of OdedH57521 the prophetH5030, he took courageH2388 and removedH5674 the detestable idolsH8251 fromH4480 the wholeH3605 landH776 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144 and from the citiesH5892 he had capturedH3920 in the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669. He then restoredH2318 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 thatH834 was in frontH6440 of the porticoH197 of the LORD’s templeH3068. 9And he assembledH6908 allH3605 JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144, along with those from the tribes of EphraimH669, ManassehH4519, and SimeonH8095 who had settledH1481 among themH5973, forH3588 great numbersH7230 had come overH5307 to himH5921 from IsraelH3478 when they sawH7200 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 his GodH430 was with himH5973.

10So they gathered togetherH6908 in JerusalemH3389 in the thirdH7992 monthH2320 of the fifteenthH2568H6240 yearH8141 of Asa’sH609 reignH4438. 11At thatH1931 timeH3117 they sacrificedH2076 to the LORDH3068 sevenH7651 hundredH3967 oxenH1241 and sevenH7651 thousandH505 sheepH6629 fromH4480 all the plunderH7998 they had brought backH935. 12Then they enteredH935 into a covenantH1285 to seekH1875 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of their fathersH1, with allH3605 their heartH3824 andH3605 soulH5315. 13AndH3605 whoeverH834 would notH3808 seekH1875 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, would be put to deathH4191, whetherH4480 youngH6996 orH5704 oldH1419, manH376 orH5704 womanH802. 14They took an oathH7650 to the LORDH3068 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963, with shoutingH8643, trumpetsH2689, and rams’ hornsH7782. 15And allH3605 JudahH3063 rejoicedH8055 overH5921 the oathH7621, forH3588 they had swornH7650 it with allH3605 their heartH3824. They had sought HimH1245 earnestlyH3605H7522, and He was foundH4672 by them. So the LORDH3068 gave them restH5117 on every sideH5439.

16KingH4428 AsaH609 alsoH1571 removedH5493 his grandmotherH5172 MaacahH4601 from her position as queen motherH1377 becauseH834 she had madeH6213 a detestableH4656 Asherah poleH842. AsaH609 chopped downH3772 the poleH4656, crushed itH1854, and burnedH8313 it in the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158. 17The high placesH1116 were notH3808 removedH5493 from IsraelH3478, butH7535 Asa’sH609 heartH3824 wasH1961 fully devotedH8003 allH3605 his daysH3117. 18And he broughtH935 into the houseH1004 of GodH430 the silverH3701 and goldH2091 and the articlesH3627 that heH6944 and his fatherH1 had dedicatedH6944.

19And there wasH1961 noH3808 warH4421 untilH5704 the thirty-fifthH7970H2568 yearH8141 of Asa’sH609 reignH4438.