2 Chronicles 15

Azariah the Prophet Warns Asa

1Now 1the SpiritH7307 of GodH430 cameH1961 on AzariahH5838 the sonH1121 of OdedH5752, 2and he wentH3318 outH3318 2to meetH6440 AsaH609 and saidH559 to him, “ListenH8085 to me, AsaH609, and allH3605 JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144: 3the LordH3068 is with you when you are with Him. And 4ifH518 you seekH1875 Him, He will let you findH4672 Him; but ifH518 you abandonH5800 Him, He will abandonH5800 you. 35For manyH7227 daysH3117 IsraelH3478 was withoutH3808 the trueH571 GodH430 and withoutH3808 6a teachingH3384 priestH3548 and withoutH3808 the LawH8451. 4But 7in their distressH6862 they turnedH7725 to the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, and they soughtH1245 Him, and He let them findH4672 Him. 58In thoseH1992 timesH6256 thereH369 wasH369 noH369 peaceH7965 for him who wentH3318 outH3318 or him who cameH935 inH935, becauseH3588 manyH7227 disturbancesH4103 9afflictedH5921 allH3605 the inhabitantsH3427 of the landsH776. 610NationH1471 was crushedH3807 by nationH1471, and cityH5892 by cityH5892, for GodH430 troubledH2000 them with everyH3605 kind of distressH6869. 7But you, 11be strongH2388 and do not 12loseH3027H7503 courageH3027H7503, for thereH3426 isH3426 a 13rewardH7939 for your workH6468.”

Asa’s Reforms

8Now when AsaH609 heardH8085 theseH428 wordsH1697 and the 14prophecyH5016 which AzariahH5838 the son of OdedH5752 the prophetH5030 spoke, he tookH2388 courageH2388 and removedH5674 the abominableH8251 idolsH8251 from allH3605 the landH776 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144, and from 15the citiesH5892 whichH834 he had capturedH3920 in the hillH2022 countryH2022 of EphraimH669. 16He then restoredH2318 the altarH4196 of the LordH3068 whichH834 was in frontH6440 of the porchH197 of the LordH3068. 9And he gatheredH6908 allH3605 JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144, and those from EphraimH669, ManassehH4519, and SimeonH8095 17who residedH1481 with them, for manyH7230 defectedH5307 to him from IsraelH3478 when they sawH7200 that the LordH3068 his GodH430 was with him. 10So they assembledH6908 at JerusalemH3389 in the thirdH7992 monthH2320 of the fifteenthH2568H6240 yearH8141 of Asa’sH609 reignH4438. 1118They sacrificedH2076 to the LordH3068 on that dayH3117 sevenH7651 hundredH3967 oxenH1241 and sevenH7651 thousandH505 sheepH6629 from the spoilsH7998 they had broughtH935. 1219They enteredH935 into the covenantH1285 to seekH1875 the LordH3068 GodH430 of their fathersH1 with allH3605 their heartH3824 and soulH5315; 13and whoeverH834H3605 would not seekH1875 the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478 20was to be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191, whetherH4480 smallH6996 orH5704 greatH1419, manH376 orH5704 womanH802. 14Moreover, they madeH7650 anH7650 oathH7650 to the LordH3068 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963, with shoutingH8643, trumpetsH2689, and with hornsH7782. 15AllH3605 JudahH3063 rejoicedH8055 concerningH5921 the oathH7621, for they had swornH7650 with allH3605 their heartH3824 and had soughtH1245 Him 21earnestlyH3605H7522, and He let them findH4672 Him. So 22the LordH3068 gaveH5117 them restH5117 on everyH5439 sideH5439.

1623He alsoH1571 removedH5493 MaacahH4601, the motherH517 of KingH4428 AsaH609, from the position of queenH1377 motherH1377, becauseH834 she had madeH6213 an abominableH4656 imageH4656 24as 25an AsherahH842, and 26AsaH609 cutH3772 downH3772 her abominableH4656 imageH4656, crushedH1854 it, and burnedH8313 it at the brookH5158 KidronH6939. 17But the highH1116 placesH1116 were not removedH5493 from IsraelH3478; neverthelessH7534 Asa’sH609 heartH3824 was blamelessH8003 allH3605 his daysH3117. 18He broughtH935 into the houseH1004 of GodH430 the dedicatedH6944 thingsH6944 of his fatherH1 and his own dedicatedH6944 thingsH6944: silverH3701, goldH2091, and utensilsH3627. 19And there was noH3808 more warH4421 untilH5704 the thirty-fifthH7970H2568 yearH8141 of Asa’sH609 reignH4438.