2 Chronicles

The second book of the Chronicles, chapter 15, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 15 New English Translation

   1 God's Spirit came upon Azariah son of Oded. 2 He met Asa and told him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are loyal to him. If you seek him, he will respond to you, but if you reject him, he will reject you. 3 For a long time Israel had no true God, or priest to instruct them, or law. 4 Because of their distress, they turned back to the LORD God of Israel. They sought him and he responded to them. 5 In those days no one could travel safely, for total chaos had overtaken all the people of the surrounding lands. 6 One nation was crushed by another, and one city by another, for God caused them to be in great turmoil. 7 But as for you, be strong and don't get discouraged, for your work will be rewarded."
   8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he was encouraged. He removed the detestable idols from the entire land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had seized in the Ephraimite hill country. He repaired the altar of the LORD in front of the porch of the LORD's temple.
   9 He assembled all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the settlers from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had come to live with them. Many people from Israel had come there to live when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10 They assembled in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. 11 At that time they sacrificed to the LORD some of the plunder they had brought back, including 700 head of cattle and 7,000 sheep. 12 They solemnly agreed to seek the LORD God of their ancestors with their whole heart and being. 13 Anyone who would not seek the LORD God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old, male or female. 14 They swore their allegiance to the LORD, shouting their approval loudly and sounding trumpets and horns. 15 All Judah was happy about the oath, because they made the vow with their whole heart. They willingly sought the LORD and he responded to them. He made them secure on every side.
   16 King Asa also removed Maacah his grandmother from her position as queen mother because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and crushed and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 17 The high places were not eliminated from Israel, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD throughout his lifetime. 18 He brought the holy items that his father and he had made into God's temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles.

Asa's Failures

   19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign.

King James Version

   1 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.