New American Standard Bible

New Living Translation

The Prophet Azariah Warns Asa

Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded,

Asa’s Religious Reforms

Then the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded,

and he 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. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

2

and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. “Listen to me, Asa!” he shouted. “Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The LORD will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

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“For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law.

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For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the Law to instruct them.

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“But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.

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But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him out, they found him.

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“In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for many disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.

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“During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land.

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“Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress.

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Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem.

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“But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.”

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But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.”

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Asa’s Reforms

Now when Asa heard these words and the 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 the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD which was in front of the porch of the LORD.

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When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet,a he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the altar of the LORD, which stood in front of the entry room of the LORD’s Temple.

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He gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who resided with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

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Then Asa called together all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa’s reign when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

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So they assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

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The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring,b during the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

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They sacrificed to the LORD that day 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep from the spoil they had brought.

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On that day they sacrificed to the LORD 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle.

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They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;

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Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.

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and whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.

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They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death — whether young or old, man or woman.

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Moreover, they made an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets and with horns.

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They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the LORD with trumpets blaring and rams’ horns sounding.

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All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

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All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God, and they found him. And the LORD gave them rest from their enemies on every side.

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He also removed Maacah, the mother of King Asa, from the position of queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah, and Asa cut down her horrid image, crushed it and burned it at the brook Kidron.

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King Asa even deposed his grandmotherc Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole, broke it up, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

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But the high places were not removed from Israel; nevertheless Asa’s heart was blameless all his days.

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Although the pagan shrines were not removed from Israel, Asa’s heart remained completely faithful throughout his life.

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He brought into the house of God the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils.

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He brought into the Temple of God the silver and gold and the various items that he and his father had dedicated.

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And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

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So there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

Parallel

New American Standard Bible

New Living Translation

2 Chronicles 15

2 Chronicles 15