1 T he Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.

2 A zariah 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. If you look for Him, He will let you find Him. But if you leave Him, He will leave you.

And he went out to meet Asa and said to him, Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

3 F or a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching religious leader, and without law.

Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law.

4 B ut in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel. They looked for Him, and He let them find Him.

But when they in their trouble turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them.

5 I n those times there was no peace for him who went out, or for him who came in. For much trouble came to all the people of the lands.

And in those times there was no peace to him who went out nor to him who came in, but great and vexing afflictions and disturbances were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

6 N ation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God sent every kind of trouble upon them.

Nation was broke in pieces against nation, and city against city, for God vexed and troubled them with all sorts of adversity.

7 B ut you be strong. Do not lose strength of heart. For you will be paid for your work.”

Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded.

8 W hen Asa heard these words and the words of Azariah the son of Oded, his heart became strong. He put away the sinful false gods from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim. He built again the altar of the Lord which was in front of the porch of the Lord’s house.

And when Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage and put away the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim; and he repaired the altar of the Lord which was in front of the porch or vestibule of the Lord.

9 T hen he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, who lived with them. For many had left Israel to come to him when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for they came over to Asa out of Israel in large numbers when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

10 S o they gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s rule.

So they gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

11 T hey killed animals on the altar in worship to the Lord that day. They killed and gave 700 cattle and 7, 000 sheep from the animals they had taken in battle.

And they sacrificed to the Lord on that day from the spoil which they had brought—700 oxen and 7, 000 sheep.

12 A nd they agreed to follow the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul.

And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to yearn for Him with all their heart’s desire and with all their soul;

13 W hoever would not follow the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, young or old, man or woman.

And that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

14 T hey made a promise to the Lord with a loud voice, calling out and blowing horns.

They took an oath to the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets.

15 A ll Judah was filled with joy because of the promise. For they had promised with their whole heart. They had looked for the Lord with a pure heart. And He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.

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 by them. And the Lord gave them rest and peace round about.

16 K ing Asa even stopped his mother from being queen mother. Because she had made a sinful object of the false goddess Asherah. Asa cut down her sinful object. He crushed it and burned it at the Kidron River.

Also Maacah, King Asa’s mother, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her idol, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron.

17 B ut the high places were not taken away from Israel. Yet Asa’s heart was without blame all his days.

But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was blameless all his days.

18 H e brought into the house of God the holy things of his father and his own holy things. He brought in silver and gold and the things used for the worship.

And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated and those he himself had dedicated—silver and gold and vessels.

19 A nd there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s rule.

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