2 Chronicles 15

1 The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.

2 Azariah went to talk with Asa, and said to him, “Asa and all [you men of the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin, listen to me. Yahweh is with you whenever you are trusting in him. If you request him [to help you], he will help you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all of Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you look for him, you will find him; but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

3 For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.

For many years Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the law.

4 But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.

But when they were in trouble they returned to the Lord, the God of Israel—they looked for him, and they found him.

5 At that time, people were not safe when they traveled, because all the people who lived in the nearby countries were experiencing many difficulties.

During those times travel was dangerous, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. People everywhere had terrible problems.

6 The people of various nations were thoroughly defeated by [armies of] other nations, and people in some cities were crushed by [armies from] other cities, because God was allowing them to experience many difficulties.

Nation fought nation, and town fought town, for God threw them into a panic with all kinds of trouble.

7 But you people, you must be strong and do not become discouraged, because [God] will reward you for what you do [to please him.”]

But you need to be strong, not weak, for you will be rewarded for the work you do.”

8 When Asa heard what the prophet Azariah said, he was encouraged. He [commanded his workers to] remove all the detestable idols from everywhere in the land of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and from the towns that [his soldiers] had captured in the hills of the tribe of Ephraim. Asa’s workers repaired the altar [where people offered sacrifices] to Yahweh that was in front of the entrance to the temple [in Jerusalem].

When Asa heard these words of prophecy from Azariah the prophet, son of Oded, he was encouraged. He removed the vile idols from the whole territory of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. Then he repaired the altar of the Lord that stood in front of the porch of the Lord's Temple.

9 Then he gathered all [the people of the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin and many people from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them. [He was able to do that] because many people from [those tribes in] Israel had come to me to Judah when they realized that Yahweh, the God that Asa [worshiped], was helping him.

Then Asa summoned all of Judah and Benjamin, along with those Israelites from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them, for many people had deserted Israel and come over to Asa when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

10 After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.

They gathered in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign.

11 At that time they sacrificed to Yahweh 700 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats, from the animals that they had captured [when they defeated the army of Ethiopia/Sudan].

That day they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from the plunder they had brought back.

12 They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].

Then they made an agreement to conscientiously and completely follow the Lord, the God of their forefathers.

13 They promised to execute all those who would not worship Yahweh, including those who were important and those who were not important, both men and women.

They also agreed that anyone who refused to follow the Lord, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

14 They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.

They declared their oath with a loud shout, accompanied by trumpets and blasts from rams' horns.

15 All the people who were living in Judah were happy with the agreement because they had solemnly and very sincerely promised to keep it. They eagerly requested help from Yahweh, and he helped them. So he enabled them to have peace throughout their country.

The whole of Judah was happy at the oath they had conscientiously sworn. They looked for him sincerely, and they found him. The Lord gave them peace from all their enemies.

16 King Asa’s grandmother Maacah had made a disgusting pole for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah. So Asa [commanded his workers to] cut down that pole and chop it into pieces and burn it in the Kidron Valley. He then did not allow Maacah to continue [to influence the people because of her] being the mother of the previous king.

King Asa also removed Maacah from her position as queen mother for making an offensive Asherah pole. Asa cut down her vile idol, crushed it up, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

17 Although Asa’s [workers] did not get rid of the shrines on the hilltops in Israel, he was very determined to [do what] pleased Yahweh all his life.

While the high places were not removed from Israel, Asa was completely devoted to the Lord all his life.

18 He [ordered his workers to] bring into God’s temple all the silver and gold and other valuable items that he and his father had dedicated [to God].

He brought into God's Temple the silver and gold articles he and his father had dedicated.

19 There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.

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