2 Kronieken 15
1 Nu kwam de geest van God over Azarjáhoe, den zoon van Oded.
The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
2 Hij verscheen voor Asa, en sprak tot hem: Asa, en heel Juda en Benjamin, luistert naar mij! Jahweh is met u, als gij met Hem zijt. Wanneer gij Hem zoekt, zal Hij Zich door u laten vinden, maar verlaat gij Hem, dan verlaat Hij ook u.
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.
3 Lange tijd was Israël zonder den waren God, zonder priesters, die hen onderrichtten, en zonder Wet.
For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.
4 Maar wanneer zij dan in nood geraakten, bekeerden zij zich tot Jahweh, Israëls God; dan zochten zij Hem, en Hij liet Zich door hen vinden.
But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.
5 In zulke tijden was niemand veilig, of hij uitging of terugkwam; maar er heerste een geweldige onrust onder de bewoners dezer streken.
At that time, people were not safe when they traveled, because all the people who lived in the nearby countries were experiencing many difficulties.
6 Het ene volk lag overhoop met het andere, de ene stad met de andere; want God bracht hen in verwarring, en in allerlei nood.
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.
7 Weest gij dus sterk, laat uw handen niet verslappen; want gij zult voor uw moeite worden beloond.
But you people, you must be strong and do not become discouraged, because [God] will reward you for what you do [to please him.”]
8 Zodra Asa deze woorden en de profetie van den profeet Azarjáhoe, den zoon van Oded, vernam, vatte hij moed, liet de gruwelen opruimen in heel het land Juda en Benjamin en uit de steden op het Efraïmgebergte, die hij veroverd had, en vernieuwde het altaar van Jahweh, dat voor de voorhal van Jahweh stond.
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].
9 Hij riep heel Juda en Benjamin bijeen, met de mannen uit Efraïm en Manasse en Simeon, die zich onder hen hadden gevestigd, omdat zij in grote getale van Israël naar Juda waren overgegaan, toen zij zagen, dat Jahweh, zijn God, met hem was.
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.
10 Zij kwamen bijeen te Jerusalem in de derde maand van het vijftiende jaar der regering van Asa,
After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.
11 en brachten die dag uit de buit zevenhonderd runderen en zevenduizend schapen aan Jahweh ten offer.
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].
12 Zij verbonden zich, om Jahweh, den God hunner vaderen, te vereren met heel hun hart en heel hun ziel,
They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
13 en iedereen te doden, die Jahweh, den God van Israël, niet vereerde, kleinen als groten, mannen als vrouwen.
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.
14 Dit bezwoeren zij Jahweh met luider stem en onder het geschal van trompetten en bazuinen.
They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.
15 Heel Juda verheugde zich erover, dat zij deze eed van ganser harte hadden gezworen; zij vereerden Jahweh onverdeeld. Daarom liet ook Jahweh Zich door hen vinden, en schonk hun rust aan alle kanten.
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.
16 Ook zette koning Asa zijn moeder Maäka af als gebiedster, omdat zij een schandbeeld van Asjera gemaakt had. Asa sloeg dit schandbeeld neer, en verbrandde het in het Kedrondal.
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.
17 En ofschoon de offerhoogten in Israël niet werden afgeschaft, bleef Asa toch zijn leven lang trouw.
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.
18 Met de wijgeschenken van zijn vader bracht hij ook zijn eigen wijgeschenken naar de tempel van God: zilver, goud en andere voorwerpen.
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].
19 Tot het vijf en dertigste regeringsjaar van Asa was er geen oorlog geweest;
There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.
