2 Chronicles 15

1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.

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

2 So 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. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake 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 Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.

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

4 But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by 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 In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts.

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

6 Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity.

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

7 But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”

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

8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.

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 And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with 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 So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

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

11 At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back.

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

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

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

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

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 took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and rams’ horns.

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

15 And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

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 also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

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 The high places were not removed from Israel, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days.

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

18 And he brought into the house of God the silver and gold articles that he and his father had dedicated.

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

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

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