2 Chronicles 15
1 The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
Nu kwam de geest van God over Azarjáhoe, den zoon van 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.
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.
3 For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.
Lange tijd was Israël zonder den waren God, zonder priesters, die hen onderrichtten, en zonder Wet.
4 But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.
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.
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.
In zulke tijden was niemand veilig, of hij uitging of terugkwam; maar er heerste een geweldige onrust onder de bewoners dezer streken.
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.
Het ene volk lag overhoop met het andere, de ene stad met de andere; want God bracht hen in verwarring, en in allerlei nood.
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.”]
Weest gij dus sterk, laat uw handen niet verslappen; want gij zult voor uw moeite worden beloond.
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].
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.
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.
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.
10 After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.
Zij kwamen bijeen te Jerusalem in de derde maand van het vijftiende jaar der regering van Asa,
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].
en brachten die dag uit de buit zevenhonderd runderen en zevenduizend schapen aan Jahweh ten offer.
12 They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
Zij verbonden zich, om Jahweh, den God hunner vaderen, te vereren met heel hun hart en heel hun ziel,
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.
en iedereen te doden, die Jahweh, den God van Israël, niet vereerde, kleinen als groten, mannen als vrouwen.
14 They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.
Dit bezwoeren zij Jahweh met luider stem en onder het geschal van trompetten en bazuinen.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
En ofschoon de offerhoogten in Israël niet werden afgeschaft, bleef Asa toch zijn leven lang trouw.
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].
Met de wijgeschenken van zijn vader bracht hij ook zijn eigen wijgeschenken naar de tempel van God: zilver, goud en andere voorwerpen.
19 There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.
Tot het vijf en dertigste regeringsjaar van Asa was er geen oorlog geweest;
