Ii Paralipomenon 15
1 Azarias autem filius Oded, facto in se spiritu Dei,
The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
2 egressus est in occursum Asa, et dixit ei: Audite me Asa, et omnis Iuda et Beniamin: Dominus vobiscum, quia fuistis cum eo. Si quæsieritis eum, invenietis: si autem dereliqueritis eum, derelinquet vos.
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 Transibant autem multi dies in Israel absque Deo vero, et absque sacerdote doctore, et absque lege.
For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.
4 Cumque reversi fuerint in angustia sua ad Dominum Deum Israel, et quæsierint eum, reperient eum.
But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.
5 In tempore illo non erit pax egredienti et ingredienti, sed terrores undique in cunctis habitatoribus terrarum:
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 pugnavit enim gens contra gentem, et civitas contra civitatem, quia Dominus conturbabit eos in omni angustia.
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 Vos ergo confortamini, et non dissolvantur manus vestræ: erit enim merces operi vestro.
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 Quod cum audisset Asa verba scilicet, et prophetiam Azariæ filii Oded prophetæ, confortatus est, et abstulit idola de omni terra Iuda, et de Beniamin, et ex urbibus, quas ceperat, montis Ephraim, et dedicavit altare Domini quod erat ante porticum Domini.
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 Congregavitque universum Iudam et Beniamin, et advenas cum eis de Ephraim, et de Manasse, et de Simeon: plures enim ad eum confugerant ex Israel, videntes quod Dominus Deus illius esset cum eo.
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 Cumque venissent in Ierusalem mense tertio, anno decimoquinto regni Asa,
After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.
11 immolaverunt Domino in die illa de manubiis, et præda, quam adduxerant, boves septingentos, et arietes septem millia.
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 Et intravit ex more ad corroborandum fœdus ut quærerent Dominum Deum patrum suorum in toto corde, et in tota anima sua.
They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
13 Si quis autem, inquit, non quæsierit Dominum Deum Israel, moriatur, a minimo usque ad maximum, a viro usque ad mulierem.
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 Iuraveruntque Domino voce magna in iubilo, et in clangore tubæ, et in sonitu buccinarum
They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.
15 omnes qui erant in Iuda cum execratione: in omni enim corde suo iuraverunt, et in tota voluntate quæsierunt eum, et invenerunt: præstititque eis Dominus requiem per circuitum.
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 Sed et Maacham matrem Asa regis ex augusto deposuit imperio, eo quod fecisset in luco simulacrum Priapi: quod omne contrivit, et in frustra comminuens combussit in Torrente cedron:
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 Excelsa autem derelicta sunt in Israel: attamen cor Asa erat perfectum cunctis diebus eius,
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 Eaque quæ voverat pater suus, et ipse, intulit in domum Domini, argentum, et aurum, vasorumque diversam supellectilem.
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 Bellum vero non fuit usque ad trigesimum quintum annum regni Asa.
There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.
