2 Mga Cronica 15
1 Bumaba ang Espiritu ng Diyos kay Azarias na anak na lalaki ni Oded.
The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
2 Umalis siya upang makipagkita kay Asa at sinabi sa kaniya, “Makinig ka sa akin Asa at ang lahat ng mga tao sa tribu nina Juda at Benjamin. Kasama ninyo si Yahweh habang kayo ay nasa kaniya. Kung siya ay inyong hahanapin, matatagpuan ninyo siya. Ngunit kung itatakwil ninyo siya, itatakwil rin niya kayo.
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 Ngayon, sa napakahabang panahon, hindi kasama ng Israel ang tunay na Diyos, walang nagtuturong pari at wala ang kautusan ng Diyos.
For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.
4 Ngunit sa kanilang kagipitan, nagbalik-loob sila kay Yahweh, ang Diyos ng Israel, hinanap nila si Yahweh at siya ay natagpuan nila.
But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.
5 Sa mga panahong iyon, walang kapayapaan sa taong naglalakbay palayo, ni sa taong naglalakbay papunta roon. Sa halip, malaki ang kapahamakang ang nasa lahat ng naninirahan sa mga lupain.
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 Nagkawatak-watak sila, bansa laban sa bansa at lungsod laban sa lungsod sapagkat pinahirapan sila ng Diyos ng lahat ng uri ng pagdurusa.
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 Ngunit magpakatatag kayo at huwag kayong panghinaan ng loob sapagkat gagantimpalaan kayo sa inyong mga gawa.”
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 Nang marinig ni Asa ang mga salitang ito, ang propesiya ni propeta Oded, lumakas ang kaniyang loob at ipinaalis ang mga bagay na kasuklam-suklam sa buong lupain ng Juda at Benjamin at sa mga lungsod na nabihag niya mula sa bayan sa burol ng Efraim. Muli niyang ipinatayo ang dambana ni Yahweh na nasa harapan ng portiko ng tahanan ni Yahweh.
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 Tinipon niya ang lahat ng mga taga-Juda at Benjamin at ang mga naninirahang kasama nila, mga taong nagmula kay Efraim at Manases at Simeon. Sapagkat nang makita nila na kasama niya si Yahweh na kaniyang Diyos, napakarami nilang pumunta sa kaniya na nagmula sa Israel.
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 Kaya nagtipun-tipon sila sa Jerusalem sa ikatlong buwan, sa ika-labinlimang taon ng paghahari ni Asa.
After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.
11 Nang araw na iyon, inihandog nila kay Yahweh ang ilan sa kanilang mga nasamsam: pitong daang baka at pitong libong tupa at mga kambing ang kanilang dinala.
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 Gumawa sila ng kasunduan na hahanapin nila nang buong puso at kaluluwa si Yahweh, ang Diyos ng kanilang mga ninuno.
They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
13 Nagkasundo sila na dapat ipapatay ang sinumang tumangging hanapin si Yahweh, ang Diyos ng Israel. Hamak man o dakila ang taong ito, lalaki man o babae.
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 Nangako sila kay Yahweh nang may malakas na tinig, may sigawan, may mga trumpeta at may mga tambuli.
They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.
15 Nagalak ang buong Juda sa pangako, sapagkat buong puso silang nangako kay Yahweh at hinanap nila ang Diyos nang may buong pagnanais at siya ay natagpuan nila. Binigyan sila ni Yahweh ng kapayapaan sa buong lupain.
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 Inalis din niya sa pagiging reyna si Maaca na kaniyang lola dahil gumawa siya ng kasuklam-suklam na imahe ng diyosang si Ashera. Giniba ni Asa ang kasuklam-suklam na imahe, dinurog niya iyon at sinunog sa batis ng Kidron.
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 Ngunit hindi tinanggal ang mga dambana sa Israel. Gayunpaman, naging tapat ang puso ni Asa noong mga panahong nabubuhay pa siya.
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 Dinala niya sa tahanan ng Diyos ang mga kagamitan ng kaniyang ama at ang kaniyang sariling kagamitan na pag-aari ni Yahweh: mga pilak at mga gintong kagamitan.
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 Wala nang digmaan hanggang sa ika-tatlumpu't limang taon ng paghahari ni Asa.
There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.
