The Second Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

And the spirit of God came upon Azarias the son of Oded,

And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: Hear ye me, Asa, and all Juda and Benjamin: The Lord is with you, because you have been with him. If you seek him, you shall find: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

And many days shall pass in Israel without the true God, and without a priest a teacher, and without the law.

And when in their distress they shall return to the Lord the God of Israel, and shall seek him, they shall find him.

At that time there shall be no peace to him that goeth out and cometh in, but terrors on every side among all the inhabitants of the earth.

For nation shall fight against nation, and city against city, for the Lord will trouble them with all distress.

Do you therefore take courage, and let not your hands he weakened: for there shall be a reward for your work.

Asa’s Reforms

(1 Kings 15:9–15)

And when Asa had heard the words, and the prophecy of Azarias the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and took away the idols out of all the land of Juda, and out of Benjamin, and out of the cities of mount Ephraim, which he had taken, and he dedicated the altar of the Lord, which was before the porch of the Lord.

And he gathered together all Juda and Benjamin, and the strangers with them of Ephraim, and Manasses, and Simeon: for many were come over to him out of Israel, seeing that the Lord his God was with him.

And when they were come to Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa,

They sacrificed to the Lord in that day of the spoils, and of the prey, that they had brought, seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand rams.

And he went in to confirm as usual the covenant, that they should seek the Lord the God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul.

And if any one, said he, seek not the Lord the God of Israel, let him die, whether little or great, man or woman.

And they swore to the Lord with a loud voice with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet, and sound of comets,

All that mere in Juda with a curse: for with all their heart they swore, and with all their will they sought him, and they found him, and the Lord gave them rest round about.

Moreover Maacha the mother of king Asa he deposed from the royal authority, because she had made in a grove an idol of Priapus: and he entirely destroyed it, and breaking it into pieces, burnt it at the torrent Cedron.

But high places were left in Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

And the things which his father had vowed, and he himself had vowed, he brought into the house of the Lord, gold and silver, and vessels of divers uses.

And there was no war unto the five and thirtieth year of the kingdom of Asa.

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

He went out to meet Asa, and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! The LORD is with you while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law.

But when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.

In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in; but great troubles were on all the inhabitants of the lands.

They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God troubled them with all adversity.

But you be strong! Don’t let your hands be slack, for your work will be rewarded.”

Asa’s Reforms

(1 Kings 15:9–15)

When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed the LORD’s altar that was before the LORD’s porch.

He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon; for they came to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

They sacrificed to the LORD in that day, of the plunder which they had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep.

They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;

and that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

They swore to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets.

All Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found by them. Then the LORD gave them rest all around.

Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; so Asa cut down her image, ground it into dust, and burned it at the brook Kidron.

But the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

He brought the things that his father had dedicated and that he himself had dedicated, silver, gold, and vessels into God’s house.

There was no more war to the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.