1 The|strong="H5921" Spirit|strong="H7307" of|strong="H1121" God|strong="H0430" came|strong="H1961" on|strong="H5921" Azariah|strong="H5838", who|strong="H1121" was|strong="H1961" Obed’s son|strong="H1121".
2 Azariah went|strong="H3318" to|strong="H0559" meet|strong="H6440" Asa|strong="H0609" and|strong="H3068" said|strong="H0559", “Listen|strong="H8085" to|strong="H0559" me|strong="H6440", Asa|strong="H0609" and|strong="H3068" all|strong="H3605" you|strong="H0518" people|strong="H5800" of|strong="H3068" Judah|strong="H3063" and|strong="H3068" Benjamin|strong="H1144". The|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" is|strong="H3068" with|strong="H5973" you|strong="H0518" when|strong="H1961" you|strong="H0518" are|strong="H3068" with|strong="H5973" him|strong="H0853". If|strong="H0518" you|strong="H0518" look for|strong="H3605" him|strong="H0853", you|strong="H0518" will|strong="H3068" find|strong="H4672" him|strong="H0853". But|strong="H0518" if|strong="H0518" you|strong="H0518" leave|strong="H5800" him|strong="H0853", he|strong="H0518" will|strong="H3068" leave|strong="H5800" you|strong="H0518".
3 For|strong="H3117" a|strong="H3808" long|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" Israel|strong="H3478" was|strong="H3478" without|strong="H3808" the|strong="H3117" true|strong="H0571" God|strong="H0430". And|strong="H3478" they|strong="H3117" were|strong="H3478" without|strong="H3808" a|strong="H3808" teaching|strong="H8451" priest|strong="H3548", and|strong="H3478" without|strong="H3808" the|strong="H3117" law|strong="H8451".
4 But|strong="H1245" when|strong="H7725" the|strong="H5921" Israelites|strong="H3478" had|strong="H3068" trouble|strong="H6862", they|strong="H5921" turned|strong="H7725" again|strong="H7725" to|strong="H7725" the|strong="H5921" LORD|strong="H3068", the|strong="H5921" God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H0430" Israel|strong="H3478". They|strong="H5921" looked|strong="H1245" for|strong="H5921" him|strong="H5921" and|strong="H3068" found|strong="H4672" him|strong="H5921".
5 In|strong="H3427" those|strong="H3605" times of|strong="H0776" trouble, no|strong="H0369" one|strong="H0369" could travel safely|strong="H7965". There|strong="H0369" was|strong="H0369" great|strong="H7227" trouble in|strong="H3427" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" nations|strong="H0776".
6 One|strong="H3605" nation|strong="H1471" would|strong="H3605" destroy|strong="H3605" another nation|strong="H1471" and|strong="H0430" one|strong="H3605" city|strong="H5892" would|strong="H3605" destroy|strong="H3605" another city|strong="H5892". This|strong="H3588" was|strong="H0430" happening because|strong="H3588" God|strong="H0430" gave them|strong="H3807" all|strong="H3605" kinds|strong="H3605" of|strong="H0430" trouble|strong="H6869".
7 But|strong="H3588" Asa, you|strong="H0859" and|strong="H3027" the|strong="H3588" people|strong="H0408" of|strong="H3027" Judah and|strong="H3027" Benjamin, be|strong="H0408" strong|strong="H2388". Don’t|strong="H0408" be|strong="H0408" weak and|strong="H3027" don’t|strong="H0408" give up, because|strong="H3588" you|strong="H0859" will|strong="H3027" get a|strong="H3588" reward|strong="H7939" for|strong="H3588" your|strong="H3588" good work|strong="H6468"!”
8 Asa|strong="H0609" felt encouraged|strong="H2388" when|strong="H0834" he|strong="H0834" heard|strong="H8085" these|strong="H0428" words|strong="H1697" and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3605" message|strong="H1697" from|strong="H4480" Obed the|strong="H3605" prophet|strong="H5030". Then|strong="H0853" he|strong="H0834" removed|strong="H4480" the|strong="H3605" hated idols|strong="H8251" from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H3605" whole|strong="H3605" area|strong="H0776" of|strong="H0776" Judah|strong="H3063" and|strong="H3068" Benjamin|strong="H1144". He|strong="H0834" also|strong="H3068" removed|strong="H4480" the|strong="H3605" hated idols|strong="H8251" from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H3605" towns|strong="H5892" he|strong="H0834" had|strong="H3068" captured|strong="H3920" in|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3605" hill|strong="H2022" country|strong="H2022" of|strong="H0776" Ephraim|strong="H0669". And|strong="H3068" he|strong="H0834" repaired|strong="H2388" the|strong="H3605" LORD’S|strong="H3068" altar|strong="H4196" that|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" in|strong="H3068" front|strong="H6440" of|strong="H0776" the|strong="H3605" porch|strong="H0197" of|strong="H0776" the|strong="H3605" LORD’S|strong="H3068" Temple.
9 Then|strong="H0853" Asa gathered|strong="H6908" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H6908" from|strong="H5921" Judah|strong="H3063" and|strong="H3068" Benjamin|strong="H1144" and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H6908" from|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" tribes of|strong="H0430" Ephraim|strong="H0669", Manasseh|strong="H4519", and|strong="H3068" Simeon|strong="H8095" who|strong="H3605" had|strong="H3068" moved from|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" country of|strong="H0430" Israel|strong="H3478" to|strong="H5921" live|strong="H1481" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" country of|strong="H0430" Judah|strong="H3063". A|strong="H3588" great|strong="H7230" many|strong="H7230" of|strong="H0430" these|strong="H3605" people|strong="H6908" came|strong="H5307" to|strong="H5921" Judah|strong="H3063" because|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068", Asa’s God|strong="H0430", was|strong="H3068" with|strong="H5973" him|strong="H5921".
10 Asa|strong="H0609" and|strong="H3389" these people|strong="H6908" gathered|strong="H6908" together|strong="H6908" in|strong="H8141" Jerusalem|strong="H3389" on|strong="H3389" the|strong="H6908" third|strong="H7992" month|strong="H2320" in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H6908" 15th year|strong="H8141" of|strong="H8141" Asa’s|strong="H0609" rule|strong="H4438".
11 At|strong="H3068" that|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" they|strong="H3117" sacrificed|strong="H2076" 700 bulls|strong="H1241" and|strong="H0935" 7000 sheep|strong="H6629" and|strong="H0935" goats to|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0935" LORD|strong="H3068". Asa’s army had|strong="H3068" taken the|strong="H0935" animals and|strong="H0935" other valuable things from|strong="H4480" their|strong="H3068" enemies.
12 Then|strong="H0853" they|strong="H3068" made|strong="H3605" an|strong="H0935" agreement|strong="H1285" to|strong="H0935" serve the|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" with|strong="H3068" all|strong="H3605" their|strong="H3605" heart|strong="H3824" and|strong="H0935" with|strong="H3068" all|strong="H3605" their|strong="H3605" soul|strong="H5315". He|strong="H0430" is|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3605" God|strong="H0430" their|strong="H3605" ancestors|strong="H0001" served.
13 Anyone|strong="H3605" who|strong="H0834" refused|strong="H3808" to|strong="H5704" serve the|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" was|strong="H0834" to|strong="H5704" be|strong="H4191" killed|strong="H4191". It|strong="H5704" did|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" matter if|strong="H0834" that|strong="H0834" person|strong="H0376" was|strong="H0834" important|strong="H5704" or|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" or|strong="H3808" if|strong="H0834" that|strong="H0834" person|strong="H0376" was|strong="H0834" a|strong="H4480" man|strong="H0376" or|strong="H3808" woman|strong="H0802".
14 Then|strong="H3068" Asa and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3068" people made|strong="H7650" an|strong="H7650" oath|strong="H7650" to|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3068" LORD|strong="H3068". They|strong="H3068" shouted|strong="H8643" it|strong="H3068" out|strong="H1419" loudly|strong="H6963" and|strong="H3068" blew their|strong="H3068" trumpets|strong="H2689" and|strong="H3068" rams’ horns|strong="H7782".
15 All|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people of|strong="H3068" Judah|strong="H3063" were|strong="H3063" happy|strong="H8055" about|strong="H5439" the|strong="H3605" oath|strong="H7621", because|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" had|strong="H3068" promised|strong="H7650" with|strong="H3068" all|strong="H3605" their|strong="H3605" heart|strong="H3824". They|strong="H3588" followed God|strong="H3068" with|strong="H3068" all|strong="H3605" their|strong="H3605" heart|strong="H3824". They|strong="H3588" looked|strong="H1245" for|strong="H3588" God|strong="H3068" and|strong="H3068" found|strong="H4672" him|strong="H5921", so|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" gave|strong="H5117" them|strong="H5921" peace|strong="H5117" in|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" country.
16 King|strong="H4428" Asa|strong="H0609" also|strong="H1571" removed|strong="H5493" Maacah|strong="H4601", his|strong="H0834" mother|strong="H0517", from|strong="H5493" being|strong="H3772" queen|strong="H1377" mother|strong="H0517". He|strong="H0834" did|strong="H6213" this|strong="H0834" because|strong="H0834" she|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" set|strong="H0834" up|strong="H0853" one|strong="H0834" of|strong="H4428" those|strong="H0834" awful poles to|strong="H4428" honor the|strong="H0853" goddess Asherah|strong="H0842". Asa|strong="H0609" cut|strong="H3772" down|strong="H3772" that|strong="H0834" Asherah|strong="H0842" pole, smashed it|strong="H6213" into|strong="H5493" small pieces, and|strong="H4428" burned|strong="H8313" the|strong="H0853" pieces in|strong="H4428" the|strong="H0853" Kidron|strong="H6939" Valley|strong="H5158".
17 Asa|strong="H0609" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" destroy|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" high|strong="H1116" places|strong="H1116", even|strong="H3808" though he|strong="H3117" was|strong="H1961" faithful to|strong="H1961" God|strong="H3808" all|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" life|strong="H3117".
18 Asa and|strong="H0935" his|strong="H0935" father|strong="H0001" had|strong="H0430" given some special gifts|strong="H6944" to|strong="H0935" God|strong="H0430". Asa put|strong="H0935" these gifts|strong="H6944" of|strong="H1004" gold|strong="H2091", silver|strong="H3701", and|strong="H0935" other things|strong="H6944" into|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0853" Temple|strong="H1004".
19 There|strong="H1961" was|strong="H1961" no|strong="H3808" more|strong="H3808" war|strong="H4421" until|strong="H5704" the|strong="H5704" 35th year|strong="H8141" of|strong="H8141" Asa’s|strong="H0609" rule|strong="H4438".