1
And the Spirit[H7307] of God[H430] came upon Azariah[H5838] the son[H1121] of Oded[H5752]:
2
And he went out[H3318] to meet[H6440]Asa[H609], and said[H559] unto him, Hear[H8085] ye me, Asa[H609], and all Judah[H3063] and Benjamin[H1144]; The LORD[H3068] is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek[H1875] him, he will be found[H4672] of you; but if ye forsake[H5800] him, he will forsake[H5800] you.
3
Now for a long[H7227]season[H3117]Israel[H3478] hath been without[H3808] the true[H571]God[H430], and without[H3808] a teaching[H3384]priest[H3548], and without[H3808]law[H8451].
4
But when they in their trouble[H6862] did turn[H7725] unto the LORD[H3068]God[H430] of Israel[H3478], and sought[H1245] him, he was found[H4672] of them.
5
And in[H935] those times[H6256] there was no peace[H7965] to him that went out[H3318], nor to him that came in[H935], but great[H7227]vexations[H4103] were upon all the inhabitants[H3427] of the countries[H776].
6
And nation[H1471] was destroyed[H3807] of nation[H1471], and city[H5892] of city[H5892]: for God[H430] did vex[H2000] them with all adversity[H6869].
7Be[H3426] ye strong[H2388] therefore, and let not your hands[H3027]be[H3426]weak[H7503]: for your work[H6468] shall be[H3426]rewarded[H7939].
8
And when Asa[H609]heard[H8085] these words[H1697], and the prophecy[H5016] of Oded[H5752] the prophet[H5030], he took courage[H2388], and put away[H5674] the abominable idols[H8251] out of all the land[H776] of Judah[H3063] and Benjamin[H1144], and out of the cities[H5892] which he had taken[H3920] from mount[H2022]Ephraim[H669], and renewed[H2318] the altar[H4196] of the LORD[H3068], that was before[H6440] the porch[H197] of the LORD[H3068].
9
And he gathered[H6908] all Judah[H3063] and Benjamin[H1144], and the strangers[H1481] with them out of Ephraim[H669] and Manasseh[H4519], and out of Simeon[H8095]: for they fell[H5307] to him out of Israel[H3478] in abundance[H7230], when they saw[H7200] that the LORD[H3068] his God[H430] was with him.
10
So they gathered themselves together[H6908] at Jerusalem[H3389] in the third[H7992]month[H2320], in the fifteenth[H2568]year[H8141] of the reign[H4438] of Asa[H609].
11
And they offered[H2076] unto the LORD[H3068] the same time[H3117], of the spoil[H7998] which they had brought[H935], seven[H7651]hundred[H3967]oxen[H1241] and seven[H7651]thousand[H505]sheep[H6629].
12
And they entered[H935] into a covenant[H1285] to seek[H1875] the LORD[H3068]God[H430] of their fathers[H1] with all their heart[H3824] and with all their soul[H5315];
13
That whosoever would not seek[H1875] the LORD[H3068]God[H430] of Israel[H3478] should be put to death[H4191], whether[H4480]small[H6996] or great[H1419], whether[H4480]man[H376] or woman[H802].
14
And they sware[H7650] unto the LORD[H3068] with a loud[H1419]voice[H6963], and with shouting[H8643], and with trumpets[H2689], and with cornets[H7782].
15
And all Judah[H3063]rejoiced[H8055] at the oath[H7621]: for they had sworn[H7650] with all their heart[H3824], and sought[H1245] him with their whole desire[H7522]; and he was found[H4672] of them: and the LORD[H3068] gave them rest[H5117] round about[H5439].
16
And also concerning Maachah[H4601] the mother[H517] of Asa[H609] the king[H4428], he removed[H5493] her from being queen[H1377], because she had made[H6213] an idol[H4656] in a grove[H842]: and Asa[H609] cut down[H3772] her idol[H4656], and stamped[H1854] it, and burnt[H8313] it at the brook[H5158]Kidron[H6939].
17
But the high places[H1116] were not taken away[H5493] out of Israel[H3478]: nevertheless the heart[H3824] of Asa[H609] was perfect[H8003] all his days[H3117].
18
And he brought[H935] into the house[H1004] of God[H430] the things that his father[H1] had dedicated[H6944], and that he himself had dedicated[H6944], silver[H3701], and gold[H2091], and vessels[H3627].
19
And there was no more war[H4421] unto the five[H2568] and thirtieth[H7970]year[H8141] of the reign[H4438] of Asa[H609].