| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1After this, the Spirit of God came to rest on Oded's son Azariah, | 1Then the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded, |
| 2so he went out to meet Asa and rebuked him: "Listen to me, Asa, Judah, and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will allow you to find him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you. | 2and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. “Listen to me, Asa!” he shouted. “Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The LORD will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you. |
| 3Israel lived for years without the true God, priests to teach them, and the Law, | 3For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the Law to instruct them. |
| 4but they turned to the LORD God of Israel in their distress. When they sought him, he let them become reacquainted with him. | 4But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him out, they found him. |
| 5"During those days, it wasn't safe for anyone to come and go, because many civil disturbances afflicted everyone who lived in the territories. | 5“During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. |
| 6Nation battled nation, and city fought city, because God was afflicting them all with every kind of distress. | 6Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem. |
| 7Now as for you, be strong and never be discouraged, because there will be reward for your work." | 7But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” |
| 8Encouraged by what Oded's son Azariah the prophet had said in his prophecy, Asa removed the detestable idols from throughout the entire territories of Judah and Benjamin, and from the cities that he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the LORD's altar that stood in front of the vestibule of the LORD's Temple. | 8When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the altar of the LORD, which stood in front of the entry room of the LORD’s Temple. |
| 9Then he gathered together all of Judah, Benjamin, and people from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them, since many people had defected to him from Israel when they learned that the LORD his God was with him. | 9Then Asa called together all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa’s reign when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. |
| 10They all assembled in Jerusalem during the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. | 10The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring, during the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. |
| 11They sacrificed to the LORD that day 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep from the spoil that they had brought with them. | 11On that day they sacrificed to the LORD 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle. |
| 12They also entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their ancestors with all their heart and soul, | 12Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. |
| 13and they further agreed that whoever would refuse to seek the LORD God of Israel was to be executed, whether important or unimportant, man or woman. | 13They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death—whether young or old, man or woman. |
| 14They also made a vow to the LORD with loud voices, shouting, trumpets, and horns. | 14They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the LORD with trumpets blaring and rams’ horns sounding. |
| 15Everybody in Judah was very glad to make their oath, because they had made their vow with all their heart and had sought him with all of their might, and they found him! The LORD also gave them rest in their surrounding lands. | 15All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God, and they found him. And the LORD gave them rest from their enemies on every side. |
| 16King Asa removed his mother Maacah from her position as Queen Mother because she had made a detestable image dedicated to Asherah. He cut down his mother's idol, crushed it, and burned it at the Kidron Brook. | 16King Asa even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole, broke it up, and burned it in the Kidron Valley. |
| 17Nevertheless, the high places were not removed from Israel, even though Asa's heart was blameless all of his life. | 17Although the pagan shrines were not removed from Israel, Asa’s heart remained completely faithful throughout his life. |
| 18Asa brought into God's Temple the things that his father had dedicated, as well as his own dedicated gifts such as silver, gold, and temple service implements. | 18He brought into the Temple of God the silver and gold and the various items that he and his father had dedicated. |
| 19Asa experienced no more war until the end of the thirty-fifth year of his reign. | 19So there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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