1 ARST The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. BSB BSB: Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.
2 ARST 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 with him. If you request him to help you, he will help you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you. BSB BSB: So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
3 ARST For many years the Israelite people did not have the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws. BSB BSB: For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.
4 ARST But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh, our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them. BSB BSB: But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.
5 ARST At that time, people were not safe when they traveled, because all the people who lived in those countries were experiencing many difficulties. BSB BSB: In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts.
6 ARST The people of various nations were crushed 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. BSB BSB: Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity.
7 ARST But you people, you must be strong and do not become discouraged, because God will reward you for what you do to please him.” BSB BSB: But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”
8 ARST Asa was encouraged when he heard what Azariah son of Oded, prophesied. Asa commanded his workers to remove all the detestable idols from everywhere in 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. BSB BSB: When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.
9 ARST He gathered together all the people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and many people had come from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them. He was able to do that because many people had left those tribes in Israel, when they realized that Yahweh was helping him. BSB BSB: And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
10 ARST After Asa had been ruling for almost fifteen years, in the third month of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.
11 ARST At that time they sacrificed to Yahweh seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats, from the animals that they had captured when they defeated the army of Ethiopia. BSB BSB: At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back.
12 ARST They solemnly made an agreement to worship very sincerely Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors worshiped. BSB BSB: Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.
13 ARST They promised to execute all those who would not worship Yahweh, including those who were important and who were not important, both men and women. BSB BSB: And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.
14 ARST They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that. BSB BSB: They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and rams’ horns.
15 ARST All the people who were living in Judah were happy to promise to do that because they had solemnly promised to do it very sincerely. They eagerly asked Yahweh to guide them, and he helped them. So he enabled them to have peace throughout their country. BSB BSB: And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.
16 ARST 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, chop it into pieces, and burn it in the Kidron Valley. He did not allow Maacah to continue to influence the people because she was the mother of the previous king. BSB BSB: King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
17 ARST Although Asa’s workers did not get rid of places where people worshiped idols, and those high places remained on the hills throughout Asa’s reign. But still, Asa was determined to do what pleased Yahweh all during the years that he was alive. BSB BSB: The high places were not removed from Israel, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days.
18 ARST 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. BSB BSB: And he brought into the house of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
19 ARST There were no more wars in Judah until Asa had been ruling Judah almost thirty-five years. BSB BSB: And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.