2 Chronicles 15:3-13

3 "¹For many days Israel was without the true God and without ²a teaching priest and without law.

4 "But ³in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.

5 "⁴In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for many disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.

6 "⁵Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress.

7 "But you, ⁶be strong and do not lose * courage *, for there is ⁷reward for your work."

Asa's Reforms

8 Now when Asa heard these words and the prophecy which Azariah the son of Oded the prophet spoke, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from ⁸the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. ⁹He then restored the altar of the LORD which was in front of the porch of the LORD.

9 He gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon ¹⁰who resided with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

10 So they assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth * year of Asa's reign.

11 ¹¹They sacrificed to the LORD that day 700 * oxen and 7,000 * sheep from the spoil they had brought.

12 ¹²They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;

13 and whoever * would not seek the LORD God of Israel ¹³should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.

2 Chronicles 15:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 15

Asa returning from the battle, and with the spoil of the enemy, was met by a prophet of the Lord, who encouraged him to go on with the work of reformation, promising the presence and help of God with him, 2Ch 15:1-7, which inspired him with fresh courage, and he went about the work with great alacrity; and having offered sacrifices, he and his people entered into a solemn covenant with the Lord, to serve him, 2Ch 15:8-15 upon which he destroyed his mother's idol, brought the dedicated things into the house of God, and the effect of this was peace for a long time, 2Ch 15:16-19.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 12:28-33
• 2. Leviticus 10:8-11; 2 Chronicles 17:9
• 3. Deuteronomy 4:29
• 4. Judges 5:6
• 5. Matthew 24:7
• 6. Joshua 1:7, 9
• 7. Psalms 58:11
• 8. 2 Chronicles 13:19
• 9. 2 Chronicles 4:1; 2 Chronicles 8:12
• 10. 2 Chronicles 11:16
• 11. 2 Chronicles 14:13-15
• 12. 2 Chronicles 23:16
• 13. Exodus 22:20; Deuteronomy 13:6-9

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "were on"
• [b] Lit "let your hands drop"
• [c] With several ancient versions; Heb "the prophecy, Oded the prophet"