0 SAB 2 Chronicles 15

The wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. He ... had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. 36:16

Trivia: How many Ethiopians did God help Asa kill?

2 Chronicles

CHAPTER 15

Asa enforces religious intolerance

1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariahthe son of Oded:

2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

God's spirit came upon Azariahthe, and he said to Asa,

5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

6And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.

Until now, there has been no peace.

Because God vexed people with adversity,

causing nations to destroy other nations.

7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

So be strong. Don't let your hands be weak.

And your work will be rewarded.

8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

When Asa heard these words, he destroyed all the abominable idols in the land.

9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

Everyone was loyal to Asa because they saw that God was with him.

11And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

Asa gathered everyone to Jerusalem where they sacrificed 700 oxen and 7000 sheep.

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

They all agreed to seek their fathers' God.

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

And to kill anyone who refused to seek God -- whether they were men, women, or children. [1]

14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

They all swore to God with a loud voice, and shouting, with trumpets and cornets.

15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

And, in return, God gave them peace. [2]

16And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

Asa removed his mother as queen, because she had made an idol.

He removed her idol, stomped on it, and burned it.

17But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

But Asa didn't remove the high places. [3]

And yet his heart was always perfect.

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