| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. | 1The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. |
| 2So 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. | 2So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Asa and all Judah and Benjamin, hear me. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you. |
| 3For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law. | 3For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without instruction, |
| 4But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them. | 4but when they turned to the LORD God of Israel in their distress and sought Him, He was found by them. |
| 5In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts. | 5In those times there was no peace for those who went about their daily activities because the residents of the lands had many conflicts. |
| 6Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity. | 6Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every possible distress. |
| 7But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.” | 7But as for you, be strong; don't be discouraged, for your work has a reward." |
| 8When 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. | 8When 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 renovated the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD's temple. |
| 9And 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. | 9Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, as well as those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for they had defected to him from Israel in great numbers when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him. |
| 10So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. | 10They were gathered in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. |
| 11At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back. | 11At that time they sacrificed to the LORD 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep from all the plunder they had brought. |
| 12Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. | 12Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their ancestors with all their mind and all their heart. |
| 13And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. | 13Whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel would be put to death, young or old, man or woman. |
| 14They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and rams’ horns. | 14They took an oath to the LORD in a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with rams' horns. |
| 15And 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. | 15All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their mind. They had sought Him with all their heart, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side. |
| 16King 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. | 16King Asa also removed Maacah, his grandmother, from being queen mother because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. Asa chopped down her obscene image, then crushed it and burned it in the Kidron Valley. |
| 17The high places were not removed from Israel, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days. | 17The high places were not taken away from Israel; nevertheless, Asa was wholehearted his entire life. |
| 18And he brought into the house of God the silver and gold articles that he and his father had dedicated. | 18He brought his father's consecrated gifts and his own consecrated gifts into God's temple: silver, gold, and utensils. |
| 19And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign. | 19There was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign. |
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