Geneva Study Bible And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And the Spirit of God came upon {a} Azariah the son of Oded:
(a) Who was called Obed as his father was, 2Ch 15:8. 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. 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.
Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the {b} true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
(b) For the space of twelve years under Rehoboam, and three years under Abijah, religion was neglected, and idolatry planted. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he {c} was found of them.
(c) He shows that despite the wickedness of tyrants and their rage, yet God has his whom he hears in their tribulation as he delivered his from Zerah king of the Ethiopians, 2Ch 14:9,12 and out of all other dangers, when they called upon the Lord. 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. 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.
And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your {d} work shall be rewarded.
(d) Your confidence and trust in God will not be frustrated. 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. 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.
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. 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.
So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the {e} third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
(e) Called Shiuam, containing part of May and part of June. And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the {f} spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
(f) Which they had taken of the Ethiopians. And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. That {g} whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
(g) These were the words of their covenant, which commanded all idolaters be put to death, according to the law of God, De 13:5,9,15. And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
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 all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was {h} found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.
(h) As long as they served him correctly, so long did he preserve and prosper them. And 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. And also concerning Maachah the {i} 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.
(i) Or grandmother, and in this he showed that he lacked zeal, for she should have died both by the covenant, as 2Ch 15:13 and by the law of God, but he gave place to foolish pity and would also seem after a sort to satisfy the law. But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. But the high places were not {k} taken away out of {l} Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was {m} perfect all his days.
(k) Which was partly because of lack of zeal on his part, partly through the negligence of his officers and partly by the superstition of the people that all were not taken away. (l) Because God was called the God of Israel, by reason of his promise to Jacob, therefore Israel is sometimes taken for Judah, because Judah was his chief people. (m) In respect to his predecessors. 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. 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.
And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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