2nd Dabar-Hayamym (2 Chronicles) — 15

The Reforms of Asa

1 Now the RUACH of 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH came upon Azaryahu the son of Udad. 

2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Yahudah and Banyamin. 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is with you while you are with Him. If you seek 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, He will be found by you; but if you forsake 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, He will forsake you. 

3 For a long time Yashar'AL has been without the true 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, without a teaching Kuhanym, and without law; 

4 but when in their trouble they turned to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, and sought 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and He was found by them. 

5 And in those times there was no Shalum to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. 

6 So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH troubled them with every adversity. 

7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”

8 And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Udad the Nabym, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Yahudah and Banyamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Aphraim; and he restored the altar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH that was before the vestibule of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

9 Then King Asaba gathered all Yahudah and Banyamin, and those who dwelt with them from Aphraim, Manassah, and Simaun, for they came over to him in great numbers from Yashar'AL when they saw that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH his 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH was with him.

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

11 And they offered to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep from the spoil they had brought. 

12 Then they entered into a covenant to seek 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 

13 and whoever would not seek 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 

14 Then they took an oath before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH with a loud voice, with shouting and trumpets and rams’ horns. 

15 And all Yahudah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH with all their soul; and He was found by them, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH gave them rest all around.

16 King Asaba also removed Maachah, his own mother, from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asharah; and Asa cut down her obscene image, then crushed and burned it by the Brook Kidrun. 

17 But the high places were not removed from Yashar'AL. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days.

18 He also brought into the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the things that his father had dedicated and that he himself had dedicated: silver and gold and utensils. 

19 And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of King Asa.