Asa Calls Judah Back to God

1 Kings 15

⁹ In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.

¹⁰ He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

¹¹ Asa did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, as David his father did.

¹² He put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

¹³ He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron.

¹⁴ But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days.

¹⁵ He brought into Yahweh’s house the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that he himself had dedicated: silver, gold, and utensils.

2 Chronicles 14

¹ So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days, the land was quiet ten years.

² Asa did that which was good and right in Yahweh his God’s eyes,

³ for he took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the Asherah poles,

⁴ and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to obey his law and command.

⁵ Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images; and the kingdom was quiet before him.

⁶ He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest.

⁷ For he said to Judah, “Let’s build these cities and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.

⁸ Asa had an army of three hundred thousand out of Judah who bore bucklers and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand out of Benjamin who bore shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor.

⁹ Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million troops and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.

¹⁰ Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

¹¹ Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.”

¹² So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

¹³ Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So many of the Ethiopians fell that they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before Yahweh and before his army. Judah’s army carried away very much booty.

¹⁴ They struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of Yahweh came on them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.

¹⁵ They also struck the tents of those who had livestock, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, then returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 15

¹ The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded.

² He went out to meet Asa, and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! Yahweh is with you while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

³ Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law.

⁴ But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.

⁵ In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in; but great troubles were on all the inhabitants of the lands.

⁶ They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God troubled them with all adversity.

⁷ But you be strong! Don’t let your hands be slack, for your work will be rewarded.”

⁸ When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed Yahweh’s altar that was before Yahweh’s porch.

⁹ He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon; for they came to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him.

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

¹¹ They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day, from the plunder which they had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep.

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

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

¹⁴ They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets.

¹⁵ 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 by them. Then Yahweh gave them rest all around.

¹⁶ Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; so Asa cut down her image, ground it into dust, and burned it at the brook Kidron.

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

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

¹⁹ There was no more war to the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.