Asa's Reforms
1 The spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded, 2 and he went to meet King Asa. He called out, “Listen to me, King Asa, and all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you as long as you are with him. If you look for him, he will let you find him, but if you turn away, he will abandon you. 3 For a long time Israel lived without the true God, without priests to teach them, and without a law. 4 But when trouble came, they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel. They searched for him and found him. 5 In those days no one could come and go in safety, because there was trouble and disorder in every land. 6 One nation oppressed another nation, and one city oppressed another city, because God was bringing trouble and distress on them. 7 But you must be strong and not be discouraged. The work that you do will be rewarded.”
8 When Asa heard the prophecy that Azariah son of Oded had spoken, he was encouraged. He did away with all the idols in the land of Judah and Benjamin and all the idols in the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He also repaired the altar of the Lord that stood in the Temple courtyard.
9 Many people had come over to Asa's side from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, and were living in his kingdom, because they had seen that the Lord was with him. Asa summoned all of them and the people of Judah and Benjamin. 10 They assembled in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year that Asa was king. 11 On that day they offered sacrifices to the Lord from the loot they had brought back: seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep. 12 They made a covenant in which they agreed to worship the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. 13 Anyone, young or old, male or female, who did not worship him was to be put to death. 14 In a loud voice they took an oath in the Lord's name that they would keep the covenant, and then they shouted and blew trumpets. 15 All the people of Judah were happy because they had made this covenant with all their heart. They took delight in worshiping the Lord, and he accepted them and gave them peace on every side.
16 King Asa removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made an obscene idol of the fertility goddess Asherah. Asa cut down the idol, chopped it up, and burned the pieces in Kidron Valley. 17 Even though Asa did not destroy all the pagan places of worship in the land, he remained faithful to the Lord all his life. 18 He placed in the Temple all the objects his father Abijah had dedicated to God, as well as the gold and silver objects that he himself dedicated. 19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of his reign.
1 Tad Dieva Gars nāca pār Azarju, Odeda dēlu. 2 Un viņš izgāja Asam pretī, sastapa to un sacīja: "Uzklausiet mani, Asa, un viss Israēls un Benjamīns! - Tas Kungs ir ar jums, kamēr jūs esat ar Viņu, un, ja vien jūs Viņu meklēsit, jūs Viņu arī atradīsit, bet, ja jūs Viņu atmetīsit, tad Viņš jūs arī atmetīs. 3 Un ilgu laiku Israēlam nebūs nedz patiesa Dieva, nedz priesteru, kas varētu pamācīt, nedz bauslības. 4 Taču, kad tam klāsies grūti un tas atgriezīsies pie Tā Kunga, Israēla Dieva, un Viņu meklēs, tad Viņš būs tiem atrodams. 5 Un tanīs laikos nebūs miera nedz tam, kas izies, nedz tam, kas pārnāks, jo lielas bailes pārņems visu zemju iedzīvotājus, 6 tā ka tauta celsies pret tautu un pilsēta sagraus pilsētu, jo Dievs viņus iztrūcinās ar visādām bēdām. 7 Bet jūs esiet stipri, neļaujiet pagurt savām rokām, jo jūsu pūliņiem būs sava alga!" 8 Kad Asa dzirdēja šos vārdus un pravieša Azarjas, Odeda dēla, pravietojumus, tad viņš atguva drosmi un iznīcināja riebekļus visās Jūdas un Benjamīna zemēs un visās pilsētās, kuras viņš bija iekarojis Efraima kalnājā; un viņš no jauna uzcēla Tā Kunga altāri, kas atradās Tā Kunga nama priekštelpas priekšā. 9 Un viņš sapulcināja visu Jūdu un Benjamīnu un tos svešiniekus, kas pie viņiem piemājoja un kas bija no Efraima un Manases, un no Simeona; arī no Israēla viņam daudzi pievienojās, kad tie redzēja, ka Tas Kungs, viņu Dievs, bija ar viņu. 10 Un viņi sapulcējās Jeruzālemē trešajā mēnesī ķēniņa Asas valdīšanas piecpadsmitajā gadā. 11 Un viņi upurēja šinī dienā Tam Kungam no laupījuma, ko viņi bija pārveduši, septiņus simtus vēršu un septiņus tūkstošus sīklopu. 12 Un viņi atjaunoja derību ar solījumu meklēt To Kungu, savu tēvu Dievu, ar visu savu sirdi un ar visu savu dvēseli. 13 Bet visi, kas nemeklē To Kungu, Israēla Dievu, lai būtu sodāmi ar nāvi, no mazā līdz lielam, kā vīri, tā sievas. 14 Un viņi zvērēja Tam Kungam skaļā balsī un ar gavilēšanu - ar taurēm un bazūnēm. 15 Un viss Jūda priecājās zvēresta dēļ, jo viņi bija zvērējuši no visas sirds; un, tāpēc ka viņi meklēja To Kungu ar visu savu pielūgsmi, pārliecību un gribu, tad arī Viņš bija viņiem atrodams, un Tas Kungs deva viņiem visapkārt mieru. 16 Un ķēniņš lika atteikties savai mātei Maāhai no ķēniņienes goda, tāpēc ka viņa bija likusi izveidot riebīgu elka tēlu Ašērai; Asa lika nocirst šo elka tēlu, to sasmalcināja un sadedzināja Kidronas ielejā. 17 Bet netika izskausti Israēla augstieņu altāri, tikai Asas sirds bija skaidra visu viņa mūža dienu. 18 Un viņš lika ienest Dieva namā visas sava tēva veltītās dāvanas un arī to, ko viņš pats bija veltījis - kā sudrabu, tā zeltu un arī traukus. 19 Un kara nebija līdz Asas trīsdesmit piektajam valdīšanas gadam.
