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.
Parallel Translations
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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.
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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.
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And when Asa heard these words, even the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the detestable things 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 the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.
Cross-references (19)
Passages linked to 2 Chronicles 15:8 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Chronicles 8:12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on Yahweh’s altar, which he had built before the porch,
- 2 Chronicles 13:19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.
- 2 Chronicles 4:1 Then he made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high.
- Leviticus 18:30 Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am Yahweh your God.’ ”
- Deuteronomy 27:15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to Yahweh, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
- 1 Kings 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
- 1 Kings 11:7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.
- 2 Kings 16:14 The bronze altar, which was before Yahweh, he brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and Yahweh’s house, and put it on the north side of his altar.
- 2 Kings 18:22 But if you tell me, ‘We trust in Yahweh our God;’ isn’t that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?’
- 2 Kings 23:13 The king defiled the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon.
- 2 Chronicles 19:11 Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Yahweh; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and may Yahweh be with the good.”
- 2 Chronicles 29:18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace, and said, “We have cleansed all Yahweh’s house, including the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the table of show bread with all its vessels.
- Isaiah 44:14 He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a cypress tree, and the rain nourishes it.
- Isaiah 65:4 who sit among the graves, and spend nights in secret places; who eat pig’s meat, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
- Jeremiah 16:18 First I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.”
- Ezekiel 8:10 So I went in and looked, and saw every form of creeping things, abominable animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around on the wall.
- Acts 28:15 From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
- 1 Peter 4:3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.
- Revelation 17:4-5 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth. And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ch 15:8 And when Asa heard these words, and…
2Ch 15:8 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.
Ver. 8. And when Asa heard these words.] He was zealous for God before, but now his heart, was all on a light flame for God. "Did not our hearts burn within us, whilst he opened unto us the Scriptures?" said those two disciples travelling to Emmaus. {Luk 24:32} Together with Christ’s words there went forth a power. {Luk 5:15}
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And the prophecy of Oded.] That is, Of Azariah, son of Oded.
He put away the abominable idols.] St Peter speaketh of "abominable idolatry." {1Pe 4:3} Some Papists would hence infer that there is some idolatry not abominable, so loath are idolaters that their asses’ ears should be seen. Some think that Asa now purged out this abomination, quaestione domesticatim habita, {a} by narrow search made from house to house.
And out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim.] Where the Ethiopians haply had left some of their spawn, as toads and other vermin leave their slime and filth congealed behind them.
And renewed the altar of the Lord,] i.e., Repaired it, being decayed, and offered on it very many sacrifices.
{a} Jun.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Of Oded the prophet, to wit, of Azariah, 2Ch…
Of Oded the prophet, to wit, of Azariah, 2Ch 15:1, who was also called by his father’s name Oded. Or Oded may be here put patronymically for the son of Oded; as David is put for Christ the Son of David, Jer 30:9, and elsewhere; and Moses for the sons of Moses, Psa 90:1. Or here is an ellipsis of the relative word, of which there are many instances both in sacred and profane authors; as 2Sa 21:19, the brother of Goliath; Mat 4:21, James the son of Zebedee; Luk 24:10, Mary the mother of James, by comparing Mar 15:40; Joh 19:25, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and many other places. And so this place may be thus read,
when Asa heard these words, even the prophecy of the son of Oded the prophet. And this ellipsis is the more easy and tolerable, because this defect might be well enough understood and supplied out of 2Ch 15:1. Though some understand this to be another prophecy of Oded the father, which is not here expressed, which Azariah his son repeated to them for the confirmation of his own prophecy.
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He took courage; for it required great courage to put away all the idols, to which so great a number of his people were to this day addicted, and, among others, Maachah the queen, his mother, whom for this reason he deposed, 1Ki 15:13.
The cities which he had taken, to wit, Abijah his father; which was easily understood from 2Ch 13:19. Or, which had been taken; the active word being oft so used impersonally for the passive, as Hebricians know.
Renewed the altar of the Lord; which had been either decayed through age and long use of it, or broken by his idolatrous mother’s means. Or, he consecrated or dedicated the altar, &c.; which possibly had been polluted by idolaters, and now needed some purification.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain We are here told what good effect the foregoing…
We are here told what good effect the foregoing sermon had upon Asa.
I. He grew more bold for God than he had been. His victory would inspire him with some new degrees of resolution, but this message from God with much more. Now he took courage. he saw how necessary a further reformation was, and what assurance he had of God's presence with him in it; and this made him daring, and helped him over the difficulties which had before deterred him and driven him off from the undertaking. Now he ventured to destroy all the abominable idols (and all idolatries are abominable, Pe1 4:3) as far as ever his power went. Away with them all. He also renewed the altar of the Lord, which, it seems, had gone out of repair, though it was not above thirty-five years since Solomon's head was laid, who erected it. So soon did these ceremonial institutions begin to wax old, as things which, in the fulness of time, must vanish away, Heb 8:13.
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II. He extended his influence further than before, Ch2 15:9. He summoned a solemn assembly, and particularly brought the strangers to it, who had come over to him from the ten tribes. 1. Their coming was a great encouragement to him; for the reason of their coming was because they saw that the Lord his God was with him. It is good to be with those that have God with them, to come into relation to, and contract acquaintance and friendship with, those that live in the fear and favour of God. We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you, Zac 8:23. 2. The cognizance he took of them, and the invitation he gave them to the general assembly, were a great encouragement to them. All strangers are to be helped, but those that cast themselves upon God's good providence, purely to keep a good conscience, are worthy of double honour. Asa gave orders for the gathering of them together (Ch2 15:9), yet it is said (Ch2 15:10) that they gathered themselves together, made it their own act, so forward were they to obey the king's orders. This meeting was held in the third month, probably at the feast of Pentecost, which was in that month.
III. He and his people offered sacrifices to God, as his share of the spoil they had got, Ch2 15:11. Their offering here was nothing to Solomon's (Ch2 7:5), which was owing to the diminution either of their zeal or of their wealth, or of both. These sacrifices were intended by way of thanksgiving for the favours they had received, and supplication for further favours. Prayers and praises are now our spiritual sacrifices. And, as he took care that the altar should have its gift, so he took care that the temple should have its gold: He brought into the house of God all the dedicated things, Ch2 15:18. It is honesty to render to God the things that are his. What has been long designed for him, and long laid by for him, as it should seem these dedicated things had been, should at length be laid out for him. Will a man rob God, or make slow payment to him, who is always ready to do us good?
IV. They entered into covenant with God, repenting that they had violated their engagements to him and resolving to do better for the future. It is proper for penitents, for converts, to renew their covenants. It should seem, the motion came not from Asa, but from the people themselves. Let every man be a volunteer that covenants with God. Thy people shall be willing, Psa 110:3. Observe,
1. What was the matter of this covenant. Nothing but what they were before obliged to; and, though no vow or promise of theirs could lay any higher obligation upon them than they were already under from the divine precept, yet it would help to increase their sense of the obligation, to arm them against temptations, and would be a testimony to the equity and goodness of the precept. And, by joining all together in this covenant, they strengthened the hands one of another. Two things they engaged themselves to: - (1.) That they would diligently seek God themselves, seek his precepts, seek his favour. What is religion but seeking God, enquiring after him, applying to him, upon all occasions? We shall not enjoy him till we come to heaven; while we are here we must continue seeking. They would seek God as the God of their fathers, in the way that their fathers sought him and in dependence upon the promise made to their fathers; and they would do it with all their heart and with all their soul, for those only seek God acceptably and successfully that are inward with him, intent upon him, and entire for him, in their seeking him. We make nothing of our religion if we do not make heart-work of it. God will have all the heart or none; and, when a jewel of such inestimable value as the divine favour is to be found, it is worth while to seek it with all our soul. (2.) That they would, to the utmost of their power, oblige others to seek him, Ch2 15:13. They agreed that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel (that is, would either worship other gods or refuse to join with them in the worship of the true God, that was either an obstinate idolater or an obstinate atheist) he should be put to death. This was no new law of their own making, but an order to put in execution that law of God to this purport, Deu 17:2, etc. If this law had been duly executed, there would not have been so many abominable idols found in Judah and Benjamin, Ch2 15:8. Whether men may now, under the gospel, be compelled by such methods as these to seek the Lord is justly questioned; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, and yet mighty.
2. In what manner they made this covenant. (1.) With great cheerfulness, and all possible expressions of joy: The swore unto the Lord; not secretly, as if they were either ashamed of what they did or afraid of binding themselves too fast to him, but with a loud voice, to express their own zeal and to animate one another; and they all rejoiced at the oath, Ch2 15:14, Ch2 15:15. They did not swear to God with reluctancy (as the poor debtor confesses a judgment to his creditor), but with all the pleasure and satisfaction imaginable, as the bridegroom plights his troth to the bride in the marriage covenant. Every honest Israelite was pleased with his own engagements to God, and they were all pleased with one another's. They rejoiced in it as a hopeful expedient to prevent their apostasy from God and a happy indication of God's presence with them. Note, The times of renewing our covenant with God should be times of rejoicing, and national reformation cannot but give general satisfaction to all that are good. It is an honour and happiness to be in bonds to God. (2.) They did it with great sincerity, zeal and resolution: They swore to God with all their hearts, and sought him with their whole desire. The Israelites were now in an extraordinarily good frame. O that there had always been such a heart in them! This comes in as the reason why they rejoiced so much in what they did: it was because they were hearty in it. Note, Those only experience the pleasure and comfort of religion that are sincere and upright in it. What is done in hypocrisy is a mere drudgery. But, if God has the heart, we have the joy.
V. We are told what was the effect of this their solemn covenanting with God. 1. God did well for them: He was found of them, and gave them rest round about (Ch2 15:15), so that there was no war for a long time after (Ch2 15:19), no open general war, though there were constant bickerings between Judah and Israel upon the frontiers, Kg1 15:16. National piety procures national blessings. 2. They did, on the whole, well for him. They carried on the reformation so far that Maachah the queen-mother was deposed for idolatry and her idol destroyed, Ch2 15:16. This was bravely done of Asa, that he would not connive at idolatry in those that were nearest to him, like Levi, that said to his father and mother, I have not seen him, Deu 33:9. Asa knows he must honour God more than his grandmother, and dares not leave an idol in an apartment of his palace while he is destroying idols in the cities of his kingdom. We may suppose this Maachah was so far convinced of her sin that she was willing to subscribe the association mentioned (Ch2 15:12, Ch2 15:13), binding herself to seek the Lord, and therefore was not put to death as those were that refused to sign it, great as well as small, women as well as men: probably it was with an eye to her that women were specified. But because she had been an idolater Asa thought fit to divest her of the dignity and authority she had, and probably he banished her the court and confined her to privacy, lest she should influence and infect others. But the reformation was not complete; the high places were not all taken away, though many of them were, Ch2 14:3, Ch2 14:5. Those in the cities were removed, but not those in the cities of Judah, but not those in the cities of Israel which were reduced to the house of David; or those that were used in the service of false gods, but not those that were used in the service of the God of Israel. These he connived at, and yet his heart was perfect. There may be defects in some particular duties where yet the heart, in the man, is upright with God. Sincerity is something less than sinless perfection.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy…
And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet,.... Some think that besides the above words of Azariah the son of Oded, a prophecy of Oded his father was related by him, though not recorded; but rather Oded here is the same with the son of Oded; and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read Azariah the son of Oded; and so does the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint version:
he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin; which were abominable to God, and all good men; besides the images and statues he had broken before, he removed other idols that remained, being animated and emboldened by the speech of the prophet:
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and out of the cities which he had taken from Mount Ephraim: the same which his father Abijah had taken from Jeroboam, Ch2 13:19 and which perhaps, upon the approach of the Ethiopians, revolted from Asa, or were restored by them to Jeroboam, and Which Asa retook upon his conquest of them:
and renewed the altar of the Lord before the porch of the Lord; the altar of burnt offering, which had never been repaired since it was made by Solomon; perhaps he anew overlaid it with brass that being worn out, or become very thin in some places.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Of Oded - Of Azariah, ver. 1, who was…
Of Oded - Of Azariah, ver. 1, who was also called by his father's name Oded.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 8. Renewed the altar] Dedicated it afresh, or…
Verse 8. Renewed the altar] Dedicated it afresh, or perhaps enlarged it, that more sacrifices might be offered on it than ever before; for it cannot be supposed that this altar had no victims offered on it till the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa, who had previously been so zealous in restoring the Divine worship.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Ch 15:8. When Asa heard these words of Oded…
2Ch 15:8. When Asa heard these words of Oded the prophet — Of Azariah, the son of Oded, who was also called by his father’s name; he took courage — For it required great courage to put away all the idols, to which so great a number of his people were still attached, and among others Maachah, the queen, his mother, whom, for this reason, he deposed, 1Ki 15:13. And out of the cities which he had taken — Or, which had been taken, namely, by Abijah his father. And renewed the altar of the Lord — Which had been either decayed by time and long use of it, or broken by his idolatrous mother’s means. Or the expression may signify, He consecrated, or dedicated, the altar, &c., which, possibly, had been polluted by idolaters, and now needed some purification.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Some versions have “the prophecy of Azariah the son…
Some versions have “the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded,” which is perhaps the true reading.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Azarias, the son, is omitted in Hebrew and the…
Azarias, the son, is omitted in Hebrew and the Vatican Septuagint, which reads Adad, (Haydock) but it is supplied in the other editions, and in the Syriac, (Calmet) as [in] ver. 1. (Haydock) --- Taken: we do not read on what occasion, chap. xvii. 2. His father had seized upon Bethel, &c., chap. xiii. 19. (Calmet) --- Yet Asa waged war himself with the king of Israel. --- Dedicated. Septuagint, "renewed," as the altar had been neglected, or injured by the continual fire; (Menochius) or this was the extraordinary (Haydock) altar, which Solomon had used at the dedication of the temple. The multitude of Asa’s victims required more than one, ver. 11. It is not probable that God’s worship had been neglected till the 15th year of this pious king, (ver. 9) since even his wicked father was punctual in this respect, chap. xiii. 11. Before, at the higher end of the priests’ court, to the east of the altar of holocausts. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain when Asa heard . . . the prophecy of…
when Asa heard . . . the prophecy of Oded the prophet--The insertion of these words, "of Oded the prophet," is generally regarded as a corruption of the text. "The sole remedy is to erase them. They are, probably, the remains of a note, which crept in from the margin into the text" [BERTHEAU].
he took courage--Animated by the seasonable and pious address of Azariah, Asa became a more zealous reformer than ever, employing all his royal authority and influence to extirpate every vestige of idolatry from the land.
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and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim--He may have acquired cities of Ephraim, the conquest of which is not recorded (Ch2 17:2); but it has been commonly supposed that the reference is to cities which his father Abijah had taken in that quarter (Ch2 13:19).
renewed the altar of the Lord . . . before the porch--that is, the altar of burnt offering. As this was done on or about the fifteenth year of the reign of this pious king, the renewal must have consisted in some splendid repairs or embellishments, which made it look like a new dedication, or in a reconstruction of a temporary altar, like that of Solomon (Ch2 7:7), for extraordinary sacrifices to be offered on an approaching occasion.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain ASA’S REFORMS AND RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT, 2Ch_15:8-19.
ASA’S REFORMS AND RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT, 2Ch_15:8-19.
8. And the prophecy of Oded the prophet — Here is doubtless a corruption in the text. Either the words of Oded should be omitted, as an interpolation, or else the words Azariah the son (see 2Ch_15:1) should be supplied.
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Took courage — Azariah’s oracle inspired the king with a zeal and enthusiasm even additional to that occasioned by the recent marvellous victory.
Put away the abominable idols — This effort to clear his realm of idolatry is probably not to be identified with his earlier work of reform described in 1Ch_14:3, but a later effort, inspired and encouraged by his victory over Zerah and by the words of the prophet. It may have been that his earlier efforts were only partially successful, and that Azariah’s oracle reminded him that much remained to be done in the work of reform.
The cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim — The cities which his father had taken from Jeroboam. 2Ch_13:19. The writer, in his hasty brevity of narration, attributed to Asa what was really the work of his father. See a similar inaccuracy in 2Ch_17:2.
Renewed the altar — The great brazen altar described in 1Ch_4:1, which stood in the priests’ court before the porch of the temple. Some sixty years had passed since the temple was built, and this altar may, for that reason, have needed repair; or it may have been polluted by idolatry, and therefore needed renewal.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 8. and the prophecy of Oded the prophet] Some…
8. and the prophecy of Oded the prophet] Some words have fallen out of the text. Read, Even the prophecy which Azariah the son of Oded prophesied.
the abominable idols] R.V. the abominations; cp. 1Ki_14:23-24; 1Ki_15:12-13.
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mount Ephraim] R.V. the hill country of Ephraim. The term describes the hilly country between the plain of Esdrelon and the territory of Benjamin.
that was before the porch] Cp. 2Ch_7:7; 2Ch_8:12.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (b) THE REFORM OF WORSHIP, AND PUBLIC RENEWAL OF…
(b) THE REFORM OF WORSHIP, AND PUBLIC RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT
(2Ch_15:8-15).
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(8) And the prophecy of Oded the prophet.—Heb., And the prophecy Oded the prophet; without any connection. This is suspicious, and suggests the idea that “Oded the prophet” is a marginal gloss, which has crept into the text; especially as, according to 2Ch_15:1, not Oded, but Azariah son of Oded, was the author of the prophecy. Possibly there is a lacuna, and the original text ran: “And the prophecy which Azariah son of Oded, the prophet, spake.” There is no variation in Heb. MSS., and the readings of the versions only show that the difficulty is ancient. (LXX., Vatic., “the prophecy of Adad the prophet; “but in 2Ch_15:1 : “Azarias son of Oded;” Alex., “Azarias son of Adad the prophet;” Syr., “Azariah son of Azur;” Vulg., “Azariah son of Oded the prophet.”) these words and the prophecy, i.e., these words, even (or, that is) the prophecy. Epexegetical use of the conjunction.
He took courage.—Hithchazzaq, strengthened himself (2Ch_12:13). The same verb as be strong chizqû), 2Ch_15:7.
And put away.—Removed (1Ki_15:12).
The abominable idols.—Abominations (shiqqûtsim): one of the many terms of contempt applied (to idols (Deu_29:17; 1Ki_11:5; 1Ki_11:7; Jer_4:1).
The cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim.—The hill-country of Ephraim. In 2Ch_17:2 we read again: “the cities of Ephraim, which Asa had taken.” It is generally assumed that in both passages there is a somewhat inaccurate reference to the conquests of Abijah recorded in 2Ch_13:19; for hitherto Asa had had no wars with the northern kingdom (2Ch_14:1; 2Ch_14:6; 2Ch_15:19). But Asa may have annexed some of the towns on his northern border without resistance, after his victory over Zerah. (Comp. the voluntary immigration into Judah described in 2Ch_15:9.) Thenius, who fixes the date of Baasha’s attempt before the Cushite invasion, says that Asa seems to have assumed the offensive after Baasha’s retreat from Ramah.
And renewed the altar.—The context seems to imply that this “renewal” consisted in reconsecration, the altar having been defiled by an illegal cultus. So the LXX. and Vulg., ἐνκάινισε, dedicavit. The word, however, may only mean repaired, restored. The altar had now stood sixty years. (Comp. 2Ch_24:4.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain These words and the prophecy. In addition to what…
These words and the prophecy. In addition to what is said under ver. 1 on the question of the occurrence here of the name Oded, where we should have looked for the name Azariah, it may be noted that it is open to possibility that "these words" certainly referring to the language of Azariah, the "prophecy" may have in view some quotation more or less well known from Oded, satisfied by the latter part of ver. 2 or By ver. 7. This is not very likely; still, the conjunction "and" would thereby better account for itself. Nevertheless, it would still remain that the word "prophecy" is not in construct but absolute state, and we cannot count the difficulty removed, comparatively unimportant as it may be. He took courage, and put away, etc. These words may express either Asa"s accomplishing of the reforms spoken of in the former chapter (vers. 3-5), or quite as probably his perseverance and renewed diligence and vigour in the same; the language, "he took courage," favours this latter view. The cities which he had taken from, etc. Some say that the reference here and 2Ch_17:2 also must be understood to be to Abijahs victory and spoils, (2Ch_13:19) and that these two places must accordingly be in slight error. If this passage had stood alone, this view might have been more easy to accept, but the words in 2Ch_17:2 explicitly state that Asa had taken such cities, and the mere fact that the history does not record when, nor even show any very convenient gap into which Asa"s taking of such cities after conflict with Israel might well fit in, can scarcely be allowed to override the direct assertion of 2Ch_17:2. (comp. 2Ch_16:11) At the same time, the work that would devolve on Asa in holding the cities his father Abijah had first taken, may easily account for all, and have been accounted Asa"s taking, in the sense of taking to them, or retaking them. Renewed the altar. The altar, the place of which was before the porch, was the altar of burnt offering. The Hebrew for "renewed" is vDeji. The Vulgate translates insufficiently dedicavit. Bertheau thinks the renewal designs simply the purification of it from idolatrous defilements, although he admits that this is to assume that it had been defiled by idolatrous priests. Keil says the altar might well need genuine repair after the lapse of sixty years from the building of the temple. Of the nine occurrences of the word. five are metaphorical( as e.g. , (Psa_51:10) but of the remaining four distinctly literal uses, including the present, three must mean just strictly "repair" (2Ch_24:4, 2Ch_24:12; Isa_61:4) and the probability maytherefore be that such is the meaning now. Many, however, prefer the other view. The work of Ass, as described in 2Ch_14:3-5, was one of taking away, breaking down, and cutting down; but this item shows it now, in his fifteenth year, become also one of renewing. and repairing. The porch of (so 2Ch_29:17; 1Ki_7:6, 1Ki_7:7, 1Ki_7:12; Eze_40:7) Ya, though in construct state, the kametz impure.
Vers. 8-19.
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Ancient covenanters.
I SERIOUS PREPARATIONS. (Vers, 8-11.)
1. The purgation of the land from idols. Encouraged by the words of the son of Oded not Oded, as in the text Asa, on reaching his capital, determined to convene a national assembly, and enter into a solemn league and covenant to carry out the work of reformation so auspiciously begun, (2Ch_14:2-5) and so manifestly owned of Jehovah in the splendid victory he had granted over the Cushite invader. (2Ch_14:12) As a preliminary, he "put away the abominations," i.e. the idols, "from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim." In the same spirit acted Jacob, before going up to meet with Jehovah at Bethel; (Gen_35:2) and Moses, before the interview of Israel with Jehovah at Sinai; (Exo_19:14) Hezekiah, before he celebrated the Passover; (2Ch_30:14) and Josiah, before he renewed the covenant. (2Ch_34:3-7) If such preparation on the part of Israel was needful to qualify her for an interview with Jehovah even in external celebrations, (Amo_4:12) much more is a similar preparation of the heart indispensable on the part of souls who come before God in any act of spiritual worship (2Ch_19:3 2Ch_20:33; 1Sa_7:3; Psa_57:7; Luk_1:17) In particular, all known sin must be abandoned. (Isa_1:16, Isa_1:17)
2. The renewal of the altar of the Lord. The great brazen altar of Solomon (2Ch_4:1) had probably been defiled by idol-rites during preceding reigns, and required reconsecration (Bertheau); while, after sixty years of service, it almost certainly stood in need of repairs (Keil). Most likely Asa"s renovation of the altar was of both kinds an external reparation and a religious consecration. It is commonly a sign that a Church or nation is in earnest in entering upon religious reformation when it attends to the externals as well as to the internals of religion when it corrects abuses, repairs defects, and adds improvements in the outward means of grace, as well as endeavours to impart to these fresh attractiveness and zeal Individuals begin not well who neglect to engage all their powers of body, mind, and heart in the work, or to seek for these a new and gracious baptism from above. (Rom_12:1)
3. The invitation of the people to a national assembly. Without the hearty consent and cooperation of the people, reforms of no kind can be effected as little religious as political or social, and just as little these as those.Accordingly, all Judah and Benjamin, with such Israelites as sympathized with the new movement, were summoned to Jerusalem on a certain day to covenant to seek Jehovah. As early as the days of Rehoboam, strangers from the northern kingdom had found their way into the southern (; (2Ch_11:16) Asa"s victory over Zerah having been accepted as a proof that Jehovah was on the side of Judah"s king, the number of these immigrants largely increased (ver. 9). What was wanted then in Judah and Israel to rally the pious is demanded still a leader, who has God upon his side, because he is on the side of God.
4. The gathering of the pious in Jerusalem. It showed the spirit of the people that they responded at once to their monarch"s call. Followers that will not follow are a hindrance to those who would lead in reformations in either Church or state, Union is strength, and generally victory; disunion weakness, and always defeat.
II SOLEMN TRANSACTIONS. (Vers. 12-14.)
1. The presentation of the spoils. These, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep, formed part of the plunder taken from Zerah"s army, (2Ch_14:14, 2Ch_14:15) and were now presented to Jehovah; as Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek on returning from the slaughter of the kings; (Gen_14:20) as the Israelites in the wilderness after the slaughter of the Midianites levied a tribute unto the Lord; (Num_31:11-47) as Saul said he intended to sacrifice unto the Lord the sheep and oxen he had reserved from the spoil of the Amalekites; (1Sa_15:21) and as victorious generals among the Romans were accustomed to dedicate to Jupiter part of the spoils taken from the enemy (Adam"s Roman Antiquities," p. 327). As Asa"s victory had been achieved solely through Divine help, this was becoming as well as right. Those whom God renders successful in their callings should honour him with the firstfruits of their increase. (Pro_3:9) Every man as God hath prospered him, a rule of Christian giving. (1Co_16:2)
2. The formation of a covenant.
(1) The object twofold.
(a) "To seek the Lord God of their fathers," etc. (ver. 12) a right thing for nations and individuals to do yea, for all, whether they covenant with and swear to one another concerning it or not. To seek God, a nation"s and individual"s life (Isa_55:3, Isa_55:6; Psa_69:32; Amo_5:4) and the only source of true prosperity for either (Psa_70:4; Amo_8:14; Lam_3:25) That the god a nation or an individual seeks is the god of his or its fathers, is no proof that that god is the true God; but, being the true God, he possesses an additional claim on the worship and homage of both individual and nation, from the fact that he is and has been their fathers" God. If God is to be sought at all, it should be with the whole heart. (Jer_29:13) Nothing short of this is religion (Deu_11:13 Deu_13:3; Mat_22:37; Mar_12:30, 33; Luk_10:27)
(b) To "put to death," etc. (ver. 13). Under the theocracy religious toleration was impossible, for the reason that idolatry was high treason. "A theocratic government is a government of constraint. Freedom of conscience would have been an unmeaning sound under the Jewish economy" (Pressense, Early Years of the Christian Church," vol. 1. p. 36). Church and state in Judah were one. No such identification existed among heathen nations, though approximations towards it were often seen. Nor does such identification exist under the gospel. Hence neither Church nor state now has authority to put to death those who decline the religion prescribed by either. The reformed Churches of England and Scotland were slow in perceiving that the extermination of heretics by the sword of the civil magistrate, however legitimate under the Jewish theocracy, was not permissible in the Church of Jesus Christ. Under the gospel God alone is Lord of the conscience; and to each man pertains the right of choosing his own religion, his own creed, and his own worship, without dictation, not to say coercion, from either king or parliament being answerable for the choice he makes in the first place to his own conscience, and in the last place to God, whose creature and subject he is. This is the doctrine of religious equality, which should be carefully distinguished from that of religious toleration, which proceeds upon the erroneous assumption that Church and state possess the right, but decline to exercise the power of coercion, and agree to allow, what they might justly put down, diversity of faith and practice in religion.
(2) The form simple. "They sware unto the Lord;" i.e. bound themselves with an oath to carry out the twofold purpose above described. This they did with enthusiasm (ver. 14), which is always good in a good, (Gal_4:18) and especially good in religion (Luk_13:24; Joh_9:4; Eph_5:16; Heb_6:11)
(3) The scene impressive. In more points than one this high transaction under Asa had a parallel in the National Covenant, which was formed by the Scottish people in Edinburgh on the last day of February, 1638, when in the churchyard of Greyfriars, in the grey dawn, a parchment was spread upon a gravestone, and one by one the nobility, gentry, burgesses, ministers of religion, and common people, with uplifted hand and solemn oath, affixed to it their names, engaging with one another to maintain the Presbyterian form of Church government, and, at the point of the sword, to exterminate the prelatical.
III SIGNIFICANT RESULTS. (Vers. 15-19.)
1. The joy of the people. (Ver. 15.) This proved they had been in earnest. They exulted in the unanimity and heartiness with which the covenant had been made, and in the prospect thus opened up for the attainment of its objects.
2. The zeal of the king. (Vers. 16-18.)
(1) The deposition of the queen-mother, Maachah, the mother of Abijah and grandmother of Asa. High rank, venerable age, and near relationship to Asa had given her at court and in the land commanding influence, which she exercised in the interest of idolatry. Her removal by Asa showed him sincere in desiring to effect a reformation. (Luk_14:26)
(2) The destruction of her abominable image. This, which was made of wood, and is supposed by some to have been an obscene figure, pudendum, representing the productive power of nature which is doubtful (Bertheau and Keil) was an object of horror and detestation to the Hebrews; its destruction was another indication of the spirit by which Asa was actuated. The only defect in his reformation activity, was that he did not at the same time abolish the high places connected with the worship of Jehovah.
(3) The introduction into the temple of the dedicated gifts of his father and of himself. The former, consisting of the spoils Abijah had taken in the war with Jeroboam (2Ch_13:16) silver, gold, and vessels had been used by the conqueror either to adorn some heathen temple or to enrich the royal treasury, but were now surrendered by Asa to the house of the Lord. The latter, composed of similar materials plundered by himself in the Cushite war, (2Ch_14:14, 2Ch_14:15) he also presented to their rightful Owner, Jehovah. To restore the former was as much a duty as to give up the latter. "Asa, like a good son, pays his father"s debts and his own" (Bishop Hall).
3. The approbation of Jehovah. Intimated by the fact that for the next twenty years the land enjoyed rest (ver. 19). "When a man"s ways please God, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him". (Pro_16:7) Were nations to please God by their ways, he would "make wars cease to the end of the earth". (Psa_46:9)
Learn:
1. The stimulus good men derive from God"s Word, exemplified in theeffect produced upon Asa by Oded"s prophecy (ver. 8).
2. The purifying power of true religion on the soul symbolized by Asa"s purgation of the land (ver. 8).
3. The attractive influence upon others of those who have God with them seen in the rallying of the pious round Asa (ver. 9).
1. The supreme duty of individuals and nations to seek the Lord (ver.12).
2. The lawfulness of men covenanting with each other for such a purpose,but not of compelling others (ver. 13).
3. The necessity in religion of proving the heart"s sincerity by the hand"sactivity and liberality (vers. 11, 18).
4. The propriety of being thorough in all undertakings connected withreligion the want of this a defect in Asa (ver. 17). W
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain when Asa
when Asa
Chapter 14 describes the outward prosperity of the kingdom, and Asa’s superficial reformation; chapter 15 the true reformation.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 When Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Oded…
When Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Oded the prophet
"When Asa heard the words that Oded the prophet spoke" or "When Asa heard the prophecy of Oded the prophet." The phrase "the prophecy of Oded the prophet" defines "these words."
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the prophecy of Oded the prophet
Many versions, including the UDB, make this passage read, "the prophecy of Azariah, the son of Oded the prophet." They do this in order to make the sense agree with 2 Chronicles 15:1. Translators will probably want to do the same in their versions.
drove away the disgusting things
The words "the disgusting things" refers to idols. Having his people remove or destroy the idols is spoken of as if it were driving them away. AT: "got rid of the disgusting idols" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information and Metaphor)
He gathered all Judah and Benjamin
Here the word "all" is a generalization. The phrase means that David assembled people from all over Judah and Benjamin. AT: "He gathered together people from all over Judah and Benjamin" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)
For they came from Israel
"For people from of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon came from Israel"
translationWords
word
prophet
Ephraim
altar
house of God
Manasseh
Simeon
Israel
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 15:8-18 The Chronicler described Asa’s response in the precise…
15:8-18 The Chronicler described Asa’s response in the precise terms of the prophet’s exhortation, but Asa’s specific actions went far beyond its general directives. As soon as Asa heard the prophetic words, he took courage in initiating a comprehensive reform, beginning with the removal of the detestable idols that again infested the land (see 14:5). Full trust in God had won the war against the Cushites, and total renewal of the covenant brought the Promised Land to rest (15:15).
15:8 The towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim were those conquered in his war with Baasha (16:1). There was continuous warfare between Baasha and Asa (see 1 Kgs 15:16).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.