2 Crônicas 15

As reformas de Asa na religião

1 Então veio o Espírito de Deus sobre Azarias, filho de Odede. 2 E saiu ao encontro de Asa, e disse-lhe: Ouvi-me, Asa, e todo o Judá e Benjamim: O Senhor está convosco, enquanto vós estais com ele, e, se o buscardes, o achareis; porém, se o deixardes, vos deixará.

3 E Israel esteve por muitos dias sem o verdadeiro Deus, e sem sacerdote que o ensinasse, e sem lei. 4 Mas quando na sua angústia voltaram para o Senhor Deus de Israel, e o buscaram, o acharam. 5 E naqueles tempos não havia paz, nem para o que saía, nem para o que entrava, mas muitas perturbações sobre todos os habitantes daquelas terras. 6 Porque nação contra nação e cidade contra cidade se despedaçavam; porque Deus os perturbara com toda a angústia. 7 Mas esforçai-vos, e não desfaleçam as vossas mãos; porque a vossa obra tem uma recompensa.

8 Ouvindo, pois, Asa estas palavras, e a profecia do profeta Odede, cobrou ânimo e tirou as abominações de toda a terra, de Judá e de Benjamim, como também das cidades que tomara nas montanhas de Efraim, e renovou o altar do Senhor, que estava diante do pórtico do Senhor. 9 E reuniu a todo o Judá, e Benjamim, e com eles os estrangeiros de Efraim e Manassés, e de Simeão; porque muitos de Israel tinham passado a ele, vendo que o Senhor seu Deus era com ele. 10 E ajuntaram-se em Jerusalém no terceiro mês; no ano décimo quinto do reinado de Asa. 11 E no mesmo dia ofereceram em sacrifício ao Senhor, do despojo que trouxeram, setecentos bois e sete mil ovelhas. 12 E entraram na aliança para buscarem o Senhor Deus de seus pais, com todo o seu coração, e com toda a sua alma; 13 E de que todo aquele que não buscasse ao Senhor Deus de Israel, morresse; assim o menor como o maior, tanto o homem como a mulher. 14 E juraram ao Senhor, em alta voz, com júbilo e com trombetas e cornetas. 15 E todo o Judá se alegrou deste juramento; porque de todo o seu coração juraram, e de toda a sua vontade o buscaram, e o acharam; e o Senhor lhes deu repouso ao redor.

16 E também a Maaca, sua mãe, o rei Asa depôs, para que não fosse mais rainha, porquanto fizera um horrível ídolo, a Aserá; e Asa destruiu o seu horrível ídolo, e o despedaçou, e o queimou junto ao ribeiro de Cedrom. 17 Os altos, porém, não foram tirados de Israel; contudo o coração de Asa foi perfeito todos os seus dias. 18 E trouxe, à casa de Deus, as coisas consagradas por seu pai, e as coisas que ele mesmo tinha consagrado: prata, ouro e vasos. 19 E não houve guerra até ao ano trigésimo quinto do reinado de Asa.

1 And the Spirit of God*GodHebrew: Elohim came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Jehovah is with you while ye are with him; and if ye seek him he will be found of you, but if ye forsake him he will forsake you. 3 Now for a long while Israel was without the true God*GodHebrew: Elohim and without a teaching priest, and without law; 4 but in their trouble they turned to Jehovah the God*GodHebrew: Elohim of Israel, and sought him, and he was found of them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in, but great disturbances were amongst all the inhabitants of the countries. 6 And nation was broken against nation, and city against city; for God*GodHebrew: Elohim disturbed them with all manner of distress. 7 But as for you, be firm and let not your hands be weak; for there is a reward for your deeds.

8 And 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 that he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of Jehovah, that was before the porch of Jehovah. 9 And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon; for they fell away to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that Jehovah his God*GodHebrew: Elohim was with him. 10 And they assembled themselves at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11 And they sacrificed to Jehovah in that day, of the spoil that they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek Jehovah the God*GodHebrew: Elohim of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul, 13 and that whoever would not seek Jehovah the God*GodHebrew: Elohim of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14 And they swore to Jehovah with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they took the oath with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them. And Jehovah gave them rest round about. 16 And also Maachah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol for the Asherah; and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burned it in the valley Kidron. 17 But the high places were not removed from Israel; only, Asa’s heart was perfect all his days. 18 And he brought into the house of God*GodHebrew: Elohim the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. 19 And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.