The Divided Kingdom

And in that time there was no peace to him, that did goe out and goe in: but great troubles were to all the inhabitants of the earth.

For nation was destroyed of nation, and citie of citie: for God troubled them with all aduersitie.

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your handes be weake: for your worke shall haue a rewarde.

And when Asa heard these wordes, and the prophesie of Obed the Prophet, he was encouraged, and tooke away the abominations out of all the lande of Iudah, and Beniamin, and out of the cities which he had taken of mount Ephraim, and he renued the altar of the Lord, that was before the porche of the Lord.

And he gathered all Iudah and Beniamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for there fell many to him out of Israel, when they sawe that the Lord his God was with him.

So they assembled to Ierusalem in the third moneth, in the fifteenth yere of the reigne of Asa.

And they offred vnto the Lord the same time of the spoyle, which they had brought, euen seuen hundreth bullockes, and seuen thousande sheepe.

And they made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soule.

And whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel, shalbe slaine, whether he were small or great, man or woman.

And they sware vnto the Lord with a loude voyce, and with shouting and with trumpets, and with cornets.

And all Iudah reioyced at the othe: for they had sworne vnto the Lord with all their heart, and sought him with a whole desire, and he was founde of them. And the Lord gaue them rest rounde about.

And King Asa deposed Maachah his mother from her regencie, because she had made an idole in a groue: and Asa brake downe her idole, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brooke Kidron.

But the hie places were not taken away out of Israel: yet the heart of Asa was perfit all his dayes.

Also he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicate, and that he had dedicate, siluer, and golde, and vessels.

And there was no warre vnto the fiue and thirtieth yeere of the reigne of Asa.

In the sixe and thirtieth yeere of the reigne of Asa came Baasha king of Israel vp against Iudah, and built Ramah to let none passe out or goe in to Asa king of Iudah.

Then Asa brought out siluer and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the Kings house, and sent to Benhadad King of Aram that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

There is a couenant betweene me and thee, and betweene my father and thy father: behold, I haue sent thee siluer and golde: come, breake thy league with Baasha King of Israel that hee may depart from me.

And Benhadad hearkened vnto King Asa, and sent the captaines of the armies which hee had, against the cities of Israel. And they smote Iion, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

And when Baasha heard it, he left building of Ramah, and let his worke cease.

Then Asa the King tooke all Iudah, and caryed away the stones of Ramah and the tymber thereof, wherewith Baasha did builde, and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

And at that same time Hanani the Seer came to Asa King of Iudah, and saide vnto him, Because thou hast rested vpon the king of Aram, and not rested in the Lord thy God, therefore is the hoste of the King of Aram escaped out of thine hande.

The Ethiopians and the Lubims, were they not a great hoste with charets and horsemen, exceeding many? yet because thou diddest rest vpon the Lord, he deliuered them into thine had.

For the eyes of the Lord beholde all the earth to shewe him selfe strong with them that are of perfite heart towarde him: thou hast then done foolishly in this: therefore from henceforth thou shalt haue warres.

Then Asa was wroth with the Seer, and put him into a prison: for he was displeased with him, because of this thing. And Asa oppressed certaine of the people at the same time.