The Divided Kingdom

and in those times there is no peace to him who is going out, and to him who is coming in, for many troubles are on all the inhabitants of the lands,

and they have been beaten down, nation by nation, and city by city, for God hath troubled them with every adversity;

and ye, be ye strong, and let not your hands be feeble, for there is a reward for your work.'

And at Asa's hearing these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he hath strengthened himself, and doth cause the abominations to pass away out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities that he hath captured from the hill-country of Ephraim, and reneweth the altar of Jehovah that is before the porch of Jehovah,

and gathereth all Judah and Benjamin, and the sojourners with them out of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and out of Simeon--for they have fallen unto him from Israel in abundance, in their seeing that Jehovah his God is with him.

And they are gathered to Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa,

and sacrifice to Jehovah on that day from the spoil they have brought in--oxen seven hundred, and sheep seven thousand,

and they enter into a covenant to seek Jehovah, God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul,

and every one who doth not seek for Jehovah, God of Israel, is put to death, from small unto great, from man unto woman.

And they swear to Jehovah with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets,

and rejoice do all Judah concerning the oath, for with all their heart they have sworn, and with all their good-will they have sought Him, and He is found of them, and Jehovah giveth rest to them round about.

And also Maachah, mother of Asa the king--he hath removed her from being mistress, in that she hath made for a shrine a horrible thing, and Asa cutteth down her horrible thing, and beateth it small, and burneth it by the brook Kidron:

yet the high places have not turned aside from Israel; only, the heart of Asa hath been perfect all his days.

And he bringeth in the sanctified things of his father, and his own sanctified things, to the house of God, silver, and gold, and vessels.

And war hath not been till the thirty and fifth year of the reign of Asa.

In the thirty and sixth year of the reign of Asa, come up hath Baasha king of Israel, against Judah, and buildeth Ramah, so as not to permit any going out and coming in to Asa king of Judah.

And Asa bringeth out silver and gold from the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and of the house of the king, and sendeth unto Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who is dwelling in Damascus, saying,

`A covenant is between me and thee, and between my father and thy father, lo, I have sent to thee silver and gold; go, break thy covenant with Baasha king of Israel, and he doth go up from off me.'

And Ben-Hadad hearkeneth unto king Asa, and sendeth the heads of the forces that he hath unto cities of Israel, and they smite Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-Maim, and all the stores, cities of Naphtali.

And it cometh to pass, at Baasha's hearing, that he ceaseth from building Ramah, and letteth his work rest;

and Asa the king hath taken all Judah, and they bear away the stones of Ramah, and its wood, that Baasha hath built, and he buildeth with them Geba and Mizpah.

And at that time hath Hanani the seer come in unto Asa king of Judah, and saith unto him, `Because of thy leaning on the king of Aram, and thou hast not leaned on Jehovah thy God, therefore hath the force of the king of Aram escaped from thy hand.

Did not the Cushim and the Lubim become a very great force for multitude, for chariot, and for horsemen? and in thy leaning on Jehovah He gave them into thy hand,

for Jehovah--His eyes go to and fro in all the earth, to show Himself strong for a people whose heart is perfect towards Him; thou hast been foolish concerning this, because--henceforth there are with thee wars.'

And Asa is angry at the seer, and giveth him to the house of torture, for he is in a rage with him for this; and Asa oppresseth some of the people at that time.