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14 3 Asa destroyeth idolatry, and commandeth his people to serve the true God. 11 He prayed unto God when he should go to fight. 12 He obtaineth the victory.
1 So (A)Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead: in whose days the land was quiet ten years.
2 And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.
3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the [a]groves,
4 And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do according to the Law and the Commandment.
5 And he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places, and the images: therefore the Kingdom was [b]quiet before him.
6 He built also strong cities in Judah, because the land was in rest, and he had no war in those years: for the Lord had given him rest.
7 Therefore he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make walls about, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is [c]before us: because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side: so they built and prospered.
8 And Asa had an army of Judah, that bare shields and spears, three hundred thousand, and of Benjamin that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were valiant men.
9 ¶ And there came out against him Zerah [d]of Ethiopia with an host of ten hundred thousand, and three hundred chariots, and came unto [e]Mareshah.
10 Then Asa went out before him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah, beside Mareshah.
11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, (B)it is nothing with thee to help [f]with many, or with no power: help us, O Lord our God: for we rest on thee, and in thy Name are we come against this multitude: O Lord, thou art our God: [g]let not man prevail against thee.
12 ¶ So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
13 And Asa and the people that was with him, pursued them unto Gerar. And the Ethiopians’ host was overthrown, so that there was no life in them: for they were destroyed before the Lord and before his host: and they carried away a mighty great spoil.
14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar: for the [h]fear of the Lord came upon them, and they spoiled all the cities, for there was exceeding much spoil in them.
15 Yea, and they smote the tents of cattle, and carried away plenty of sheep and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
15 2 The exhortation of Azariah. 8 Asa purgeth his country of idolatry. 11 He sacrificeth with the people. 14 They swear together to serve the Lord. 16 He deposeth his mother for her idolatry.
1 Then the Spirit of God came upon [i]Azariah the son of Obed.
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, O Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, hear ye me, The Lord is with you, while ye be 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 season Israel hath been without the [j]true God, and without Priest to teach, and without Law.
4 But whosoever returned in his affliction to the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he [k]was found of him.
5 And in that time there was no peace to him, that did go out and go in: but great troubles were to all the inhabitants of the earth.
6 For nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God troubled them with all adversity.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your [l]work shall have a reward.
8 ¶ And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Obed the Prophet, he was encouraged, and took away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken of mount Ephraim, and he renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, 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 saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 So they assembled to Jerusalem in the [m]third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time of the [n]spoil which they had brought, even seven hundred bullocks, and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they made a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul.
13 And [o]whosoever will not seek the Lord God of Israel, shall be slain, whether he were small or great, man or woman.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn unto the Lord with all their heart, and sought him with a whole desire, and he was [p]found of them. And the Lord gave them rest round about.
16 ¶ And King Asa deposed (C)Maachah his [q]mother from her regency, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa brake down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
17 But the high places were not [r]taken away out of [s]Israel: yet the heart of Asa was [t]perfect all his days.
18 Also he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.
19 And there was no war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
16 2 Asa for fear of Baasha king of Israel, maketh a covenant with Ben-Hadad king of Aram. 7 He is reproved by the Prophet. 10 Whom he putteth in prison. 12 He putteth his trust in the Physicians. 13 His death.
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa came [u](D)Baasha king of Israel up against Judah, and built [v]Ramah, to let none pass out or go in to Asa king of Judah.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Aram that dwelt at [w]Damascus, saying,
3 There is a covenant between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold: come, [x]break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And Ben-Hadad hearkened unto King Asa, and sent the captains of the army which he had, against the cities of Israel. And they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
5 And when Baasha heard it, he left building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah, and carried away the stones of Ramah and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha did build, and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
7 ¶ And at that same time Hanani the [y]Seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast rested upon the king of Aram, and not rested in the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Aram escaped out of thine hand.
8 (E)The Ethiopians and the Lubim, were they not a great host with chariots and horsemen, exceedingly many? yet because thou didst rest upon the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.
9 For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, to show himself strong with them that are of perfect heart toward him: thou hast then done foolishly in this: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
10 Then Asa was wroth with the Seer, and put him into a [z]prison: for he was [aa]displeased with him, because of this thing. And Asa oppressed certain of the people at the same time.
11 And behold, the acts of Asa first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
12 ¶ And Asa in the nine and thirtieth year of his reign was [ab](F)diseased in his feet, and his disease was [ac][ad]extreme: yet he sought not the Lord in his disease, but to the [ae]Physicians.
13 So Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in one of his sepulchers, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed, which they had filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices made by the art of the Apothecary: and they burnt odors for him with an exceeding great fire.
9 1 He answereth an objection, that might be brought on the Jews’ behalf, 7 and telleth of two sorts of Abraham’s children, 15 and that God worketh all things in this matter according to his will, 20 even as the potter doth. 24, 30 He proveth as well the calling of the Gentiles, 31 as also the rejecting of the Jews, 25, 27 by the testimony of the Prophets.
1 I say [a]the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in mine heart.
3 For I would wish myself to be [b]separate from Christ, for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the [c]flesh,
4 Which are the Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the [d]glory, and the (A)[e]Covenants, and the giving of the [f]Law, and the [g]service of God, and the [h]promises.
5 Of whom are the fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is [i]God over all, blessed forever, Amen.
6 (B)[j]Notwithstanding it cannot be that the word of God should take none effect: for all they are not [k]Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither are they all children, because they are the seed of Abraham: (C)[l]but, In [m]Isaac shall thy seed be called:
8 [n]That is, they which are the children of the [o]flesh, are not the children of God: but the (D)children of the [p]promise, are counted for the seed.
9 [q]For this is a word of promise, (E)In this same time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 [r]Neither he only felt this, but also (F)Rebecca, when she had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac.
11 For ere the children were born, and when they had neither done good nor evil (that the [s]purpose of God might [t]remain according to election, not by works, but by him that calleth.)
12 [u]It was said unto her, (G)The Elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, (H)I have loved Jacob, and have hated Esau.
14 [v]What shall we say then? Is there [w]unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 [x]For he saith to Moses, (I)I will [y]have mercy on him, to whom I will show mercy: and will have [z]compassion on him, on who I will have compassion.
16 [aa]So then it is not in him that [ab]willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy.
17 [ac]For the [ad]Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, (J)For this same purpose have [ae]I stirred thee up, that I might [af]show my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 [ag]Therefore he hath mercy on whom he [ah]will, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 [ai]Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet complain? for who hath resisted his will?
20 [aj]But, O man, who art thou which pleadest against God? [ak]shall the (K)thing [al]formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 (L)[am]Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lump one [an]vessel to [ao]honor, and another unto [ap]dishonor?
22 [aq]What and if God would, to show his wrath, and to make his power known, suffer with long patience the [ar]vessels of wrath, prepared to [as]destruction?
23 And that he might declare the [at]riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared unto glory?
24 [au]Even us whom he hath called, not of the [av]Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.
19 1 To the intent he might move the faithful to deeper consideration of God’s glory, he setteth before their eyes the most exquisite workmanship of the heavens, with their proportion, and ornaments. 8 And afterward calleth them to the Law, wherein God hath revealed himself more familiarly to his chosen people. The which peculiar grace by commending the Law, he setteth forth more at large.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 The (A)[a]heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth the work of his hands.
2 [b]Day unto day uttereth the same, and night unto night teacheth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor [c]language, where their voice is not heard.
4 Their [d]line is gone forth through all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world: in them hath he set a tabernacle for the Sun.
5 Which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his [e]chamber, and rejoiceth like a mighty man to run his race.
6 His going out is from the end of the heaven, and his compass is unto the ends of the same, and none is hid from the heat thereof.
7 The [f]Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth forever: the judgments of the Lord are [g]truth: they are righteous [h]altogether,
10 And more to be [i]desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant made circumspect, and in keeping of them there is great [j]reward.
12 Who can understand his [k]faults? cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep thy servant also from [l]presumptuous sins: let them not reign over me: [m]so shall I be upright, and made clean from much wickedness.
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the [n]meditation of mine heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength, and my redeemer.
20 1 Wine [a]is a mocker, and strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby, is not wise.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.