“And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:”
Azarias is called Oded in Hebrew, ver. 8. (Calmet) — But he was his son. (Haydock) — There was a high priest of the name of Azarias, about the same time. (Menochius)
“And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; 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. to meet: Heb. before Asa”
With him. He will continue thus to protect you, if you prove faithful. The Pelagians hence inferred, that man was to prepare his own heart for the reception of grace. But the text only speaks of external aid; and though it were understood of internal grace, (Calmet) we may merit an increase of grace, by a faithful co-operation (Worthington) with that with which God has presented us. (Estius) (Calmet)
“Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.”
Shall pass, is not found in Hebrew, &c., and many supply, “had been.” (Du Hamel) — The Jews, and some interpreters, would explain all this of what had passed already; (Calmet) and this is the idea of the Protestants, “Now, for a long season, Israel hath been without,” &c. (Haydock) — But the conclusion convinces us that this is a prediction; (ver. 7) take courage. You shall not be involved in these miseries. Some explain the whole of the kingdom of Israel, which, from its commencement till after its final ruin, persevered in its rebellion against the true God. (Sanctius) — Others think the kingdom of Juda was also concerned, and its state of captivity at Babylon foretold. (Lyranus) — But its full completion includes the latter ages, particularly after the murder of the Messias, (Tirinus) and seems of the same nature as the prophecy of Osee, (iii. 4.) as our Saviour himself insinuates, Matthew xxiv. 6, 9, 13. (Calmet)
“But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.”
And when. Septuagint, “and he shall convert them to the Lord,…and shall be found by them.” (Haydock) — This will be verified in the last days, Romans xi. 26. (Menochius)
“And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.”
Cometh in, in public or private transactions. See Leviticus xxvi. 36.
“And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. destroyed: Heb. beaten in pieces”
Nation, both in the times of Baasa, who fought against Asa, and afterwards. For the same prophecy may be literally explained of more things than one. (Menochius) — Distress. Our Saviour says, Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, &c. But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved. [Matthew xxiv. 9-13.]
“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. abominable: Heb. abominations”
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)
“And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.”
Simeon. This tribe was intimately connected with that of Juda, though many had revolted. Some afterwards returned, as they did from other parts, actuated either by motives of interest or of religion, chap. xxxiv. 6., and 3 Kings xi. 13. (Calmet)
“So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.”
Month, Sivan, or May, when the feast of Pentecost occurs. (Menochius)
“And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. the same: Heb. in that day”
Spoils, which they had sold, and now testified their gratitude. (Tirinus) — Rams. Protestants, “sheep.”
“And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;”
He went. Hebrew and Septuagint, “They proceeded, according to the covenant, to seek.” (Haydock) — They swore upon the altar, or passed between the divided victims, Genesis xv. 9, 17. (Calmet) — This solemn act was usual, and more necessary in times of trouble. (Menochius)
“That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.”
Said he, is not in Hebrew, &c. (Haydock) — Die, according to Deuteronomy xvii. 7.
“And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.”
Curse. Hebrew, “oath.” (Menochius) — Septuagint, “all Juda rejoiced on account of the oath.” (Haydock)
“And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. mother: that is, grandmother idol: Heb. horror”
Mother, or grandmother. (Calmet) — There were perhaps two of the name, and Abia had married one as well as Roboam. (Menochius) — Deposed, &c. Hebrew, “from being queen.” Septuagint, “he removed Maacha,…that she should not minister to Astarte; and he cut the idol in pieces, and burnt it,” &c. (Haydock) — Syriac, “because she had celebrated a feast to idols.” But it seems she had set up a statue, which Asa burnt. See 3 Kings xv. 13. (Calmet) — Priapus is added by the Vulgate to explain [the] Hebrew, “the idol of, or in, the grove,” (Haydock) Asera or Astarte. (Calmet)
“But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.”
Israel, to the honour only of the true God, chap. xiv. 2., and 3 Kings xv. 14. (Haydock) — Perfect, with respect to the external worship, (Tirinus) — Other altars, besides that at Jerusalem, might be dispensed with, (Worthington) by God’s authority. (Haydock)
“And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.”
Vowed, in the wars against Jeroboam and Zara. See 1 Paralipomenon xxvi. 27.
“And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.”
Year. Usher dates from the separation of the two kingdoms; and this year corresponds with the 15th of Asa, ver. 10. See 3 Kings xv. 16. (Calmet) (Torniel, the year of the world 3094.)