_AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON AZARIAH THE SON OF ODED:_ Azariah the son of Oded. This prophet, who is mentioned nowhere else, appears at this stage of the sacred story in the discharge of an interesting mission. He went to meet Asa as he was returning from his victorious pursuit of the Ethiopian... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ The Lord is with you, while ye be with him. You have had, in your recen... [ Continue Reading ]
_NOW FOR A LONG SEASON ISRAEL HATH BEEN WITHOUT THE TRUE GOD, AND WITHOUT A TEACHING PRIEST, AND WITHOUT LAW._ NOW FOR A LONG SEASON ISRAEL HATH BEEN ... Some think that Azariah was referring to the sad and disastrous condition to which superstition and idolatry had brought the neighbouring kingdom... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT WHEN THEY IN THEIR TROUBLE DID TURN UNTO THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, AND SOUGHT HIM, HE WAS FOUND OF THEM._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BE YE STRONG THEREFORE, AND LET NOT YOUR HANDS BE WEAK: FOR YOUR WORK SHALL BE REWARDED._ Be ye strong. Great resolution and indomitable energy would be required to persevere in the face of the opposition your reforming measures will encounter. YOUR WORK SHALL BE REWARDED - i:e., what you do in... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ He gathered all Judah and Benjamin. Not satisfied with these minor measures of pur... [ Continue Reading ]
_SO THEY GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER AT JERUSALEM IN THE THIRD MONTH IN THE FIFTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF_ _ SO THEY GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER AT JERUSALEM IN THE THIRD MONTH, IN THE FIFTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF ASA._ The third month - when was held the feast of Pentecost which, on this occas... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THEY OFFERED UNTO THE LORD THE SAME TIME, OF THE SPOIL WHICH THEY HAD BROUGHT, SEVEN HUNDRED OXEN AND SEVEN THOUSAND SHEEP._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ The things that his father had dedicated - probably part of the booty obtained by his signal victory over Jeroboam, but which, though dedicated, had hit... [ Continue Reading ]