2 Crônicas 15
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Crônicas 15
NJB (LXX versing) The Prophet Azariah Warns Asa The Reform of Asa Asa's Reform Asa's Reform Azariah's Sermon and the Reform 15:1-7 15:1-7 15:1-7 15:1-7 15:1-7 Asa's Reforms Asa's Religious Reforms 15:8-15 15:8-9 15:8-15 15:8 15:8-15 15:9-15 15:10-15 15:16-19 15:16-17 15:16-19 15:16-19 15:16-18 15:18-19 15:19 Etc.
2 Crônicas 15:1-7
15:1 "the Spirit of God" This is an OT idiom of YHWH's empowering a person to do His will. the artistic work of the tabernacle ‒ Exod. 28:3; 31:3; 35:31 70 elders to help Moses ‒ Num. 11:16,17,25,26,29 prophets Balaam ‒ Num. 24:2 Azariah ‒ 2 Chr. 15:1 Jahaziel ‒ 2 Chr. 20:14 Zechariah ‒ 2 Chr. 24:20 Ezekiel ‒ Ezek. 11:5 judges ‒ Jdgs. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6,19; 15:14,19 leaders Joshua ‒ Deut. 34:9 Saul ‒ 1 Sam. 10:6,10; 11:6 David ‒ 1 Sam. 16:13 Cyrus ‒ 2 Chr. 36:22 Zerubbbel and Joshua ‒ Haggai 1:14 servants Saul's messengers ‒ 1 Sam. 19:20,23 David's men ‒ 1 Chr. 12:18 Suffering Servant Songs (i.e., Messianic) ‒ Isa. 11:2; 42:1; 59:21; 61:1 15:2 Notice the reciprocal, conditional covenant. In this context it is the Judean king who is called on to seek YHWH and then YHWH will allow Himself to be found. There is no greater blessing than the presence of YHWH! This presence involves both human and divine will/volition. See full note at 2 Chr. 7:14 and Deut. 4:29. 15:3 This verse calls Judah, "Israel." For the Chronicler the only true "Israel" was the Davidic seed and the temple in Jerusalem. The covenant people had fallen into a period of spiritual malaise. without the true God (some rabbis see Elohim here as government leaders) without a teaching priest without the Law What a sorry spiritual condition for the unique covenant people! I have one pause about my previous comments in v. 7, "But you" seems to be a textual marker that vv. 3-7 are about the northern tribes' rebellious state and not Judah's. Josephus, Antiq. 8.12.2., sees this as a future warning to Judah based on their obedience or disobedience to the covenant. The Expositor's Bible Commentary, p. 487, and Barne's Notes On the Whole Bible, p. 391, assert that this paragraph refers to the period of the Judges, therefore, is a flashback. Obviously, no one knows! 15:4 This is the outworking of the promise of 2 Chr. 15:2. They recognized their need and turned to the only source of help. 15:5 This described the danger of traveling in a country full of lawlessness. 15:7 These are the same words Moses spoke to Joshua ‒ Deut. 31:7,8,23 YHWH spoke to Joshua ‒ Josh. 1:6,7,9,18 Joshua spoke to the people ‒ Josh. 10:25 They are a theological wordview! YHWH is with them and for them, who can be successful against them!
2 Crônicas 15:8-15
15:8-15 Asa acted to fix the spiritual malaise (this material is paralleled in 1 Kgs. 15:9-15). he removed the idols from the land, 2 Chr. 15:8 (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:12) he restored the sacrificial altar of the temple, 2 Chr. 15:8 he gathered all the faithful of both kingdoms to Jerusalem, 2 Chr. 15:9-10 they renewed their covenant with YHWH (i.e., an oath, 2 Chr. 15:12,14,15) took action against all who would not follow Him, 2 Chr. 15:13 (i.e., Exod. 22:20; Deut. 13:6-9; 17:2-7; one person's sin affects the whole, cf. Joshua 7; Rom. 5:12-21) he initiated a major worship event, 2 Chr. 15:14 YHWH responded with peace and security for him, 2 Chr. 15:15 he restored the dedicated things to the temple, 2 Chr. 15:18 (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:15) These reforms are very similar to those enacted by Hezekiah (cf. 2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 30). These verses show a terrible pattern of idolatry when compared to 2 Chr. 14:2-4. This idolatry was recurrent! 15:8 The UBS Text Project, p. 461, suggests that this may refer to another written prophetic source. NASB, NRSV, TEV ‒ "Azariah the son of Oded the prophet" NKJV, JPSOA, REB, Vul. ‒ "the prophecy of Oded the prophet" ‒ "the words of the prophecy" ‒ "the prophecy of Adad the prophet" ‒ "words of Azariah the son of Azor the prophet" The MT has "and the prophecy, Oded the prophet." The UBS Text Project gives this a "B" rating (some doubt). The NASB goes back to 2 Chr. 15:1, while the MT seems to refer to a prophet Oded (or a family of prophets) mentioned in 2 Chr. 28:9. "and from the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim" We know nothing about this incident. The Chronicler often combines prophetic written sources that mention things/events that are not elaborated on. The Chronicler is both an author and a complier. 15:9 "those from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon" This is surprising! Simeon was incorporated into Judah very early and had no independent existence. Why it is included with a group from the northern tribes is uncertain. 15:10 "assembled at Jerusalem" This is a covenant renewal ceremony (the original affirmation is in Exod. 24:1-3) like Moses held in Deut. 29:1 Joshua held in Josh. 8:30-35; 24:25 Samuel held in 1 Sam. 11:14 David held in 1 Chr. 13:2-5; 28; 29 Same as 4. Jehoiada held in 2 Chr. 23:16 Hezekiah held in 2 Chr. 29:10 Josiah held in 2 Chr. 34:31 Ezra held in Nehemiah 8 "the third month" This would be harvest time. It could relate to (1) the first giving of the Law (cf. Exodus 19-20) or (2) the Feast of Booths (cf. Lev. 23:15-16). This may be where later Judaism associated the Week of Booths with commemorating the giving of the Law. SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE CALENDARS 15:11 "from the spoil they had brought" This refers to 2 Chr. 14:14-15. This spoil was from the crushing defeat of the invading army (i.e., 2 Chr. 14:9-15). 15:14 "with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets and with horns" These actions could refer to worship or war (cf. 2 Chr. 13:15). The shout would be an affirmation of faith (i.e., 2 Chr. 12:6). This sounds like the OT precedent to 1 Thess. 4:16. SPECIAL TOPIC: HORNS USED BY ISRAEL
2 Crônicas 15:16-19
15:16 Fertility worship had even spread into the royal family but Asa acted and removed the Asherah (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:13). "Maacah" This was the wife of Rehoboam and mother of Abijah (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:2; 2 Chr. 11:20,21,22). Apparently Asa's mother had the same name (different father, cf. 1 Kgs. 15:10,13; 2 Chr. 15:16). These common names cause great confusion for historians and Bible interpreters. This could be Asa's grandmother. 15:17 The local "high places" were not removed (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:14). Probably because of local resistence. Religious traditions are hard to eradicate! Abijah removed them in 2 Chr. 14:3, but they must have been rebuilt and used again by Asa's day. "Asa's heart was blameless all his days" What a wonderful affirmation (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:11,14). However, 2 Chronicles 16 shows that this was an overstatement (cf. 2 Chr. 15:10). Like so many Israelite kings, he started well but finished poorly. SPECIAL TOPIC: BLAMELESS, INNOCENT, GUILTLESS, WITHOUT REPROACH 15:19 This seems to be a clear statement but it is hard to reconcile with 1 Kgs. 15:16 and 2 Chronicles 16. There have been several proposed solutions. It refers to the splitting of the kingdom (see Edwin Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, pp. 82-84, 198, 209). It was a theological way to assert YHWH's blessing. The NIV Study Bible suggests a change from 35th year to 25th year, and therefore, refers to the conflict with Baasha, King of Israel. For an attempt to reconcile these dates in Kings vs. Chronicles, see Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 225-226.