3Now for a long season Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law:
4But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
5In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in; but great vexations were on all the inhabitants of the lands.
6They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God did vex them with all adversity.
7But be you strong, and don`t let your hands be slack; for your work shall be rewarded.
8When Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill-country of Ephraim; and he renewed the altar of Yahweh, that was before the porch of Yahweh.
9He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who sojourned 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 Yahweh his God was with him.
