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1 ) And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
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2 ) And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear all of you me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, The LORD is with you, while all of you be with him, and if all of you seek him, he will be found of you, but if all of you forsake him, he will forsake you.
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3 ) Now for a long season Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
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4 ) But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
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5 ) 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.
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6 ) And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
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7 ) Be all of you strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
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8 ) 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.