2 Chronicles 15:3

_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 of Israel. His words should rather be taken in a wider sense, because it seems manifest that the prophet had his eye upon many periods. in the national history, when the peoples were in the state described-a state of spiritual destitution and ignorance-and exhibited its natural result as widespread anarchy, mutual dissension among the tribes, and general suffering (Judges 9:23; Judges 12:4; Judges 20:21;...

Verse 2 Chronicles 15:3. _NOW FOR A LONG SEASON ISRAEL_] "Israel hath followed Jeroboam, and they have not worshipped the true God. They have burnt incense to their golden calves; their priestlings [כומריא _cumeraiya_, their _black, sooty sacrificers_] have burnt perfumes with a strange worship, and have not exercised themselves in the law." - _Targum_. These priests could not _teach_, because they had not _learnt_; and as they had abandoned the _law_ of the Lord, consequently they had no proper matter for instruction. There is a great diversity of opinions concerning the meaning of this text. Some consider it a prophecy relative to the future state of this people, and the final destruction of the Jews as to their political existence: others consider it as referring to the state of the people under the reigns of Rehoboam and Abija

“Israel” here is used generally for the whole people of God; and the reference is especially to the many apostasies in the days of the Judges, which were followed by repentance and deliverance....

EXPOSITION This chapter is something like an oasis in our history, and was perhaps such in the real life of Asa also. Presumably it covers a period of some twenty years. Reading between the lines, and indeed chapters, we may very well suppose that the mission of "Azariah son of Oded" to Asa now was one of all mercy. Great salvation had been shown to him and his people, and as time went on they might forget the Saviour, and imagine the work was all their own. Moreover, their own proper work had tarried, and beside caution and humility (in season for him as a returning conqueror-king, verse 2), Asa needed stimulus; perhaps the Lord's loving-kindness knew that he needed every kindly encouragement. For there are not wanting signs that he was before his people, and felt the drag of them upon him as Moses himself did. These are the features of the physical geography, so to say, of the chapter,...

NOW FOR A LONG SEASON ISRAEL [HATH BEEN] WITHOUT THE TRUE GOD,.... The fear, worship, and service of him being greatly neglected by them for a long time; what period of time is referred to is not expressed, whether past, present, or to come, but left to be supplied; the Targum refers this to the time of the separation of the ten tribes, and the days of Jeroboam, when the calves were worshipped, and not the true God, and the teaching priests of the Lord were cast out, and the law of the Lord, especially with respect to worship, was not regarded, in which it is followed by many interpreters; others think it refers to time to come, and to what would be the case, should they forsake the Lord; and was fulfilled in the Babylonish captivity, see Hosea 3:4 and the Jews k say, that "Oded prophesied that the days should come, when Israel would be "without the true God", since judgment should not

CHAPTER 15 THE REIGN OF ASA, WARNING AND REFORMATION _ 1. The warning message of Azariah (2 Chronicles 15:1)_ 2. Asa's response and reformation (2 Chronicles 15:8) But the Lord knew the danger which threatened Asa. He had begun well. He was faithful to Jehovah, and he and the people had a wonderful demonstration that the Lord hears and answers prayer. Would he continue and end as well as he had begun? The Spirit of God came at this important time upon Azariah (whom the Lord helps). When victorious Asa returned the prophet met him and delivered his message. It was a needed and timely message, for the danger for God's people is always the greatest after a victory is won and outward success and prosperity is enjoyed. “The LORD is with you, while ye be with Him; an

The words of Azariah the son of Oded (not mentioned elsewhere) form a kind of introduction to the account of Asa's religious reforms; if the words in 2 Chronicles 15:3 refer to any definite period, it must be to that of the Judges, for the description of the state of the nation does not agree with any other period recorded in the OT. The whole of this section, however, reads like a midrashic expansion of 1 Kings 15:11....

HATH. had. WITHOUT. Figures of speech _Anaphora_ and _Polysyndeton._ App-6. AND. Figure of speech _Polysyndeton._ A TEACHING PRIEST. Teaching was the great priestly function. But, as generally with priests, teaching was neglected for ritual. See note on Deuteronomy 17:11; Deuteronomy 33:10; Malachi 2:7....

_for a long season_ R.V. FOR LONG SEASONS. 2 Chronicles 15:3-6 contain the reflections of the Chronicler himself on the whole previous course of Israelite history. Azariah's own exhortation is continued in 2 Chronicles 15:7. _without a teaching priest, and without law_ The connexion between these two is closer than the English suggests. "Law" (Heb. _torah_) is properly "teaching, guidance." A "teaching" (Heb. _moreh_) priest is one who gives "torah" or "guidance" on doubtful points of morality or ritual. Cp. Malachi 2:7....

NOW FOR A LONG SEASON ISRAEL HATH BEEN WITHOUT THE TRUE GOD, &C.— It is very plain from the first verse, that Azariah was about to foretel something, as the _spirit of God came upon him;_ and therefore, as Houbigant well observes, these verses should be rendered in the future. _Now for a long time, Israel shall be,_ &c. _2 CHRONICLES 15:8. THE PROPHECY OF ODED_— _Of Azariah, the son of Oded,_ according to many of the ancient versions. See the first verse. REFLECTIONS.—1st, Not so much to congratulate them on their victory, as to admonish them of the right improvement they should make of it, the prophet Azariah met the victor host returning. 1. He let them know, that the continuance of their prosperity depended upon their perseverance in well-doing. God was now evidently among them; and while they continued to seek his fa