3 For a long time, the people of Israel did not worship the true God or listen to priests who could teach them about God. They refused to obey God's Law.
4 But whenever trouble came, Israel turned back to the Lord their God and worshipped him.
5 There was so much confusion in those days that it wasn't safe to go anywhere in Israel.
6 Nations were destroying each other, and cities were wiping out other cities, because God was causing trouble and unrest everywhere.
7 So you must be brave. Don't give up! God will honour you for obeying him.
8 As soon as Asa heard what Azariah the prophet said, he gave orders for all the idols in Judah and Benjamin to be destroyed, including those in the towns he had captured in the territory of Ephraim. He also repaired the Lord's altar that was in front of the temple porch.
9 Asa called together the people from Judah and Benjamin, as well as the people from the territories of Ephraim, West Manasseh, and Simeon who were living in Judah. Many of these people were now loyal to Asa, because they had seen that the Lord was with him.