II Chronicles 15:12
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Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
And they entered into the covenant, i.e., they renewed the covenant, bound themselves by a promise on oath (שׁבוּעה, Ch2 15:14) to hold the covenant, viz., to worship Jahve the God of the fathers with their whole heart and soul; cf. Deu 4:29. With בּבּרית בּוא, cf. Jer 34:10.
Open source ↗Asa and his army were now returning in triumph from the battle, laden with spoils and adorned with the trophies of victory, the pious prince, we may now suppose, studying what he should render to God for this great favour. He knew that the work of reformation, which he had begun in his kingdom, was not perfected; his enemies abroad were subdued, but there were more dangerous enemies at home that were yet unconquered - idols in Judah and Benjamin: his victory over the former emboldened him vigorously to renew his attack upon the latter. Now here we have, I. The message which God sent to him, by a prophet, to engage him to, and encourage him in, the prosecution of his reformation (Ch2 15:1-7). II. The life which this message put into that good cause, and their proceedings in pursuance of it. Idols removed (Ch2 15:8). The spoil dedicated to God (Ch2 15:9-11). A covenant made with God, and a law for the punishing of idolaters (Ch2 15:12-15). A reformation at court (Ch2 15:16). Dedicated things brought into the house of God (Ch2 15:18). All well, but that the high places were permitted (Ch2 15:17). And the effect of this was great peace (Ch2 15:19).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
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I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,
Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people.
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that His fierce anger will turn away from us.
They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.
and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,
So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.
In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”
hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to carefully obey all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.
so that you may enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, which He is making with you today, and into His oath,