Chapter XV.
1–15 (no parallel in Kings).
The Prophecy of Azariah the Son of Oded and its Sequel.
¹And the spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
1. Azariah the son of Oded] is mentioned only in this passage. Compare xvi. 7, where a prophet (Hanani), also known to us only through Chronicles, delivers a rebuke to Asa.
²and he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
2. went out to meet] Compare xix. 2.
if ye seek him] compare 1 Chronicles xxviii. 9.
Verses 3–6 contain the reflections of the Chronicler himself or a glossator on the whole course of Israelite history. The wording is too vague and there are periods in the history too obscure to make it possible to determine the reference definitely.
³Now for long seasons[¹] Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law: ⁴but when in their distress they turned unto the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.