Asa Reigns over Judah^(A)

⁹ Asa began to reign as Judah’s king during the twentieth year of the reign of^[a] Jeroboam as king over Israel. ¹⁰ He reigned 41 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom. ¹¹ Asa practiced what the Lord considered to be right, just like his ancestor David. ¹² He also removed the male cult prostitutes^[b] from the land and destroyed all the idols that his ancestors had made. ¹³ He removed his mother Maacah from her position as Queen Mother because she had made a detestable image dedicated to Asherah.^[c] Asa cut down his mother’s idol, crushed it, and burned it at the Kidron Brook. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, the high places were not removed, even though Asa’s heart was blameless toward the Lord all of his life. ¹⁵ Asa brought into the Lord’s Temple the things that his father had dedicated, as well as his own dedicated gifts such as silver, gold, and temple service^[d] implements.