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2 Chronicles 15 · a question people ask

"Should be put to death" (15:13). What does the Bible say about this part of the covenant?

In the text

It is part of what the people entered into. "They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul" (15:12), and agreed "that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman" (15:13). The chapter tells it in that one verse. It tells of no case, and Azariah's words (15:2-7) don't mention it. It goes on: "They swore to the LORD with a loud voice" (15:14), and "All Judah rejoiced at the oath" (15:15). The law given to Israel had spoken of "a man or woman who does that which is evil in the LORD your God’s sight in transgressing his covenant" (Deuteronomy 17:2), "and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them" (Deuteronomy 17:3), and had said, "At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death" (Deuteronomy 17:6). 2 Chronicles 15 doesn't cite that law, and these notes say no more than the chapter does and apply none of it to today.

The verses

“They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul; and that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. They swore to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets. All Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found by them. Then the LORD gave them rest all around.”
2 Chronicles 15:12-15 · World English Bible
“If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, a man or woman who does that which is evil in the LORD your God’s sight in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the stars of the sky, which I have not commanded,”
Deuteronomy 17:2-3 · World English Bible
“At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.”
Deuteronomy 17:6 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Chronicles 15

2 Chronicles 15: He will be found by you

Azariah's promise, "if you seek him, he will be found by you" (15:2), comes back twice in this chapter: "he was found by them" (15:4, 15:15), with the same Hebrew verb for found. And his "your work will be rewarded" (15:7) is word for word what the LORD says to Rachel, weeping for her children (Jeremiah 31:16).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions