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230 of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the his God was with him. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they sacrificed unto the in that day, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And they entered into the covenant to seek the, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul; and that whosoever would not seek the, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. And they sware unto the with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. And 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 of them: and the gave them rest round about. And also Maacah the mother of Asa the king, he

43; Jos. xix. 1—9), and it is natural to think that at the disruption Simeon followed Judah in allegiance to the house of David. Here, however, and in xxxiv. 6 it is reckoned as one of the ten tribes forming the Northern Kingdom, for what reason it is hard to say. The traditions relating to the tribe are far from clear (see ''Ency. Brit. s.v. Simeon'').

10. in the third month] In this month the Feast of Weeks (i.e. of wheat harvest) was held; Deut. xvi. 9.

11. the spoil] Cp. xiv. 13—15.

12. they entered into the covenant] Cp. xxix. 10; 2 Kin. xxiii. 3.

13. should be put to death] According to the Law; Deut. xvii. 2—7.

14. shouting] The word (terū'āh) is used to denote a blast with the festal trumpets; see next note.

trumpets] The word (hăṣōṣĕrāh) means a special kind of trumpet used only for religious purposes; Num. x. 1—10; 1 Chr. xv. 24 (note). Driver, Amos, pp. 144—6, gives an illustration derived from the Arch of Titus.

15. he was found of them] A fulfilment of the promise given in ver. 2.

16—19 (1 Kin. xv. 13—15).&emsp;

16. And also Maacah] "Maacah the daughter of Abishalom" is described as the mother of Abijam (Abijah) in 1 Kin. xv. 2 and as the mother of Asa in 1 Kin. xv. 10, although Asa is described as the son of Abijam (Abijah) in 1 Kin. xv. 8. Most probably Maacah was the grandmother of Asa but retained her position as queen mother during two reigns, i.e. until removed by Asa.