Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 15:3
For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Azariah addresses King Asa and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin during a prolonged spiritual decline, documenting the nation's condition prior to calling them to return.
The words — The text uses יָמִים רַבִּים (yamim rabbim, "many days") to denote an extended period of abandonment and כֹּהֵן (kohen, "priest") to identify the absent instructional office.
The thread — The described absence of priestly teaching and law aligns with the restoration pattern in Nehemiah 8:9, the Levitical instruction command in Leviticus 10:11, and the royal teaching delegation in 2 Chronicles 17:8.
Why it lands — The text states that Israel experienced years without the true God, priest, and law before reporting their return in distress, requiring readers to acknowledge that covenant breakdown must be recognized before covenant restoration can occur.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
Cross-references
- Nehemiah 8:9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.
- Leviticus 10:11 so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”
- 2 Chronicles 17:8 accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
- Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
- Ezekiel 44:21 No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.
- Hosea 3:4 For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.
- Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
- Malachi 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
- Matthew 2:4 And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
- Deuteronomy 33:10 He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.