2 Chronicles 15:6
They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse highlights that God's "troubling" wasn't random chaos, but a direct consequence and divine response to Israel's sin. The text emphasizes the breakdown of relationships—nation against nation, city against city—showing how sin fractures not just individuals, but the entire social fabric.
Before this verse, King Asa has just experienced God's powerful intervention as he faced a massive Ethiopian army. He and his people had prayed and trusted God, and God struck down their enemies, leading to great victory and renewed commitment to worship. This verse, therefore, describes the ongoing consequence of Judah's past unfaithfulness and the pervasive sense of divine disquiet that plagued surrounding nations, even as Judah was experiencing a spiritual revival under Asa.
Ever felt like things are just falling apart, not just for you, but for everyone around you? This verse describes a nation in chaos, but it points to a surprising source.
The text in 2 Chronicles 15:6 isn't just describing random misfortune. It states clearly, 'for God troubled them.' This means that the widespread distress – nation against nation, city against city – was not an accident or a mere human conflict. It was a direct action by God.
This is a tough truth, but it reveals a powerful aspect of God's relationship with His people: He actively intervenes when they stray too far. His 'troubling' isn't arbitrary punishment; it's often a severe, disruptive form of discipline meant to wake people up to their sin and drive them back to Him.
Why would a loving God bring such intense suffering? It seems counterintuitive, doesn't it? But this verse hints at a deeper, restorative purpose behind the chaos.
The 'distress' God brought wasn't meant to be the end, but a catalyst for change. Look at the context of 2 Chronicles 15: The people of Judah had fallen into deep sin and idolatry. The prophet Azariah confronts King Asa and the people, saying, 'The Lord is with you, while you are with him.' (2 Chron. 15:2). The subsequent distress was a consequence of them not being with God.
A Wake-Up Call
God's 'troubling' serves as a harsh, but necessary, wake-up call. When His people are so deeply entrenched in sin that they can't see the danger, He sometimes allows or enacts severe consequences to break through their complacency. The goal is to:
Understand the original words
hamam · Hebrew Verb
Used to describe divine judgment or sovereign interruption in human affairs. It reflects the reality that God is actively involved in history, often allowing or orchestrating adversity to discipline nations or individuals and turn them back to Himself.
This verse describes the intense internal and external strife that plagued the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah. King Asa's reign was marked by these conflicts, and his faithfulness was tested by God's intervention, which brought a period of peace only after intense distress.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After King Solomon's death, the united kingdom of Israel split into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel (ten tribes) and the southern Kingdom of Judah (two tribes, including Jerusalem). This division led to ongoing conflict and instability.
c. 910 BC
Reign of Asa Begins in Judah
King Asa of Judah begins his reign, known for his initial reforms and attempts to walk with God. He inherited a kingdom often threatened by its northern neighbor and by surrounding powers.
c. 900 BC
Syrian-Israelite Wars
The Northern Kingdom of Israel, under various kings, engaged in frequent wars with Aram-Damascus (Syria). These conflicts often spilled over into or threatened the southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 875 BC— this verse
Asa's Military Engagement
Asa faced a major threat from the northern Kingdom of Israel, led by Baasha. Though Asa appealed to a foreign power for help, this period highlights the intense inter-kingdom conflict.
This passage describes a similar pattern of divine discipline, where disobedience leads to enemies conquering the people and overwhelming fear.
Isaiah 19:2Isaiah prophesies internal conflict and chaos within Egypt, mirroring the internal strife described in Chronicles where nation turned against nation.
Jeremiah 4:20This verse speaks of confusion and alarm within Israel, painting a picture of a land torn apart, much like the 'nation was crushed by nation' in Chronicles.
1 Samuel 14:20During a battle, the Israelites confusedly turned their weapons against each other, illustrating how divine disarray can lead to internal conflict.
This verse highlights that God's "troubling" wasn't random chaos, but a direct consequence and divine response to Israel's sin. The text emphasizes the breakdown of relationships—nation against nation, city against city—showing how sin fractures not just individuals, but the entire social fabric.
Before this verse, King Asa has just experienced God's powerful intervention as he faced a massive Ethiopian army. He and his people had prayed and trusted God, and God struck down their enemies, leading to great victory and renewed commitment to worship. This verse, therefore, describes the ongoing consequence of Judah's past unfaithfulness and the pervasive sense of divine disquiet that plagued surrounding nations, even as Judah was experiencing a spiritual revival under Asa.
Before this verse, King Asa has just experienced God's powerful intervention as he faced a massive Ethiopian army. He and his people had prayed and trusted God, and God struck down their enemies, leading to great victory and renewed commitment to worship. This verse, therefore, describes the ongoing consequence of Judah's past unfaithfulness and the pervasive sense of divine disquiet that plagued surrounding nations, even as Judah was experiencing a spiritual revival under Asa.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about 2 Chronicles 15:6 is available in the Sola app.
c. 870 BC
Asa's Reforms and God's Favor
Following military pressures and a prophetic word, Asa intensified his reforms, removing idols and calling Judah to follow the Lord. This is the context in which God grants peace and prosperity, as described in the following verses.
"They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress." — This verse highlights that God's "troubling" wasn't random chaos, but a direct consequence and divine response to Israel's sin. The text emphasizes the breakdown of relationships—nation against natio…
