דברי הימים ב, פרק ט״ו, פסוק ח׳

A powerful prophetic message can awaken a leader to take decisive action. Inspired by a deep spiritual call, King Asa embarks on a comprehensive mission of spiritual purification and a renewed commitment to serving God. Hearing historical accounts from the era of the Judges, which serve as evidence and backing for the prophetic message [רלב״ג], Asa realizes that his mission is far from complete. He understands that he must gather his strength to finish the task at hand [מלבי״ם].

The source of this inspiration is attributed to the prophecy of Oded, which presents a slight mystery, as the message was actually delivered by Azariah, the son of Oded. The primary approach among commentators is that the account indeed refers to the son's prophecy, as biblical records sometimes attribute a son's actions to his father or simply omit the word "son." However, others suggest that Oded the father was still alive and delivered the exact same prophecy to the king [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, חומת אנך]. Taking a different approach, one perspective suggests that "Oded" is not a name in this context, but rather a descriptive action meaning "encouraged." This implies that the prophecy itself encouraged and strengthened the prophet with a powerful spirit from God, demonstrating the perfection of the message and giving Asa absolute confidence [מלבי״ם].

Spurred by this spiritual awakening, Asa takes immediate action to rid the land of foreign idols, which are viewed as disgusting and repulsive abominations [מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ]. He focuses his efforts on destroying the remaining idols he had not yet managed to eliminate, paying special attention to the newly captured cities where no spiritual purification had previously taken place [מלבי״ם]. To complete his mission, the king repairs and rebuilds [מצודת דוד] the altar for burnt offerings standing before the hall, fully renewing the site for the worship of God [רלב״ג].