14 [a]And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years.

Asa King of Judah(A)

Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.(B) He removed the foreign altars(C) and the high places, smashed the sacred stones(D) and cut down the Asherah poles.[b](E) He commanded Judah to seek the Lord,(F) the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands. He removed the high places(G) and incense altars(H) in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest.(I)

“Let us build up these towns,” he said to Judah, “and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God; we sought him and he has given us rest(J) on every side.” So they built and prospered.

Asa had an army of three hundred thousand(K) men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men.

Zerah the Cushite(L) marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.(M) 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

11 Then Asa called(N) to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us,(O) Lord our God, for we rely(P) on you, and in your name(Q) we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail(R) against you.”

12 The Lord struck down(S) the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar.(T) Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed(U) before the Lord and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.(V) 14 They destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for the terror(W) of the Lord had fallen on them. They looted all these villages, since there was much plunder there. 15 They also attacked the camps of the herders and carried off droves of sheep and goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1 is numbered 13:23, and 14:2-15 is numbered 14:1-14.
  2. 2 Chronicles 14:3 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in 2 Chronicles

Asa Reigns over Judah

14 So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then (A)Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

Asa Reigns in Judah(B)

Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and (C)the [a]high places, and (D)broke down the sacred pillars (E)and cut down the wooden images. He commanded Judah to (F)seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. He also removed the [b]high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him (G)rest. Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried [c]shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew (H)bows; all these were mighty men of (I)valor.

(J)Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to (K)Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa (L)cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is (M)nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and (N)in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!”

12 So the Lord (O)struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to (P)Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord and His army. And they carried away very much [d]spoil. 14 Then they defeated all the cities around Gerar, for (Q)the fear of the Lord came upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much [e]spoil in them. 15 They also [f]attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 14:3 Places for pagan worship
  2. 2 Chronicles 14:5 Places for pagan worship
  3. 2 Chronicles 14:8 large shields
  4. 2 Chronicles 14:13 plunder
  5. 2 Chronicles 14:14 plunder
  6. 2 Chronicles 14:15 Lit. struck