1Abijah joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the City of David. Abijah’s son Asa became the next king after him. While Asa was king, the country had peace and rest for ten years.
Asa becomes king of Judah
2Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.3Asa removed the altars where false gods were worshipped. He took away the high places. He smashed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles used to worship the female god named Asherah.4He commanded Judah to worship the LORD, the God of their people. He commanded them to obey the LORD’s laws and commands.5Asa removed the high places and incense altars from every town in Judah. The kingdom had peace and rest under his rule.6He built up the cities of Judah that had high walls around them. The land was at peace. No one was at war with Asa during those years. That’s because the LORD gave him peace and rest.7‘Let’s build up our towns,’ Asa said to the people of Judah. ‘Let’s put walls around them. Let’s provide them with towers. Let’s make them secure with gates that have heavy metal bars. The land still belongs to us. That’s because we’ve trusted in the LORD our God. We trusted in him, and he has given us peace and rest on every side.’ So they built. And things went well for them.8Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah. They carried spears and large shields. There were 280,000 men from Benjamin. They were armed with bows and small shields. All these men were brave soldiers.9Zerah marched out against them. He was from Cush. He had a huge army of thousands. He also had 300 chariots. They came all the way to Mareshah.10Asa went out to meet Zerah in battle. They took up their positions in the Valley of Zephathah. It’s near Mareshah.11Then Asa called out to the LORD his God. He said, ‘LORD, there isn’t anyone like you. You help the weak against the strong. LORD our God, help us. We trust in you. In your name we have come out to fight against this huge army. LORD, you are our God. Don’t let mere human beings win the battle over you.’12The LORD struck down the men of Cush for Asa and Judah. The Cushites ran away.13Asa and his army chased them all the way to Gerar. A large number of Cushites fell down wounded or dead. So they couldn’t fight back. The LORD and his army crushed them. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of goods.14They destroyed all the villages around Gerar. The LORD had made the people in those villages afraid of him. The men of Judah took everything from all the villages.15They also attacked the camps of those who took care of the herds. They carried off large numbers of sheep, goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 14
English Standard Version
Asa Reigns in Judah
1[1] Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land had rest for ten years. (1Ki 15:8)2[2] And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.3He took away the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim (Ex 23:24; Ex 34:13; 1Ki 15:14; 2Ch 15:17)4and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment.5He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him. (Le 26:30; 2Ch 14:3; 2Ch 34:4; 2Ch 34:7; Isa 17:8; Isa 27:9; Eze 6:4; Eze 6:6)6He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the Lord gave him peace. (2Ch 11:5; 2Ch 15:15; 2Ch 20:30)7And he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God. We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered. (2Ch 8:5; 2Ch 14:6)8And Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin that carried shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor. (2Ch 13:3)9Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. (Jos 15:44; 2Ch 11:8; 2Ch 12:3; 2Ch 16:8)10And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. (2Ch 13:3; 2Ch 14:9)11And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” (Ex 14:10; 1Sa 17:45; 2Ch 13:14; 2Ch 13:18)12So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. (2Ch 13:15)13Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive, for they were broken before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah[3] carried away very much spoil. (Ge 10:19; Ge 20:1; Ge 26:1; Ge 26:6)14And they attacked all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord was upon them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. (Ge 35:5; 2Ch 14:13; 2Ch 17:10; 2Ch 20:29)15And they struck down the tents of those who had livestock and carried away sheep in abundance and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.