2 Chronicles 14
1 Then Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And his son, Asa, reigned in his place. During his days, the land was quiet for ten years.
Setelah Raja Abia meninggal dan dikuburkan di makam raja-raja di Kota Daud, Asa putranya menjadi raja menggantikan dia. Di bawah pemerintahan Asa, negeri Yehuda tenteram selama sepuluh tahun.
2 Now Asa did what was good and pleasing in the sight of his God. And he overturned the altars of foreign worship, and the high places.
Asa menyenangkan hati TUHAN Allahnya dengan melakukan yang adil dan baik.
3 And he broke apart the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves.
Ia menyingkirkan mezbah-mezbah bangsa lain dan tempat-tempat penyembahan berhala. Tugu-tugu dewa dihancurkannya, dan tiang-tiang patung Dewi Asyera ditumbangkannya.
4 And he instructed Judah that they should seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and that they should carry out the law and all the commandments.
Rakyat Yehuda disuruhnya hidup menurut kehendak TUHAN, Allah leluhur mereka, dan mentaati ajaran-ajaran dan perintah-perintah-Nya.
5 And he took away, from all the cities of Judah, the altars and the shrines. And he reigned in peace.
Semua tempat penyembahan berhala dan tempat membakar dupa disingkirkannya dari kota-kota Yehuda. Maka tenanglah kerajaan itu di bawah pemerintahannya,
6 Also, he built fortified cities in Judah. For it was quiet, and in his time no wars had arisen. For the Lord was generously granting peace.
sehingga ia dapat membangun benteng-benteng untuk kota-kota Yehuda. Beberapa tahun lamanya tidak terjadi perang karena TUHAN memberikan keadaan damai kepadanya.
7 Then he said to Judah: “Let us build these cities, and strengthen them with walls, and fortify them with towers and gates and bars, while all things are at rest from wars. For we have sought the Lord, the God of our fathers, and he has granted to us peace on every side.” And so they built, and there was nothing to impede them from building.
Kata Asa kepada rakyat Yehuda, "Baiklah kita memperkuat kota-kota dengan membangun tembok sekelilingnya dan menara-menara serta pintu gerbang dengan palang-palangnya. Kita telah menguasai negeri ini karena kita sudah menuruti kehendak TUHAN Allah kita. Ia memelihara kita dan menjaga keamanan di seluruh negeri kita." Maka mulailah mereka membangun dan menyelesaikan pekerjaan itu dengan baik.
8 Now Asa had in his army three hundred thousand men of Judah, carrying shields and spears, and truly, of Benjamin, two hundred eighty thousand men with shields and bows. All of these were very valiant men.
Tentara Raja Asa terdiri dari 300.000 orang Yehuda yang bersenjatakan perisai dan tombak, dan 280.000 orang Benyamin yang bersenjatakan perisai, busur dan panah. Mereka semuanya prajurit yang berani-berani dan terlatih.
9 Then Zerah, the Ethiopian, went forth against them with his army of one million men, and three hundred chariots. And he approached as far as Mareshah.
Pada suatu waktu seorang Sudan bernama Zerah menyerang Yehuda dengan pasukan yang terdiri dari 1.000.000 prajurit dan 300 kereta perang. Mereka maju sejauh Maresa.
10 And Asa traveled to meet him, and he set up a battle line for the war in the Valley of Zephathah, which is near Mareshah.
Maka keluarlah Asa menghadapi Zerah, dan keduanya mengatur barisan masing-masing di Lembah Zefata dekat Maresa.
11 And he called upon the Lord God, and he said: “O Lord, there is no difference to you, whether you assist by few, or by many. Help us, O Lord our God. For having faith in you and in your name, we have gone forth against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God. Do not allow man to prevail against you.”
Lalu Asa berdoa kepada TUHAN Allahnya, "TUHAN, hanya Engkaulah yang dapat membantu yang lemah terhadap yang kuat. Tolonglah kami sekarang, ya TUHAN Allah kami! Pada-Mulah kami bersandar dan atas nama-Mu kami keluar berperang melawan pasukan yang sangat besar ini. TUHAN, Engkaulah Allah kami. Jangan biarkan diri-Mu dikalahkan oleh seorang manusia."
12 And so the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah. And the Ethiopians fled.
Lalu Asa dan tentara Yehuda menyerang tentara Sudan. TUHAN mengalahkan tentara Sudan sehingga mereka melarikan diri.
13 And Asa, and the people who were with him, pursued them as far as Gerar. And the Ethiopians fell, even unto utter destruction, for the Lord was striking, and his army was battling, and they were destroyed. Therefore, they took many spoils.
Asa dan tentaranya mengejar mereka sampai sejauh Gerar. Di pihak Sudan banyak sekali yang tewas sehingga tentara mereka tidak berdaya karena dihancurkan oleh TUHAN dan tentara Yehuda yang juga merampas banyak sekali dari barang-barang mereka. Kemudian tentara Yehuda menghancurkan kota-kota di wilayah sekitar Gerar, karena TUHAN membuat penduduknya menjadi ketakutan. Tentara Yehuda merampasi semua kota itu dan mendapat banyak sekali barang.
14 And they struck all the cities surrounding Gerar. For indeed, a great fear had overwhelmed everyone. And they despoiled the cities, and they carried away much plunder.
15 Then too, destroying the fencing for the sheep, they took an innumerable multitude of cattle and camels. And they returned to Jerusalem.
Mereka juga menyerang perkemahan para peternak, dan mengangkut banyak domba dan unta. Setelah itu mereka kembali ke Yerusalem.
