2 Chronicles 14

1 Abijah died and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa took over as king. For ten years of his reign the country was at peace.

And Abijah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in the city of David, and reign doth Asa his son in his stead: in his days was the land quiet ten years.

2 Asa did what was good and right in the Lord's sight.

And Asa doth that which is good, and that which is right, in the eyes of Jehovah his God,

3 He took down the foreign altars and high places, smashed their sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.

and turneth aside the altars of the stranger, and the high places, and breaketh the standing-pillars, and cutteth down the shrines,

4 He ordered Judah to worship the Lord, the God of their forefathers, and to observe the law and the commandments.

and saith to Judah to seek Jehovah, God of their fathers, and to do the law and the command;

5 He also took down the high places and the incense altars from all the towns of Judah. Under his rule the kingdom was at peace.

and he turneth aside out of all cities of Judah the high places and the images, and the kingdom is quiet before him.

6 Because the country was at peace he was able to rebuild the fortified towns of Judah. There were no wars during these years because the Lord had granted him peace.

And he buildeth cities of bulwarks in Judah, for the land hath quiet, and there is no war with him in these years, because Jehovah hath given rest to him.

7 Asa told the people of Judah, “Let us build up these towns and surround them with walls and towers and barred gates. The land is still ours, because we continue to worship the Lord our God. We worship him, and he has given us peace from all our enemies.” So they began the building projects, and completed them successfully.

And he saith to Judah, 'Let us build these cities, and compass [them] with wall, and towers, two-leaved doors, and bars, while the land [is] before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God, we have sought, and He giveth rest to us round about;' and they build and prosper.

8 Asa had an army made up of three hundred thousand men from Judah who carried large shields and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand men from Benjamin who carried regular shields and bows. All of them were brave warriors.

And there is to Asa a force bearing target and spear, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin, bearing shield and treading bow, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these [are] mighty of valour.

9 Zerah the Ethiopian attacked them with an army of a thousand times a thousand men and three hundred chariots, advancing as far as Mareshah.

And come out unto them doth Zerah the Cushite with a force of a thousand thousand, and chariots three hundred, and he cometh in unto Mareshah,

10 Asa went out to confront him, lining up for battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

and Asa goeth out before him, and they set battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

11 Asa called out for help to the Lord his God: “Lord, there is no one apart from you who can help the powerless against the powerful. Please help us, Lord our God, for we trust in you. We have come against this horde because we stand for you, Lord. You are our God. Do not let a mere human being beat you.”

And Asa calleth unto Jehovah his God, and saith, 'Jehovah! it is nothing with Thee to help, between the mighty and those who have no power; help us, O Jehovah, our God, for on Thee we have leant, and in Thy name we have come against this multitude; O Jehovah, our God thou [art]; let him not prevail with Thee — mortal man!

12 The Lord struck the Ethiopians in front of Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians ran away.

And Jehovah smiteth the Cushim before Asa, and before Judah, and the Cushim flee,

13 Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Ethiopians were killed—there were none who survived, for they were caught between the Lord and his army. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.

and Asa and the people who [are] with him pursue them even to Gerar, and there fall of the Cushim, for they have no preserving, because they have been broken before Jehovah, and before His camp; and they bear away very much spoil,

14 They also attacked all the towns around Gerar, because the inhabitants were terrified of the Lord. The men of Judah took a large amount of plunder from all the towns.

and smite all the cities round about Gerar, for a fear of Jehovah hath been upon them, and they spoil all the cities, for abundant spoil hath been in them;

15 Then they attacked the camps of the herdsmen and took many sheep and camels. Then they went back to Jerusalem.

and also tents of cattle they have smitten, and they capture sheep in abundance, and camels, and turn back to Jerusalem.