< 2 Chronicles 14 >
1 And Abiyah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Assa his son became king in his stead. In his days the land had repose ten years.
So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days, the land was quiet ten years.
2 And Assa did what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.
Asa did that which was good and right in the LORD his God’s eyes,
3 And he removed the altars of the strange [gods], and the high-places, and broke up the statues, and cut down the groves;
for he took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the Asherah poles,
4 And he ordered Judah to seek the Lord the God of their fathers, and to execute the law and the commandment.
and commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to obey his law and command.
5 Also he removed out of all the cities of Judah the high-places and the sun-images: and the kingdom had repose before him.
Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images; and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land had repose, and no one had war with him in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest.
7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and surround them with walls, and towers, gates, and bars: the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, —we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
For he said to Judah, “Let’s build these cities and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. 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.
8 And Assa had an army that bore targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew the bow, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.
Asa had an army of three hundred thousand out of Judah who bore bucklers and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand out of Benjamin who bore shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valour.
9 And there came out against them Zerach the Ethiopian with an army of a thousand times thousand, and three hundred chariots; and he came as far as Mareshah.
Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million troops and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.
10 Then went Assa out against him, and they set themselves in battle-array in the valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 And Assa called unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, nothing can hinder thee to help, whether it be the mighty, or those that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for on thee do we rely, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God! no mortal can place a restraint against thee.
Asa cried to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, LORD our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. LORD, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.”
12 Thereupon did the Lord strike down the Ethiopians before Assa, and before Judah: and the Ethiopians fled.
So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
13 And Assa and the people that were with him pursued them as far as Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians [so many], that they could not recover themselves; for they were broken down before the Lord, and before his camp; and they carried away exceedingly much booty.
Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So many of the Ethiopians fell that they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before the LORD and before his army. Judah’s army carried away very much booty.
14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the dread of the Lord was upon them: and they plundered all the cities; for abundant spoil was in them.
They struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came on them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.
15 And also the tents of [the owners of] cattle did they smite, and they carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
They also struck the tents of those who had livestock, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, then returned to Jerusalem.