< 2 Chronicles 14 >
1 Abijah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Asa, his son, became king in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
And Abia died with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In the days of Asa the land of Juda had rest ten years.
2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God,
And he did that which was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God.
3 for he took away the foreign altars and the high places. He broke down the stone pillars and cut down the Asherah poles.
And he removed the altars of the strange [gods], and the high places, and broke the pillars in pieces, and cut down the groves:
4 He commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and to carry out the law and the commandments.
and he told Juda to seek earnestly the Lord God of their fathers, and to perform the law and commandments.
5 Also he took away the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under him.
And he removed from all the cities of Juda the altars and the idols, and established in quietness
6 He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him peace.
fortified cities in the land of Juda; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in these years; for the Lord gave him rest.
7 For Asa said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is still ours because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and succeeded.
And he said to Juda, Let us fortify these cities, and make walls, and towers, and gates, and bars: we shall prevail over the land, for as we have sought out the Lord our God, he has sought out us, and has given us rest round about, and prospered us.
8 Asa had an army that carried shields and spears; from Judah he had 300,000 men, and from Benjamin, 280,000 men who carried shields and drew bows. All of these were mighty men.
And Asa had a force of armed men bearing shields and spears in the land of Juda, [even] three hundred thousand, and in the land of Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand targeteers and archers: all these were mighty warriors.
9 Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of one million soldiers and three hundred chariots; he came to Mareshah.
And Zare the Ethiopian went out against them, with a force of a million, and three hundred chariots; and came to Maresa.
10 Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle lines in order in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
And Asa went out to meet him, and set the battle in array in the valley north of Maresa.
11 Asa cried to Yahweh, his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one but you to help one who has no strength when he is facing many. Help us, Yahweh our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast number. Yahweh, you are our God; do not let man defeat you.”
And Asa cried to the Lord his God, and said, O Lord, it is not impossible with you to save by many or by few: strengthen us, O Lord our God; for we trust in you, and in your name have we come against this great multitude. O Lord our God, let not man prevail against you.
12 So Yahweh struck the Cushites before Asa and Judah; the Cushites fled.
And the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Juda; and the Ethiopians fled.
13 Asa and the soldiers with him pursued them to Gerar. So many Cushites fell that they could not recover, for they were completely destroyed before Yahweh and his army. The army carried away very much plunder.
And Asa and his people pursued them to Gedor; and the Ethiopians fell, so that they could not recover themselves; for they were crushed before the Lord, and before his host; and they took many spoils.
14 The army destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for terror of Yahweh had come on the inhabitants. The army plundered all the villages, and there was much booty in them.
And they destroyed their towns roundabout Gedor; for a terror of the Lord was upon them: and they spoiled all their cities, for they had much spoil.
15 The army also destroyed the tent settlements of the shepherding nomads; they carried away sheep in abundance, as well as camels, and then they returned to Jerusalem.
Also they destroyed the tents of cattle, and the Alimazons, and took many sheep and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.