2 Chronicles 14

New King James Version

Asa Reigns over Judah

14 So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then^(A)Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

Asa Reigns in Judah^(B)

² Asa didwhat wasgood and right in the eyes of theLordhis God,³ for he removed the altars of the foreigngodsand^(C)the^[a]high places, and^(D)broke down thesacredpillars^(E)and cut down the wooden images.⁴ He commanded Judah to^(F)seek theLordGod of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.⁵ He also removed the^[b]high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him.⁶ And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because theLordhad given him^(G)rest.⁷ Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls aroundthem,and towers, gates, and bars,whilethe landisyet before us, because we have sought theLordour God; we have soughtHim,and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.⁸ And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried^[c]shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew^(H)bows; all theseweremighty men of^(I)valor.

^9 (J)Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to^(K)Mareshah.¹⁰ So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.¹¹ And Asa^(L)cried out to theLordhis God, and said, “Lord,it is^(M)nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, OLordour God, for we rest on You, and^(N)in Your name we go against this multitude. OLord, Youareour God; do not let man prevail against You!”

¹² So theLord^(O)struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.¹³ And Asa and the people whowerewith him pursued them to^(P)Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before theLordand His army. And they carried away very much^[d]spoil.¹⁴ Then they defeated all the cities around Gerar, for^(Q)the fear of theLordcame upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much^[e]spoil in them.¹⁵ They also^[f]attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.