The Second of Chronicles 14:1-15
14 Then A·biʹjah was laid to rest with his forefathers, and they buried him in the City of David;+ and his son Aʹsa became king in his place. In his days the land had rest for ten years.
2 Aʹsa did what was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God.
3 He removed the foreign altars+ and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars,+ and cut down the sacred poles.*+
4 Further, he told Judah to search for Jehovah the God of their forefathers and to observe the Law and the commandment.
5 So he removed from all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense stands,+ and under him, the kingdom continued without disturbance.
6 He built fortified cities in Judah,+ since the land had no disturbance and there was no war against him during these years, for Jehovah gave him rest.+
7 He said to Judah: “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers,+ gates* and bars. For the land is still at our disposal, because we have searched for Jehovah our God. We have searched, and he has given us rest all around.” So their building was successful.+
8 Aʹsa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, equipped with large shields and lances. And out of Benjamin were 280,000 mighty warriors who carried bucklers* and were armed with bows.*+
9 Later Zeʹrah the E·thi·oʹpi·an came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots.+ When he reached Ma·reʹshah,+
10 Aʹsa went out against him and they drew up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephʹa·thah at Ma·reʹshah.
11 Aʹsa then called to Jehovah his God+ and said: “O Jehovah, it does not matter to you whether those you help are many or have no power.+ Help us, O Jehovah our God, for we are relying* on you,+ and in your name we have come against this crowd.+ O Jehovah, you are our God. Do not let mortal man prevail against you.”+
12 So Jehovah defeated the E·thi·oʹpi·ans before Aʹsa and before Judah, and the E·thi·oʹpi·ans fled.+
13 Aʹsa and the people with him pursued them as far as Geʹrar,+ and the E·thi·oʹpi·ans continued falling until not one of them was alive, for they were crushed by Jehovah and by his army. Afterward they carried off a very great deal of spoil.
14 Further, they struck all the cities around Geʹrar, for the dread of Jehovah had come upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was much to plunder in them.
15 They also attacked the tents of those with livestock, and they captured a great number of flocks and camels, after which they returned to Jerusalem.
Footnotes
^ Lit., “double doors.”
^ Lit., “and tread the bow.”
^ A small shield, often carried by archers.
^ Lit., “we lean.”
