2 Chronicles 14

Asa Succeeds Abijah in Judah

112So Abijah 3lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days.

24And Asa did what was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God, 3for he removed 5the foreign altars and 6high places, tore down the memorial stones, cut down the 78Asherim, 4and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to 9comply with the Law and the commandment. 5He also removed the high places and the 10incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was undisturbed under him. 611He built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and 12there was no one at war with him during those years, 13because the Lord had given him rest. 7For he said to Judah, “14Let’s build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still 15ours 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. 8Now Asa had an army of 16three hundred thousand from Judah, carrying large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, carrying shields and wielding bows; all of them were valiant warriors.

9Now Zerah the Ethiopian 17went out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to 18Mareshah. 10So Asa went out 19to meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11Then Asa 20called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; help us, Lord our God, 21for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You.” 12So 22the Lord 23routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as 24Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that 25they could not recover, for they were shattered before the Lord and before His army. And they carried away a very large amount of plunder. 14They 26destroyed all the cities around Gerar, 27for the dread of the Lord had fallen on them; and they pillaged all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. 15They also fatally struck 28those who owned livestock, and they led away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.