|
Chapter 14 |
| 1 | So Abijah
slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his
son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. |
| 2 |
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his
God: |
| 3 |
For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high
places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: |
| 4 | And
commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and
the commandment. |
|
5 | Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the
high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. |
| 6 |
And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, 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 make about them walls, and
towers, gates, and bars, while 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. |
| 8 | And Asa had an army of men that
bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of
Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand:
all these were mighty men of valor. |
| 9 | And there came out against them
Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred
chariots; and came unto Mareshah. |
| 10 | Then Asa went out against
him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at
Mareshah. |
| 11
| And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it
is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no
power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go
against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no man prevail against
thee. |
| 12 |
So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah;
and the Ethiopians fled. |
|
13 | And Asa and the people that were with
him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they
could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and
before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. |
| 14 | And they
smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon
them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in
them. |
| 15 |
They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep
and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. |
