| 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 valour. |
| |
| 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 not 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. |
