|
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 1fear 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. |