Asa Reigns over Judah

14 ^[a](A)So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place. The land was quiet for ten years during his days.

^2 [b]And Asa did what was good and right in the sight of Yahweh his God, ³ for he removed ^(B)the foreign altars and ^(C)high places, shattered the sacred pillars, cut the ^[c](D)Asherim in pieces, ⁴ and said for Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. ⁵ He also ^[d]removed the high places and the ^(E)incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was quiet before him. ^6 (F)And he built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was quiet, and ^[e]there was no one at war with him during those years, ^(G)because Yahweh had given him rest. ⁷ And he said to Judah, “^(H)Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ^[f]ours because we have sought Yahweh our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and succeeded. ⁸ Now Asa had a military force of ^(I)300,000 from Judah, bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, bearing shields and wielding bows; all of them were mighty men of valor.

⁹ Then Zerah the Ethiopian ^(J)went out against them with a military force of one million men and 300 chariots, and he came to ^(K)Mareshah. ¹⁰ So Asa went out ^[g]to meet him, and they arranged themselves for battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. ¹¹ Then Asa ^(L)called to Yahweh his God and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between those of abundant power and those who have no power; so help us, O Yahweh our God, ^(M)for we lean on You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Yahweh, You are our God; let not mortal man prevail against You.” ¹² So ^(N)Yahweh smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. ¹³ And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as ^(O)Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that ^[h]they could not recover, for they were shattered before Yahweh and before His ^[i]army. And they carried away very much spoil. ¹⁴ And they struck down all the cities around Gerar, ^(P)for the dread of Yahweh had fallen on them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. ¹⁵ They also struck down ^[j]those who owned livestock, and they carried away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.