2 Chronicles 14
Christian Standard Bible
14 Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa became king in his place.(A) During his reign the land experienced peace for ten years.
Judah’s King Asa
2 Asa did what was good and right(B) in the sight of the Lord his God. 3 He removed the pagan altars and the high places. He shattered their sacred pillars and chopped down their Asherah poles.(C) 4 He told the people of Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to carry out the instruction and the commands. 5 He also removed the high places and the shrines[a] from all the cities of Judah,(D) and the kingdom experienced peace under him.
6 Because the land experienced peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah.(E) No one made war with him in those days because the Lord gave him rest.(F) 7 So he said to the people of Judah, “Let’s build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars.(G) The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God. We sought him and he gave us rest on every side.” So they built and succeeded.
The Cushite Invasion
8 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah bearing large shields and spears,(H) and two hundred eighty thousand from Benjamin bearing regular shields and drawing the bow. All these were valiant warriors. 9 Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of one million men and three hundred[b] chariots. They came as far as Mareshah. 10 So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in Zephathah Valley at Mareshah.(I)
11 Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God,(J) “Lord, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on you,(K) and in your name we have come against this large army. Lord, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you.”
12 So the Lord routed the Cushites before Asa and before Judah,(L) and the Cushites fled. 13 Then Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar.(M) The Cushites fell until they had no survivors, for they were crushed before the Lord and his army. So the people of Judah carried off a great supply of loot. 14 Then they attacked all the cities around Gerar because the terror of the Lord was on them.(N) They also plundered all the cities, since there was a great deal of plunder in them. 15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and captured many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Asa Reigns
14 [a]So Abijah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. His son Asa succeeded him. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.(A) 2 [b]Asa did what was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God. 3 He took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the sacred poles,[c](B) 4 and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to keep the law and the commandment. 5 He also removed from all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom was quiet under him.(C) 6 He built fortified cities in Judah while the land was quiet. He had no war in those years, for the Lord gave him rest.(D) 7 He said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars; the land is still ours 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. 8 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah armed with large shields and spears and two hundred eighty thousand troops from Benjamin who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty warriors.
Ethiopian Invasion Repulsed
9 Zerah the Cushite came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots and came as far as Mareshah.(E) 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is no difference for you between helping the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let no mortal prevail against you.”(F) 12 So the Lord defeated the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled.(G) 13 Asa and the army with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Cushites fell until no one remained alive, for they were broken before the Lord and his army. The people of Judah[d] carried away a great quantity of spoil.(H) 14 They defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord was on them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.(I) 15 They also attacked the tents of those who had livestock[e] and carried away sheep and goats in abundance and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.