The Cushite Invasion

⁸ Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah bearing large shields and spears,^(A) 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^[a] 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.^(B)

¹¹ Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God,^(C) “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,^(D) 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,^(E) and the Cushites fled. ¹³ Then Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar.^(F) 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.^(G) 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.