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Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, equipped with large shields and spears. He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin who carried small shields and were adept archers; they were all skilled warriors. Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000 men[a] and 300 chariots . He arrived at Mareshah, 10 and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

11 Asa prayed[b] to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered.[c] Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army.[d] O Lord, you are our God; don’t let men prevail against you!”[e] 12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Cushites were wiped out;[f] they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah[g] carried off a huge amount of plunder. 14 They defeated all the towns surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic.[h] The men of Judah[i] looted all the towns, for they contained a huge amount of goods.[j] 15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock.[k] They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 14:9 tn Heb “a thousand thousands.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 14:11 tn Heb “called out.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 14:11 tn Heb “there is not except you to help between many with regard to [the one] without strength.”
  4. 2 Chronicles 14:11 tn Heb “and in your name we have come against this multitude.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 14:11 tn Heb “let not man retain [strength] with you.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 14:13 tn Heb “and there fell from the Cushites so that there was not to them preservation of life.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 14:13 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. 2 Chronicles 14:14 tn Heb “for the terror of the Lord was upon them.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 14:14 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  10. 2 Chronicles 14:14 tn Heb “for great plunder was in them.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 14:15 tn Heb “and also they struck down the tents of the livestock.”

And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah, bearing shields and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin who carried shields and drew bows. All of these were mighty warriors of strength.

Zerah the Cushite came out against them with an army of a thousand thousands and three hundred chariots. And he came to Mareshah. 10 And Asa went out before him, and a battle was put in order in the valley of Zepah at Mareshah.

11 Then Asa cried out to Yahweh his God. And he said, “O Yahweh, there is none with you to help between the great and the powerless. Help us, O Yahweh our God, for we rely upon you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Yahweh, you are our God! Let no man prevail against you!”

12 So Yahweh defeated the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled. 13 Then Asa and the army[a] with him pursued them to Gerar. And many from the Cushites fell, for they had no deliverance, for they were shattered before Yahweh and before his army. And they carried away much war booty. 14 And they struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of Yahweh was upon them. And they plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. 15 And they also struck the tents of the herdsmen and carried away many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 14:13 Or “people”