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.^{(A) 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.”^{(B) 12} So the Lord defeated the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled.^(C)

15 The spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.^{(A) 2} He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.^{(B) 3} For a long time Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law,^{(C) 4} but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.^{(D) 5} In those times it was not safe for anyone to go or come, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.^{(E) 6} They were broken in pieces, nation against nation and city against city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress.^{(F) 7} But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”^(G)