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14 (13:23) So Aviyah slept with Avotav, and they buried him in Ir Dovid, and Asa bno reigned in his place. In his days HaAretz was at peace eser shanim.

(14:1) And Asa did that which was hatov and yashar in the eyes of Hashem Elohav;

(14:2) For he took away the mizbechot hanekhar (foreign altars), and the high places, and smashed the matzevot, and cut down the Asherim;

(14:3) And commanded Yehudah to seek Hashem Elohei Avoteihem, and to observe the Torah and the Mitzvah.

(14:4) Also he took away out of all the towns of Yehudah the high places and the chammanim (sun-pillar idols); and the mamlachah was at peace under him.

(14:5) And he built arei metzurah in Yehudah; for HaAretz was at peace, and he had no milchanah in those years, because Hashem had given him rest.

(14:6) Therefore he said unto Yehudah, Let us build up these cities, and make about them chomah, and migdalim, gates, and bars. HaAretz is yet before us, because we have sought Hashem Eloheinu, we have sought Him, and He hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

(14:7) And Asa had an army of men that bore shields and spears, out of Yehudah three hundred thousand; and out of Binyamin, that bore mogen and drew keshet (bow), two hundred and fourscore elef; all these were gibborei chayil.

(14:8) And there came out against them Zerach HaCushi with a host of elef alafim, and three hundred merkavot; and came as far as Mareshah.

10 (14:9) Then Asa went out against him, and they took up position for the milchamah in the valley of Zephatah at Mareshah.

11 (14:10) And Asa cried unto Hashem Elohav, and said, Hashem, there is none besides Thee to help, whether with rav, or with them that have no ko’ach. Help us, Hashem Eloheinu, for we rely on Thee; in Shimecha we go against this multitude. Hashem Thou art Eloheinu; let no enosh prevail against Thee.

12 (14:11) So Hashem struck down HaCushim before Asa, and before Yehudah, and HaCushim fled.

13 (14:12) And Asa and HaAm that were with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and HaCushim fell, until they could not survive, for they were crushed before Hashem, and before His Machaneh. They carried off very much plunder.

14 (14:13) And they destroyed all the towns around Gerar; for the Pachad Hashem fell upon them, and they plundered all the towns, for there was exceeding much booty in them.

15 (14:14) They attacked also the ohalim of herdsmen, and carried off tzon and gemalim in abundance, and returned to Yerushalayim.

14 [a]And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years.

Asa King of Judah(A)

Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.(B) He removed the foreign altars(C) and the high places, smashed the sacred stones(D) and cut down the Asherah poles.[b](E) He commanded Judah to seek the Lord,(F) the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands. He removed the high places(G) and incense altars(H) in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest.(I)

“Let us build up these towns,” he said to Judah, “and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God; we sought him and he has given us rest(J) on every side.” So they built and prospered.

Asa had an army of three hundred thousand(K) men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men.

Zerah the Cushite(L) marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.(M) 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

11 Then Asa called(N) to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us,(O) Lord our God, for we rely(P) on you, and in your name(Q) we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail(R) against you.”

12 The Lord struck down(S) the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar.(T) Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed(U) before the Lord and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.(V) 14 They destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for the terror(W) of the Lord had fallen on them. They looted all these villages, since there was much plunder there. 15 They also attacked the camps of the herders and carried off droves of sheep and goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1 is numbered 13:23, and 14:2-15 is numbered 14:1-14.
  2. 2 Chronicles 14:3 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in 2 Chronicles