 1 Abijah slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David. Then his son Asa reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years. 2 Asa did good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. 3 He took away the altars of the strange gods and the high places, broke down the images and cut down the Asherahs. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5 He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images. And the kingdom was quiet before him. 6 He built fortified cities in Judah. For the land had rest, and he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest. 7 He said to Judah, Let us build these cities and make walls around them and towers, gates and bars while the land is still before us. Because we have sought the Lord our God, He has given us rest on every side. So they built and were blessed. 8 Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, 300,000 out of Judah. And out of Benjamin there were 280,000 who bore shields and drew bows. All these mighty men of valor. 9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men, and 300 chariots. And he came to Mareshah. 10 Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in order in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 Asa cried out to the Lord his God and said, Lord, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many or with him who has no strength+. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God. Do not let man prevail against you. 12 The Lord struck the Cushites before Asa and before Judah. And the Cushites fled. 13 Asa and the people with him pursued them to Gerar. The Cushites fell and none of them was left alive. They were destroyed before the Lord and before His army and they carried away much plunder. 14 They struck all the cities around Gerar for the fear of the Lord came on them. They plundered all the cities for there was much plunder in them. 15 They struck the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance and returned to Jerusalem.
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