2 Chronicles 14
14
1 (13:23)#sn Beginning with 14:1, the verse numbers through 14:15 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 14:1 ET = 13:23 HT, 14:2 ET = 14:1 HT, 14:3 ET = 14:2 HT, etc., through 14:15 ET = 14:14 HT. Beginning with 15:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same. Abijah passed away#tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.” and was buried in the City of David.#sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7. His son Asa replaced him as king. During his reign#tn Heb “in his days.” the land had rest for ten years.
Asa’s Religious and Military Accomplishments
2 (14:1) Asa did what the Lord his God desired and approved.#tn Heb “and Asa did the good and the right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” 3 He removed the pagan altars#tn Heb “the altars of the foreigner.” and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.#sn Asherah poles. A leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon was Asherah, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles (Hebrew אֲשֵׁרִים [’asherim], as here). They were to be burned or cut down (Deut 7:5; 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4). 4 He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors#tn Heb “fathers.” and to observe his law and commands.#tn Heb “the law and the command.” 5 He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule.#tn Heb “before him.”
6 He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the Lord gave him peace. 7 He said to the people of Judah:#tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah. “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates.#tn Heb “and we will surround [them] with wall[s] and towers, doors, and bars.” The land remains ours because we have followed#tn Heb “sought.” the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.”#tn Heb “and he has given us rest all around.” So they built the cities#tn The words “the cities” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. and prospered.
8 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. 9 Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000#tn Heb “a thousand thousands.” men 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#tn Heb “called out.” to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered.#tn Heb “there is not with you to help between many with regard to [the one] without strength.” Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army.#tn Heb “and in your name we have come against this multitude.” O Lord our God, don’t let men prevail against you!”#tn Heb “let not man retain [strength] with you.” 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;#tn Heb “and there fell from the Cushites so that there was not to them preservation of life.” they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah#tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity. carried off a huge amount of plunder. 14 They defeated all the cities surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic.#tn Heb “for the terror of the Lord was upon them.” The men of Judah#tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity. looted all the cities, for they contained a huge amount of goods.#tn Heb “for great plunder was in them.” 15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock.#tn Heb “and also they struck down the tents of the livestock.” They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem.#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
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2 Chronicles 14
14
The Reign of Asa in Judah
1#2 Chronicles 14:1–15 in the English Bible is 13:23–14:14 in the Hebrew Bible And Abijah slept with his ancestors,#Or “fathers” and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son became king in his place. In his days the land was at rest ten years. 2Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God. 3He removed the foreign altars and high places, broke down the stone pillars, and cut down the Asherahs. 4And he commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors,#Or “fathers” and to keep the law and the commandment. 5And he removed the high places and the incense stands from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom had rest under#Or “before” him. 6And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land was at rest. Under#Or “With” him there was no war in those years, for Yahweh had given rest to him. 7And he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates, and bars while the land is before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought and he has given rest to us on every side.” So they built and had success. 8And 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.
9Zerah the Cushite came out against them with an army of a thousand thousands and three hundred chariots. And he came to Mareshah. 10And Asa went out before him, and a battle was put in order in the valley of Zepah at Mareshah.
11Then 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!”
12So Yahweh defeated the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled. 13Then Asa and the army#Or “people” 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. 14And 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. 15And they also struck the tents of the herdsmen and carried away many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
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