2 Chronicles 14
14
Early Years of Asa’s Reign
1 # 14:1 Verse 14:1 is numbered 13:23 in Hebrew text. When Abijah died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king. There was peace in the land for ten years. 2#14:2 Verses 14:2-15 are numbered 14:1-14 in Hebrew text.Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. 3He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. 4He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands. 5Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace. 6During those peaceful years, he was able to build up the fortified towns throughout Judah. No one tried to make war against him at this time, for the Lord was giving him rest from his enemies.
7Asa told the people of Judah, “Let us build towns and fortify them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion.
8King Asa had an army of 300,000 warriors from the tribe of Judah, armed with large shields and spears. He also had an army of 280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, armed with small shields and bows. Both armies were composed of well-trained fighting men.
9Once an Ethiopian#14:9a Hebrew a Cushite. named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men#14:9b Or an army of thousands and thousands; Hebrew reads an army of a thousand thousands. and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah, 10so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah.#14:10 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. 11Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, “O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!”
12So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians#14:12 Hebrew Cushites; also in 14:13. in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled. 13Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar, and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. They were destroyed by the Lord and his army, and the army of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder.
14While they were at Gerar, they attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the Lord came upon the people there. As a result, a vast amount of plunder was taken from these towns, too. 15They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep, goats, and camels before finally returning to Jerusalem.
Currently Selected:
2 Chronicles 14: NLT
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT:
2 Chronicles 14
14
1And Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Asa his son then reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.
Asa, King of Judah
1Ki 15:11–12
2Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. 3He took down the foreign altars and high places, # 1Ki 15:12–14 and he shattered the pillars and cut down the images of Asherah. # Ex 34:13; Dt 7:5 4Then he urged Judah to seek the Lord the God of their fathers and to keep the law and commandments. 5And he also removed all the high places and incense altars in the cities in Judah. # 2Ch 34:4, 7 And the kingdom was at rest under Asa. 6He built fortified cities in Judah because the land was quiet; and there was no war in these years, for the Lord gave peace to him. # 1Ch 22:9; 2Ch 15:15
7And he said to Judah, “Let us build up these cities and let us surround them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land before us is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God. We have sought Him, and He has given us peace all around.” So they built and had success.
8And Asa had an army from Judah carrying large shields and spears numbering three hundred thousand. And from Benjamin he had an army carrying shields and bows numbering two hundred and eighty thousand. All of these were mighty men of valor. # 2Ch 13:3
9But Zerah the Cushite # 2Ch 16:8 came out against them with an army of one million men and three hundred chariots. And he came up to Mareshah. # Jos 15:44 10Then Asa went out to engage him, and they arranged for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
11And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, # 2Ch 13:14 and said, “Lord, it is nothing with You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, # 2Ch 13:18 and in Your name we come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God. Let no man prevail against You.”
12So the Lord struck down # 2Ch 13:15 the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled. 13Then Asa and those with him pursued them until Gerar. # Ge 10:19; 20:1 And the Cushites fell till there was not one left alive because they were struck down before the Lord and His army. And those in Judah carried off a very great plunder. 14And they struck down all the cities surrounding Gerar because the terror of the Lord was on them. # Ge 35:5; 2Ch 17:10 And they plundered all the cities because there was a great amount of possessions in them. 15And they also struck the tents holding livestock, and they carried off sheep and a great amount of camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.