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Asa Reigns over Judah

^1 (F1)(C1)So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place. The land was quiet for ten years during his days.

^2 (F1)And Asa did what was good and right in the sight of Yahweh his God,³ for he removed ^(C1)the foreign altars and ^(C2)high places, shattered the sacred pillars, cut the ^(F1)(C3)Asherim in pieces,⁴ and said for Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.⁵ He also ^(F1)removed the high places and the ^(C1)incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was quiet before him.^6 (C1)And he built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was quiet, and ^(F1)there was no one at war with him during those years, ^(C2)because Yahweh had given him rest.⁷ And he said to Judah, "^(C1)Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ^(F1)ours because we have sought Yahweh our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and succeeded.⁸ Now Asa had a military force of ^(C1)300,000 from Judah, bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, bearing shields and wielding bows; all of them were mighty men of valor.

⁹ Then Zerah the Ethiopian ^(C1)went out against them with a military force of one million men and 300 chariots, and he came to ^(C2)Mareshah.¹⁰ So Asa went out ^(F1)to meet him, and they arranged themselves for battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.¹¹ Then Asa ^(C1)called to Yahweh his God and said, "Yahweh, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between those of abundant power and those who have no power; so help us, O Yahweh our God, ^(C2)for we lean on You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Yahweh, You are our God; let not mortal man prevail against You."¹² So ^(C1)Yahweh smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.¹³ And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as ^(C1)Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that ^(F1)they could not recover, for they were shattered before Yahweh and before His ^(F2)army. And they carried away very much spoil.¹⁴ And they struck down all the cities around Gerar, ^(C1)for the dread of Yahweh had fallen on them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.¹⁵ They also struck down ^(F1)those who owned livestock, and they carried away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.