Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 14

Verse 1

So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

So Abijah slept with his fathers. — See 1 Kings 2:10 .

In the city of David. — There David’s sepulchre was to be seen in the apostles’ days; Acts 2:29 and there Solomon’s sepulchre, which the Jews had in great esteem, fell to pieces without force offered to it, a little before the last destruction of Jerusalem in 132 AD, as Dio testifieth. Dio, l. 59. c. 13. s. 2. 8:451

Verse 2

And Asa did [that which was] good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

And Asa did that which was good. — See 1 Kings 15:11 .

In the eyes of the Lord. — Not in his own eyes, or the eyes of men, qui larvis ducuntur, which are oft bemisted.

Verse 3

For he took away the altars of the strange [gods], and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:

And the high places. — Erected to idols; not the other. 1 Kings 15:14

Verse 4

And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

And commanded Judah. — It is not enough to pull down superstition; but God’s sincere service also must be set up.

Verse 5

Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

And the images. — Heb., The sun images: Hammonim, the images of Jupiter Ammon, as some A Lapide. will have it.

Verse 6

And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

And he built fenced cities. — Though he had no war, yet he provided for it. So did our Queen Elizabeth; and so must every Christian soldier.

Verse 7

Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about [them] walls, and towers, gates, and bars, [while] the land [is] yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought [him], and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

Because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him. — It did his heart good to think how piously they had purchased their present peace; and therefore he repeateth it. See Zechariah 8:19 . See Trapp on " Zechariah 8:19 "

Verse 8

And Asa had an army [of men] that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these [were] mighty men of valour.

Two hundred and fourscore thousand. — "Little Benjamin" was grown very numerous and potent.

Verse 9

And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.

And there came out against them. — Called in, likely, by the ten tribes, in revenge of the late overthrow given them by Abijah.

Zerah the Ethiopian. — Who is thought to have reigned over Egypt also.

With a host of a thousand thousand. — A larger host than that of Xerxes. Josephus saith it consisted of nine hundred thousand foot, and one hundred thousand horse.

And three hundred chariots, — sc., Falcatis et aeratis, armed with scythes, and other instruments of death.

And came unto Mareshah. — The country of the prophet Micah, the Morasthite, in the tribe of Judah. Here, then, was Hannibal ad portas.

Verse 10

Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

In the valley of Zephathah. — See Judges 1:17 .

Verse 11

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art] our God; let not man prevail against thee.

It is nothing with thee. — See 1 Samuel 14:9 .

Help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee. — Adiuva nos, nam te nitimur: Asa found his great army outmatched, and therefore resteth wholly upon God, and sped accordingly, as Hanani afterwards mindeth him. 2 Chronicles 16:8

For in thy name, — i.e., For thy service and glory, by thy will, under thy conduct, calling upon thy name, and resting on thy power.

Let not man prevail against thee. — Sorry, sickly man, as the word signifieth.

Verse 12

So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

So the Lord smote the Ethiopians. — Egit in praecipitiurn, he tumbled them down headlong.

Verse 13

And Asa and the people that [were] with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.

Unto Gerar. — A city of the Philistines, who took part, it is likely, with these Ethiopians, and therefore suffered with them.

That they could not recover themselves. — Heb., There was no life in them; pecoris instar trucidabantur, they were slain as dogs.

And before his host. — His host of angels, saith Lyra

And they carried away very much spoil. — A good amends for the treasure that Shishak, king of Egypt and Ethiopia, took from Rehoboam. Riches come and go, accedunt et recedunt instar Euripi, they do often change masters.

Verse 14

And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.

And they smote all the cities. — See on 2 Chronicles 14:13 .

Verse 15

They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

They smote also the tents of cattle. — The Arabian Scenites, who had also aided the Ethiopians, and now had enough of it. "So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord."