2 Chronicles, 14

1. Asa did what Yahweh his God regards as good and right.

1. So Abi'jah 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 had rest for ten years.

2. He abolished the foreign altars and the high places, broke the pillars, cut down the sacred poles,

2. And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.

3. and urged Judah to seek Yahweh, God of their ancestors, and to observe the law and commandment.

3. He took away the foreign altars and the high places, and broke down the pillars and hewed down the Ashe'rim,

4. Because he abolished the high places and incense altars through the towns of Judah, the kingdom under him was undisturbed.

4. and commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment.

5. He rebuilt the fortified towns of Judah, since the country was at peace and free of war during those years, because Yahweh had granted him peace.

5. He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him.

6. 'Let us rebuild these towns,' he told Judah, 'let us surround them with wall and tower, with gate and bar while the country is still ours, for we have sought Yahweh our God and he has sought us and given us peace all around.' They built and prospered.

6. He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the LORD gave him peace.

7. Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men of Judah armed with shields and spears and two hundred and eighty thousand men of Benjamin armed with shields and bows, all of them outstanding soldiers.

7. And he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities, and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars; the land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side." So they built and prospered.

8. Zerah the Cushite took the field against them with an army a million strong and three hundred chariots, and penetrated to Mareshah.

8. And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah, armed with bucklers and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand men from Benjamin, that carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.

9. Asa took the field against him and the battle-lines were drawn up in the Valley of Zephathah, at Mareshah.

9. Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mare'shah.

10. Asa then called on Yahweh his God and said, 'Yahweh, numbers and strength make no difference to you when you give your help. Help us, Yahweh our God, for, relying on you, we are confronting this horde in your name. Yahweh, you are our God. Human strength cannot prevail against you!'

10. And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the valley of Zeph'athah at Mare'shah.

11. Yahweh routed the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled,

11. And Asa cried to the LORD his God, "O LORD, there is none like thee to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on thee, and in thy name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee."

12. and Asa pursued them with his army as far as Gerar. So many of the Cushites fell that they were unable to survive. They were cut to pieces by Yahweh and his army. They carried off a great deal of booty,

12. So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.

13. they destroyed all the towns round Gerar -- for a panic from Yahweh had seized the towns -- and plundered all the towns since they were full of loot.

13. Asa and the people that were with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive; for they were broken before the LORD and his army. The men of Judah carried away very much booty.

14. They also routed the cattle-owners and carried off great numbers of sheep and camels; then they returned to Jerusalem.

14. And they smote all the cities round about Gerar, for the fear of the LORD was upon them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.

15.

15. And they smote the tents of those who had cattle, and carried away sheep in abundance and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.