Asa destroyeth idolatry, overthroweth Zerah, and spoileth the Ethiopians.

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.

²⁾And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORDLord his God:;

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:;

⁴⁾And commanded Judah to seek the LORDLord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

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.

⁶⁾And he built fenced cities in Judah:; for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORDLord had given him rest.

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 LORDLord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

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 valor.

⁹⁾And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with ana host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.

¹⁰⁾Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

¹¹⁾And Asa cried unto the LORDLord his God, and said, LORDLord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power:; help us, O LORDLord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORDLord, thou art our God; let nonot man prevail against thee.

¹²⁾So the LORDLord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

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 LORDLord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.

¹⁴⁾And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORDLord came upon them:; and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.

¹⁵⁾They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.