2 Chronicles 14

2 Chronicles 14:1 Abijah lied down with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa became king in his place. During his reign, the land experienced peace for ten years.

2 Chronicles 14:2 Asa did what was good and right in the sight of Yahveh his God.

2 Chronicles 14:3 He removed the pagan altars and high places, shattered their sacred pillars, and chopped down their Asherah poles.

2 Chronicles 14:4 He told the people of Judah to seek Yahveh, the God of their ancestors, and to carry out the instructions and the commands.

2 Chronicles 14:5 He also removed the high places and the shrines from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom experienced peace under him.

2 Chronicles 14:6 Because the land experienced peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. No one made war with him in those days because Yahveh allowed him rest.

2 Chronicles 14:7 So he said to the people of Judah, “Let’s build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we sought Yahveh, our God. We sought him, and he gave us rest on every side.” So, they built and succeeded.

2 Chronicles 14:8 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand from Benjamin bearing regular shields and drawing the bow. All these were powerful warriors.

2 Chronicles 14:9 Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with one million efficient men and three hundred chariots. They came as far as Mareshah.

2 Chronicles 14:10 So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in Zephathah Valley at Mareshah.

2 Chronicles 14:11 Then Asa cried out to Yahveh his God: “Lord, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on you, and in your name, we have come against this large army. Lord, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you.”

2 Chronicles 14:12 So Yahveh routed the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled.

2 Chronicles 14:13 Then Asa and the people who were with him chased them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell until they had no survivors, for they were crushed before Yahveh and his army. So, the people of Judah carried off a plentiful supply of plunder.[1]

2 Chronicles 14:14 Then they struck down all the cities around Gerar because Yahveh’s terror was on them. They also plundered[2] all the cities, as there was a great deal of plunder[3] in them.

2 Chronicles 14:15 They also struck down the tents of the herdsmen and captured many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

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[1] שָׁלָל = spoil, plunder. 2 Chronicles 14:13; 15:11; 20:25; 24:23; 28:8, 15.

[2] בָּזָז = capture as plunder. 2 Chronicles 14:14; 20:25; 25:13; 28:8.

[3] בָּזָז = plunder. 2 Chronicles 14:14; 25:13.

links:

a million mighty men – Devotions
between the weak and the mighty

The 2 Chronicles shelf in Jeff’s library