1 And Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
2 And Asa did the good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God.
3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and broke down the images, and cut down the Asherahs.
4 And he commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the Law and the commandment.
5 He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images. And the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 And he built fortified cities in Judah. For the land had rest, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest.
7 And he said to Judah, Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates and bars, while the land is still before us. Because we have sought Jehovah our God, we have sought, and He has given us rest on every side. And they built and were blessed.
8 And Asa had an army which bore bucklers and spears, three hundred thousand out of Judah. And out of Benjamin there were two hundred and eighty thousand who bore shields and drew bows; all these mighty men of valor.
9 And Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men, and three hundred chariots. And he came to Mareshah.
10 And Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in order in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 And Asa cried to Jehovah his God and said, Jehovah, it is nothing with You to help, whether with many or with him who has no power. Help us, O Jehovah our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Jehovah, You are our God. Do not let man prevail against You.
12 And Jehovah struck the Cushites before Asa and before Judah. And the Cushites fled.
13 And Asa and the people with him pursued them to Gerar. And the Cushites fell, for none was left alive of them. For they were destroyed before Jehovah and before His army. And they carried away very much plunder.
14 And they struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of Jehovah came on them. And they plundered all the cities, for there was very much plunder in them.
15 And they struck the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance and returned to Jerusalem.