1 (a)(A)So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days.
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.
1 (a)Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa became king in his place.(A) During his reign the land experienced peace for 10 years.
1 Asa practiced what the LORD his God considered to be right
3 for he removed (B)the foreign altars and (C)high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the (c)(D)Asherim,
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:
3 He removed the pagan altars and the high places. He shattered their sacred pillars and chopped down their Asherah poles.(C)
3 commanding Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to keep the Law and the commandments.
3 He removed the foreign altars and high places and tore down the [pagan] pillars (obelisks, memorial stones), and cut to pieces the Asherim [the symbols of the goddess Asherah].
4 and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment.
4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
4 He told the people of Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to carry out the instruction and the commands.
4 He also removed the high places and incense altars from all of the cities of Judah. As a result, the kingdom enjoyed rest under Asa's leadership.
4 And he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers [to inquire of and for Him and seek Him as a vital necessity], and to observe the law [given to Moses] and the commandment.
5 He also removed the high places and the (E)incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was undisturbed under him.
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.
5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah,(D) and the kingdom experienced peace under him.
5 Asa built fortified cities throughout Judah while the land lay undisturbed, because the LORD had given him peace so that no one went to war against him during those years.
5 Asa also removed the [idolatrous] high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom was at rest and undisturbed under his reign.
6 (F)He built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and (d)there was no one at war with him during those years, (G)because the Lord had given him rest.
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.
6 Because the land experienced peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah.(E) No one made war with him in those days because the Lord gave him rest.(F)
6 He had told Judah, "Let's build up these cities, surrounding them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land still belongs to us, because we have kept on seeking the LORD our God. We have sought him out, and he has given us rest all around us." So the people built and prospered.
6 He built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was at rest, and there was no one at war with him in those years, because the Lord had given him rest.
7 For he said to Judah, “(H)Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still (e)ours because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.
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.
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.(G) The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God. We sought Him and He gave us rest on every side.” So they built and succeeded.
7 Asa kept a standing army of 300,000 soldiers from Judah equipped with large shields and spears, as well as 280,000 soldiers from Benjamin, also bearing shields and wielding bows. All of them were valiant soldiers.
7 So he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates and bars [to secure the doors]. The land is still ours because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him [longing for Him with all our heart] and He has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered.
8 Now Asa had an army of (I)300,000 from Judah, bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, bearing shields and wielding bows; all of them were valiant warriors.
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.
8 Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah bearing large shields and spears,(H) and 280,000 from Benjamin bearing regular shields and drawing the bow. All these were brave warriors.
8 Sometime later, Zerah the Ethiopian went to war against him at Mareshah with an army of one million troops and 300 chariots.
8 Now Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, who carried large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, who carried shields and drew bows, all courageous men.
9 Now Zerah the Ethiopian (J)came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and he came to (K)Mareshah.
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.
9 Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of one million men and 300(c) chariots. They came as far as Mareshah.
9 Asa went out to engage him in battle, and they drew up their battle lines at Mareshah in the Zephathah Valley.
9 Now Zerah the Ethiopian (Cushite) came out against Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came as far as Mareshah.
10 So Asa went out (f)to meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
10 So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.(I)
10 Asa cried out to the LORD his God, telling him, "LORD, there is no one except for you to help between the powerful and the weak. So help us, LORD God, because we're depending on you and have come against this vast group in your name. LORD, you are our God. Let no mere mortal man defeat you!"
10 Then Asa went out against him, and they drew up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 Then Asa (L)called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, (M)for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.”
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.
11 Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God:(J) “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,(K) and in Your name we have come against this large army. Yahweh, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder You.”
11 So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians right in front of Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians ran away.
11 Asa called out to the Lord his God, saying, “O Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and the weak; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in and rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.”
12 So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
12 Asa and his army pursued the Ethiopians as far as Gerar. So many Ethiopians died that their army could not recover, because it had been shattered in the LORD's presence and in the presence of his army. The Israelis carried off a lot of plunder, too.
12 So the Lord struck the Ethiopians [with defeat] before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
13 Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as (O)Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that (h)they could not recover, for they were shattered before the Lord and before His army. And they carried away very much plunder.
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.
13 Then Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar.(M) The Cushites fell until they had no survivors, for they were crushed before Yahweh and His army. So the people of Judah carried off a great supply of loot.
13 They attacked all the cities that surrounded Gerar, because fear of the LORD had overwhelmed them. The Israelis spoiled all the cities, because there was a lot to plunder in them.
14 They (i)destroyed all the cities around Gerar, (P)for the dread of the Lord had fallen on them; and they despoiled all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.
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.
14 Then they attacked all the cities around Gerar because the terror of the Lord was on them.(N) They also plundered all the cities, since there was a great deal of plunder in them.
14 They also attacked the tents of those who owned livestock and carried off lots of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
14 They attacked and destroyed all the cities around Gerar, for the dread of the Lord had fallen on them. They plundered all the cities, for there was a large amount of spoil in them.
15 They also struck down (j)those who owned livestock, and they carried away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.
15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and captured many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
15 They also struck down the people [living] in tents who had livestock, and took captive large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
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