1 Kings 15:9-24 - The Reign Of Asa In Judah

⁹ Jeroboam had been king of Israel twenty years. Asa became king of Judah. ¹⁰ He was king for forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.

¹¹ Asa did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as David his father did. ¹² He banished perverted persons from the land. He removed those used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods. He removed all the idols his fathers had made. ¹³ He would not let Maacah his mother be queen, because she had made a disgusting image for Asherah. Asa had the obscene image cut down and burned by the Kidron Stream. ¹⁴ The high places were not taken away. Nevertheless Asa's heart was true to Jehovah all his life. ¹⁵ He brought into the Temple of Jehovah all the things he and his father made holy, silver and gold and vessels.

¹⁶ There was war between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, through out their reigns. ¹⁷ And Baasha, king of Israel, went up against Judah. He fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or in to Asa the king of Judah. ¹⁸ Then Asa took all the silver and gold still stored in Jehovah's Temple, and in the king's house, and delivered them, in the care of his servants, to Ben-hadad, son of Tabrimmon, son of Rezon, king of Aram, at Damascus. He said: ¹⁹ Let there be an agreement between us just as there was between my father and your father. I have sent you an offering of silver and gold. End your agreement with Baasha, king of Israel that he may give up attacking me.

²⁰ Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa's request and sent his armies to attack Israel. He conquered Ijon and Dan and Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth as far as the land of Naphtali. ²¹ When Baasha heard this he stopped fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. ²² Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah. Every man came to carry away the stone and the timber Baasha used to fortify Ramah. King Asa used them for building Geba in the land of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

²³ The rest of the events of Asa's reign, the extent of his power and the names of the cities he built are all recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. His feet became diseased, as he grew old. ²⁴ So Asa went to rest with his fathers and was buried in the town of David his father. Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place.

¹ Abijah slept in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king. In Asa's time the land had peace for ten years.

² Asa did what Jehovah his God considered good and right. ³ He got rid of the altars of foreign gods. He broke down the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. ⁴ He told the people of Judah to dedicate their lives to Jehovah. They were to serve the God of their ancestors and observe (obey) his teachings and commandments. ⁵ He got rid of the illegal places of worship and destroyed the altars for incense in all the cities of Judah. The kingdom was at peace during his reign.

⁶ He built fortified cities in Judah and the land had peace. There was no war during those years because Jehovah gave him a time of peace. ⁷ Asa told Judah: Let us build these cities and make walls around them with towers and doors that can be barred. The country is still ours because we have dedicated our lives to serve Jehovah our God. We have dedicated our lives to him. He has surrounded us with peace. So they built the cities, and everything went well.

⁸ Asa had an army of three hundred thousand Judeans who were armed with large shields and spears and two hundred and eighty thousand Benjaminites who were armed with small shields and bows. All of these men were strong fighting men. ⁹ Zerah from Ethiopia led an army of a million soldiers and three hundred chariots to the town of Mareshah in Judah. ¹⁰ Asa met him there. The two armies prepared for battle in Zephathah Valley near Mareshah.

¹¹ Asa prayed: Jehovah, only you can help a powerless army defeat a stronger one. We depend on you to help us. We will fight against this powerful army to honor your name! We know that you will not be defeated. You are Jehovah our God. Do not let man prevail against you.

¹² Jehovah helped Asa and his army defeat the Ethiopians. The enemy soldiers ran away, ¹³ Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. It was a total defeat! The Ethiopians could not even fight back! The soldiers from Judah took everything that had belonged to the Ethiopians. ¹⁴ Asa and his army attacked all the cities around Gerar because the cities were in dread of Jehovah. The army looted all the cities because there were many things to take. ¹⁵ They also attacked those who were letting their cattle graze and captured many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.