1 Abias descansou com seus pais, e o sepultaram na Cidade de Davi. Em seu lugar reinou seu filho Asa, em cujos dias a terra esteve em paz dez anos. 2 Asa fez o que era bom e reto perante o Senhor, seu Deus. 3 Porque aboliu os altares dos deuses estranhos e o culto nos altos, quebrou as colunas e cortou os postes-ídolos. 4 Ordenou a Judá que buscasse ao Senhor, Deus de seus pais, e que observasse a lei e o mandamento. 5 Também aboliu de todas as cidades de Judá o culto nos altos e os altares do incenso; e houve paz no seu reinado.

6 Edificou cidades fortificadas em Judá, pois havia paz na terra, e não houve guerra contra ele naqueles anos, porquanto o Senhor lhe dera repouso. 7 Disse, pois, a Judá: Edifiquemos estas cidades, cerquemo-las de muros e torres, portas e ferrolhos, enquanto a terra ainda está em paz diante de nós, pois temos buscado ao Senhor, nosso Deus; temo-lo buscado, e ele nos deu repouso de todos os lados. 8 Edificaram e prosperaram. Tinha Asa, no seu exército, trezentos mil de Judá, que traziam pavês e lança, e duzentos e oitenta mil de Benjamim, que traziam escudo e atiravam com arco; todos eram homens valentes.

9 Zerá, o etíope, saiu contra eles, com um exército de um milhão de homens e trezentos carros, e chegou até Maressa. 10 Então, Asa saiu contra ele; e ordenaram a batalha no vale de Zefatá, perto de Maressa. 11 Clamou Asa ao Senhor, seu Deus, e disse: Senhor, além de ti não há quem possa socorrer numa batalha entre o poderoso e o fraco; ajuda-nos, pois, Senhor, nosso Deus, porque em ti confiamos e no teu nome viemos contra esta multidão. Senhor, tu és o nosso Deus, não prevaleça contra ti o homem. 12 O Senhor feriu os etíopes diante de Asa e diante de Judá; e eles fugiram. 13 Asa e o povo que estava com ele os perseguiram até Gerar; e caíram os etíopes sem restar nem um sequer; porque foram destroçados diante do Senhor e diante do seu exército, e levaram dali mui grande despojo. 14 Feriram todas as cidades ao redor de Gerar, porque o terror do Senhor as havia invadido; e saquearam todas as cidades, porque havia nelas muita presa. 15 Também feriram as tendas dos donos do gado, levaram ovelhas em abundância e camelos e voltaram para Jerusalém.

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 LORD 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 groves:

4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD 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 LORD had given him rest.

7 Therefore he said to 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 has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

8 And Asa had an army of men that bore targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore 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 an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came to 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 to the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let no man prevail against you.

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

13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them to 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.

14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came on 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.