1 Adormeceu Abias com seus pais, e sepultaram-no na cidade de Davi. Em seu lugar reinou seu filho Asa, em cujos dias a terra esteve em paz dez anos.2 Fez Asa o que era bom e justo aos olhos de Jeová seu Deus,3 porque removeu os altares estranhos e os altos, quebrou as colunas e cortou os aserins.4 Ordenou a Judá que buscasse a Jeová, Deus de seus pais, e observasse a lei e o mandamento.5 Também de todas as cidades de Judá removeu os altos e as imagens do sol; e sob ele o reino esteve em paz.6 Edificou cidades fortificadas em Judá; pois a terra estava em paz, e ele não fazia guerra nesses anos, porque Jeová lhe tinha dado descanso.7 Disse a Judá: Edifiquemos estas cidades, e ao redor delas façamos muros e torres, portas e ferrolhos; a terra ainda está diante de nós, porque temos buscado a Jeová nosso Deus; temo-lo buscado, e ele nos há dado descanso de todos os lados. Edificaram e prosperaram.8 Asa tinha um exército de trezentos mil de Judá, que traziam paveses e lanças; e de Benjamim duzentos e oitenta mil que traziam escudos e atiravam com arco: todos estes eram ilustres em valor.9 Saiu contra ele Zerá etíope com um exército de um milhão de homens, e trezentos carros; e chegou até Maresa.10 Então Asa saiu-lhe ao encontro, e ordenaram a batalha no vale de Zefata, perto de Maresa.11 Asa clamou a Jeová seu Deus e disse: Além de ti não há quem ajude o fraco contra o poderoso; ajuda-nos, Jeová nosso Deus, porque em ti confiamos e em teu nome viemos contra esta multidão. Jeová, tu és nosso Deus; não prevaleça o homem contra ti.12 Feriu Jeová os etíopes diante de Asa e diante de Judá; e os etíopes fugiram.13 Asa, e a gente que estava com ele, perseguiram-nos até Gerar (e os etíopes caíram sem poder salvar a vida, porque foram destroçados diante de Jeová e diante do seu exército), e levaram mui grande despojo.14 Feriram todas as cidades ao redor de Gerar, porque lhes sobreveio o temor da parte de Jeová; e despojaram todas as cidades, pois nelas havia muita presa.15 Também feriram as malhadas do gado, levaram ovelhas em grande quantidade e camelos, e voltaram para Jerusalém.

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.