1 So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God,

3 for he removed the foreign altars and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and chopped down the groves.

4 He commanded Judah to seek Jehovah the God of their fathers, and to do the Law and the commandment.

5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet before him.

6 And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest.

7 Therefore he said to Judah, Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought Jehovah 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 three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.

9 Then 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 array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

11 And Asa cried out unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no strength; help us, O Jehovah our God, for we have trusted 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 So Jehovah struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.

13 And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians fell, and they could not recover, for they were broken before Jehovah and His army. And they carried away very much spoils.

14 And they struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of Jehovah had come upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much spoils in them.

15 They also struck the tents of the livestock, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.