2 Chronicles 14:8

The Ethiopian Invasion

8 Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin bearing regular shields and drawing the bow. All these were brave warriors.

2 Chronicles 14:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 14:8

And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of
Judah three hundred thousand
These were armed with a large sort of shield, to protect them, and with spears, to push at an enemy when they came near them, and to close quarters with them:

and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and
fourscore thousand;
these had also a lesser sort of shields, to defend their bodies, and bows and arrows, to annoy an enemy at a distance:

all these were mighty men of valour;
able bodied men, valiant and courageous; perhaps Asa gathered these together, on hearing that the Ethiopians were preparing to attack him, as follows.

2 Chronicles 14:8 In-Context

6 Because the land experienced peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. No one made war with him in those days because the Lord gave him rest.

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. 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.

8 Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin bearing regular shields and drawing the bow. All these were brave warriors.

9 Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of one million men and 300 chariots. They came as far as Mareshah.

10 So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.