2 Chronicles 14:8-15

8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing small shields and drawing the bow. All these were mighty men of valor.

9 Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men ^[a] and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah.

10 So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. ^[b]

11 Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”

12 So the LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled.

13 Then Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell and could not recover, for they were crushed before the LORD and His army. So the people of Judah carried off a great amount of plunder

14 and attacked all the cities around Gerar, because the terror of the LORD had fallen upon them. They plundered all the cities, since there was much plunder there.

15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and carried off many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 14:8-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 14

This chapter relates the death of Abijah, and the succession of Asa in his stead, 2Ch 14:1, gives a good character of the latter for his reformation in religion, and for the care he took for the safety and protection of his subjects, 2Ch 14:2-8, and an account is given of a large army of Ethiopians that came against him, over whom he crying to the Lord, and trusting in him, by his help obtained a complete victory, 2Ch 14:9-15.

Footnotes

• [a] Or an army of thousands and thousands; Hebrew an army of a thousand thousands
• [b] Or the valley north of Mareshah