2 Chronicles 14:1-7

Abijah lay down with his ancestors and was buried in David's City. His son Asa succeeded him as king.

Asa rules Judah

1 In Asa's time, the land had peace for ten years.

2 Asa did what was right and good in the LORD his God's eyes.

3 He removed the foreign altars and shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the sacred poles,

4 and urged Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, by doing what the Instruction and the commandments required.

5 He also removed the shrines and incense altars from all the cities of Judah so that the kingdom was at peace under him.

6 When the land was at peace, he built fortified cities in Judah; there was no war in those years because the LORD had given him rest.

7 "Let's build up these cities," Asa told Judah. "We'll surround them with walls, towers, gates, and crossbars while the land is still ours, because we sought the LORD our God and he sought us and surrounded us with rest." As a result, the people successfully completed their building projects.

2 Chronicles 14:1-7 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] 13:23 in Heb
• [b] 14:1 in Heb
• [c] Heb asherim, perhaps objects devoted to the goddess Asherah; cf 1 Kgs 15:13
• [d] LXX; MT lacks and and repeats we sought.