2 Chronicles 14

Asa Reigns in Judah

1 ^{[a] 1}Abijah slept 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 had rest for ten years.

2 ^[b] And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.

3 He took away the foreign altars ²and the high places and broke down ³the pillars and cut down the ⁴Asherim

4 and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment.

5 He also took out of all the cities of Judah ⁵the high places and the ⁶incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him.

6 He built ⁷fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest. He had no war in those years, ⁸for the Lord gave him peace.

7 And he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with ⁹walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God. We have sought him, ¹⁰and he has given us peace on every side. ” So they built and prospered.

8 And Asa had an army of ,000 from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin that carried shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor.

9 Zerah ¹¹the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as ¹²Mareshah.

10 And Asa went out to meet him, and ¹³they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at ¹⁴Mareshah.

11 And Asa ¹⁵cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, ¹⁶for we rely on you, ¹⁷and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you. ”

12 ¹⁸So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.

13 Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as ¹⁹Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive, for they were broken before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah^[c] carried away very much spoil.

14 And they attacked all the cities around ²⁰Gerar, ²¹for the fear of the Lord was upon them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.

15 And they struck down the tents of those who had livestock and carried away sheep in abundance and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

Asa's piety, He strengthens his kingdom.

- Asa aimed at pleasing God, and studied to approve himself to him. Happy those that walk by this rule, not to do that which is right in their own eyes, or in the eye of the world, but which is so in God's sight. We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it gives us rest; while we pursue the world, we meet with nothing but vexation. Asa consulted with his people how to make a good use of the peace they enjoyed; and concluded with them that they must not be idle, nor secure. A formidable army of Ethiopians invaded Asa's kingdom. This evil came upon them, that their faith in God might be tried. Asa's prayer is short, but it is the real language of faith and expectation from God. When we go forth in God's name, we cannot but prosper, and all things work together for the good of those whom he favours.

Cross References

• 1. 14:1 [1 Kgs. 15:8]
• 2. 14:3 [ch. 15:17; 1 Kgs. 15:14]
• 3. 14:3 See Ex. 23:24
• 4. 14:3 Ex. 34:13
• 5. 14:5 [See ver. 3 above]
• 6. 14:5 ch. 34:4, 7; Lev. 26:30; Isa. 17:8; 27:9; Ezek. 6:4, 6
• 7. 14:6 See ch. 11:5
• 8. 14:6 ch. 15:15; 20:30
• 9. 14:7 ch. 8:5
• 10. 14:7 [See ver. 6 above]
• 11. 14:8 [ch. 13:3]
• 12. 14:9 ch. 12:3; 16:8
• 13. 14:9 ch. 11:8; Josh. 15:44
• 14. 14:10 ch. 13:3
• 15. 14:10 [See ver. 9 above]
• 16. 14:11 ch. 13:14; Ex. 14:10
• 17. 14:11 ch. 13:18
• 18. 14:11 [1 Sam. 17:45]
• 19. 14:12 ch. 13:15
• 20. 14:13 Gen. 10:19; 20:1; 26:1, 6
• 21. 14:14 [See ver. 13 above]
• 22. 14:14 ch. 17:10; 20:29; [Gen. 35:5]

Footnotes

• [a] 14:1 Ch 13:23 in Hebrew
• [b] 14:2 Ch 14:1 in Hebrew
• [c] 14:13 Hebrew 'They'

Chapter Summary

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.