[1] So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
[2] And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God:
[3] for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and brake down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim,
[4] and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
[5] Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
[6] And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest.
[7] For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God; we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
[8] And Asa had an army that bare bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.
[9] And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and he came unto Mareshah.
[10] Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
[11] And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, there is none besides thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength: help us, O Jehovah our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
[12] So Jehovah smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
[13] And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Jehovah, and before his host; and they carried away very much booty.
[14] And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of Jehovah came upon them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them.
[15] They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.