Chapter 14

¹ And Abia died with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In the days of Asa the land of Juda had rest ten years.

² And he did that which was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God. ³ And he removed the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and broke the ¹pillars in pieces, and cut down the groves: ⁴ and he told Juda to seek earnestly the Lord God of their fathers, and to perform the law and commandments. ⁵ And he removed from all the cities of Juda the altars and the idols, and established in quietness ⁶ fortified cities in the land of Juda; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in these years; for the Lord gave him rest. ⁷ And he said to Juda, Let us fortify these cities, and make walls, and towers, and gates, and bars: we shall prevail ²over the land, for as we have sought out the Lord our God, he has sought out us, and has given us rest round about, and prospered us. ⁸ And Asa had a force of armed men bearing shields and spears in the land of Juda, even three hundred thousand, and in the land of Benjamin ³two hundred and eighty thousand targeteers and archers: all these were mighty warriors.

⁹ And Zare the Ethiopian went out against them, with a force of a million, and three hundred chariots; and came to Maresa. ¹⁰ And Asa went out to meet him, and set the battle in array in the valley north of Maresa. ¹¹ And Asa cried to the Lord his God, and said, O Lord, it is not impossible with thee to save by many or by few: strengthen us, O Lord our God; for we trust in thee, and in thy name have we come against this great multitude. O Lord our God, let not man prevail against thee. ¹² And the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Juda; and the Ethiopians fled. ¹³ And Asa and his people pursued them to Gedor; and the Ethiopians fell, so that they could not ⁴recover themselves; for they were crushed before the Lord, and before his

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host; and they took many spoils. ¹⁴ And they destroyed their towns roundabout Gedor; for a terror of the Lord was upon them: and they spoiled all their cities, for they had much spoil. ¹⁵ Also they destroyed the tents of cattle, and the ⁵Alimazons, and took many sheep and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.