Asa Reigns in Judah
(1 Kings 15:9–15)

1Then Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And his son, Asa, reigned in his place. During his days, the land was quiet for ten years.

2Now Asa did what was good and pleasing in the sight of his God. And he overturned the altars of foreign worship, and the high places. 3And he broke apart the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves. 4And he instructed Judah that they should seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and that they should carry out the law and all the commandments. 5And he took away, from all the cities of Judah, the altars and the shrines. And he reigned in peace. 6Also, he built fortified cities in Judah. For it was quiet, and in his time no wars had arisen. For the Lord was generously granting peace. 7Then he said to Judah: “Let us build these cities, and strengthen them with walls, and fortify them with towers and gates and bars, while all things are at rest from wars. For we have sought the Lord, the God of our fathers, and he has granted to us peace on every side.” And so they built, and there was nothing to impede them from building. 8Now Asa had in his army three hundred thousand men of Judah, carrying shields and spears, and truly, of Benjamin, two hundred eighty thousand men with shields and bows. All of these were very valiant men.

9Then Zerah, the Ethiopian, went forth against them with his army of one million men, and three hundred chariots. And he approached as far as Mareshah. 10And Asa traveled to meet him, and he set up a battle line for the war in the Valley of Zephathah, which is near Mareshah. 11And he called upon the Lord God, and he said: “O Lord, there is no difference to you, whether you assist by few, or by many. Help us, O Lord our God. For having faith in you and in your name, we have gone forth against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God. Do not allow man to prevail against you.” 12And so the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah. And the Ethiopians fled. 13And Asa, and the people who were with him, pursued them as far as Gerar. And the Ethiopians fell, even unto utter destruction, for the Lord was striking, and his army was battling, and they were destroyed. Therefore, they took many spoils. 14And they struck all the cities surrounding Gerar. For indeed, a great fear had overwhelmed everyone. And they despoiled the cities, and they carried away much plunder. 15Then too, destroying the fencing for the sheep, they took an innumerable multitude of cattle and camels. And they returned to Jerusalem.