1So 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.

Asa King of Judah

2And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

3For he took away the altars of the foreign gods, and the high places, and broke down the images, and cut down the idol poles:

4And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars: and the kingdom was quiet under him.

6And he built fortified cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

7Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

8And Asa had an army of men that bore large shields and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.

9And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.

10Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

11And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.

12So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

13And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, so that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his army; and they carried away very much plunder.

14And they defeated all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they plundered all the cities; for there was very much plunder in them.

15They struck also the enclosures of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.