| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa became king in his place. During his reign the land experienced peace for ten years. | 1 When Abijah died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king. There was peace in the land for ten years. |
| 2Asa did what was good and right in the sight of the LORD his God. | 2 Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God. |
| 3He removed the pagan altars and the high places. He shattered their sacred pillars and chopped down their Asherah poles. | 3He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. |
| 4He told the people of Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to carry out the instruction and the commands. | 4He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands. |
| 5He also removed the high places and the shrines from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom experienced peace under him. | 5Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace. |
| 6Because the land experienced peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. No one made war with him in those days because the LORD gave him rest. | 6During those peaceful years, he was able to build up the fortified towns throughout Judah. No one tried to make war against him at this time, for the LORD was giving him rest from his enemies. |
| 7So he said to the people of Judah, "Let's build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the LORD our God. We sought him and he gave us rest on every side." So they built and succeeded. | 7Asa told the people of Judah, “Let us build towns and fortify them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the LORD our God, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion. |
| 8Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand from Benjamin bearing regular shields and drawing the bow. All these were valiant warriors. | 8King Asa had an army of 300,000 warriors from the tribe of Judah, armed with large shields and spears. He also had an army of 280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, armed with small shields and bows. Both armies were composed of well-trained fighting men. |
| 9Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of one million men and three hundred chariots. They came as far as Mareshah. | 9Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah, |
| 10So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in Zephathah Valley at Mareshah. | 10so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah. |
| 11Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: "LORD, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, LORD our God, for we depend on you, and in your name we have come against this large army. LORD, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you." | 11Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, “O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O LORD, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!” |
| 12So the LORD routed the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled. | 12So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled. |
| 13Then Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell until they had no survivors, for they were crushed before the LORD and his army. So the people of Judah carried off a great supply of loot. | 13Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar, and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. They were destroyed by the LORD and his army, and the army of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder. |
| 14Then they attacked all the cities around Gerar because the terror of the LORD was on them. They also plundered all the cities, since there was a great deal of plunder in them. | 14While they were at Gerar, they attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the LORD came upon the people there. As a result, a vast amount of plunder was taken from these towns, too. |
| 15They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and captured many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem. | 15They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep, goats, and camels before finally returning to Jerusalem. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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