| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 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. | 1And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years. |
| 2And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: | 2Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. |
| 3For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: | 3He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. |
| 4And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. | 4He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands. |
| 5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. | 5He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. |
| 6And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. | 6He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the LORD gave 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 hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. | 7"Let us build up these towns," he said to Judah, "and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered. |
| 8And Asa had an army of men that bare targets 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 valour. | 8Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men. |
| 9And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. | 9Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. |
| 10Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. | 10Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. |
| 11And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. | 11Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. LORD, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you." |
| 12So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. | 12The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, |
| 13And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. | 13and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the LORD and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder. |
| 14And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. | 14They destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for the terror of the LORD had fallen on them. They looted all these villages, since there was much plunder there. |
| 15They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. | 15They also attacked the camps of the herders and carried off droves of sheep and goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem. |
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