| New International Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 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. | 1So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days. |
| 2Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. | 2Asa did good and right in the sight of the LORD his God, |
| 3He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. | 3for he removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, |
| 4He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands. | 4and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment. |
| 5He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. | 5He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was undisturbed under him. |
| 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. | 6He built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and there was no one at war with him during those years, because the LORD had given him rest. |
| 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. | 7For he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours 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. |
| 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. | 8Now Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, bearing shields and wielding bows; all of them were valiant warriors. |
| 9Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. | 9Now Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and he came to Mareshah. |
| 10Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. | 10So Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. |
| 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." | 11Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You." |
| 12The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, | 12So the LORD routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. |
| 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. | 13Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that they could not recover, for they were shattered before the LORD and before His army. And they carried away very much plunder. |
| 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. | 14They destroyed all the cities around Gerar, for the dread of the LORD had fallen on them; and they despoiled all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. |
| 15They also attacked the camps of the herders and carried off droves of sheep and goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem. | 15They also struck down those who owned livestock, and they carried away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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