Chapter 14

  So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.  

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  Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God:  

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  for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim,  

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  and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.  

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  Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.  

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  He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest.  

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

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

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  There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million troops, and three hundred chariots; and he came to Mareshah.  

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

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  Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, Yahweh, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength: help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God; don't let man prevail against you.  

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  So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.  

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  Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Yahweh, and before his host; and they carried away very much booty.  

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  They struck all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of Yahweh came on them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them.  

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

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