| 章 |
| 14:1 |
So Abijah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. His son Asa succeeded him. In his days the land had rest for ten years.
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| 14:2 |
Asa did what was good and right in the sight of the LORD his God.
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| 14:3 |
He took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, hewed down the sacred poles,
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| 14:4 |
and commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to keep the law and the commandment.
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| 14:5 |
He also removed from all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him.
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| 14:6 |
He built fortified cities in Judah while the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the LORD gave him peace.
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| 14:7 |
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 peace on every side." So they built and prospered.
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| 14:8 |
Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand troops from Benjamin who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty warriors.
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| 14:9 |
Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.
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| 14:10 |
Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
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| 14:11 |
Asa cried to the LORD his God, "O LORD, there is no difference for you between helping the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let no mortal prevail against you."
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| 14:12 |
So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
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| 14:13 |
Asa and the army with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until no one remained alive; for they were broken before the LORD and his army. The people of Judah carried away a great quantity of booty.
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| 14:14 |
They defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD was on them. They plundered all the cities; for there was much plunder in them.
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| 14:15 |
They also attacked the tents of those who had livestock, and carried away sheep and goats in abundance, and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
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