¶ So Abijah slept¹ with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa³ his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

And Asa did that which was good and right⁴ in the eyes of the LORD his God:

For he took⁵ away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places⁶, and brake⁷ down the images⁸, and cut down⁹ the groves:

And commanded¹⁰ Judah to seek¹¹ the LORD God of their fathers, and to do¹² the law and the commandment.

Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images¹³: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

And he built¹⁴ fenced cities in Judah: for the land¹⁵ had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD¹⁶ had given him rest.

Therefore¹⁷ he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land¹⁸ is yet before us; because we have sought¹⁹ the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given²⁰ us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah²¹ 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.

¶ And there came out against them Zerah²² the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah²³.

¶ Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah²⁴ at Mareshah.

And Asa cried unto²⁶ the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing²⁷ with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that²⁸ have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee,²⁹ and in thy name³⁰ we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man³¹ prevail against thee.

³²So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar³³: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed³⁴ before the LORD, and before his host³⁵; and they carried away very much spoil.

And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear³⁶ of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding³⁷ much spoil in them.

They smote also the tents of cattle³⁸, and carried away³⁹ sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.