1And Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

2And Asa did that which 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 broke down the images, and cut down the groves. 4And he commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images. And the kingdom was quiet before him. 6And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years because the LORD had given him rest. 7And he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates and bars, while the land is still before us, because we have sought the LORD our God. We have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." And they built and were blessed. 8And Asa had an army which bore bucklers and spears, three hundred thousand out of Judah. And out of Benjamin there were two hundred and eighty thousand who bore shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.

9And Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots. And he came to Mareshah. 10And Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in order in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11And Asa cried to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, it is nothing with You to help, whether with many or with him who has no power. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let man prevail against You." 12And the LORD struck the Cushites before Asa and before Judah. And the Cushites fled. 13And Asa and the people with him pursued them to Gerar. And the Cushites fell, for none was left alive of them, for they were destroyed before the LORD and before His army. And they carried away very much spoil. 14And they struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came upon them. And they plundered all the cities, for there was very much spoil in them. 15And they struck those who had livestock, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance and returned to Jerusalem.