Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.

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

He removed the foreign altars and the high places, shattered the stone pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.

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

He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey the law and the commandment.

For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:

He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him.

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

He built fortified cities in Judah because the land was at peace. There was no war during those years, for the Lord had given him rest.

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

He said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and surround them with walls, 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 succeeded.

And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin carrying shields and drawing bows. All of them were mighty warriors.

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

Then Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and he came as far as Mareshah.

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

Asa went out to meet him, and they took up positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

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

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 humans prevail against You."

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

The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled.

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell until there was no one left alive, for they were crushed before the Lord and His army. They carried off a very large amount of plunder.

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

They struck down all the cities around Gerar because the terror of the Lord had fallen upon them. They plundered all the cities, for there was a great amount of loot in them.

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

They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and captured large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

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