Asa Reigns in Judah
(1 Kings 15:9–15)
Then Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place, and in his days the land was at peace for ten years. 1Ch 3:101Ki 14:311Ki 15:8-241Ki 2:102Ch 9:31Mat 1:7-8
And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. 1Ki 15:111Ki 15:142Ch 31:20Luk 1:75 He removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and chopped down the Asherah poles. Deu 7:52Ki 23:14Exo 34:131Ki 15:12-142Ch 15:171Ki 11:7-81Ki 14:22-242Ch 34:4 He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandments. 1Sa 3:132Ch 11:162Ch 29:212Ch 29:272Ch 29:302Ch 30:122Ch 30:192Ch 33:16 He also removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace. 2Ch 34:42Ch 34:7
Because the land was at peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. In those days no one made war with him, because the LORD had given him rest. 2Ch 15:151Ch 22:92Ch 11:5-12Job 34:291Ki 5:42Ch 8:2-6Jdg 3:11Jdg 3:30 So he said to the people of Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God. We have sought Him and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. 1Pe 3:122Ch 14:61Ch 28:9Jer 29:12-14Jhn 12:35-362Ch 14:42Ch 32:52Ch 8:5
Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing small shields and drawing the bow. All these were mighty men of valor. 2Ch 13:32Ch 11:12Ch 17:14-192Ch 25:5
Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men 1and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah. 2Ch 16:82Ch 11:82Ch 12:2-3Jos 15:442Ki 19:9Ezk 30:5Isa 8:9-10Mic 1:15 So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. 2 Jdg 1:17Jos 19:4
Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. 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. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.” Jer 1:192Co 12:9-10Psa 22:5Psa 20:72Ch 13:14Rom 8:31Act 2:211Sa 14:6
So the LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled. 2Ch 13:151Co 15:571Co 9:26Deu 28:7Deu 32:39Exo 14:25Jos 10:10Psa 136:17-18 Then Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell and could not recover, for they were crushed before the LORD and His army. So the people of Judah carried off a great amount of plunder Gen 10:19Gen 20:1Gen 26:12Ch 14:141Ch 12:221Sa 25:282Th 1:9Gen 10:1 and attacked all the cities around Gerar, because the terror of the LORD had fallen upon them. They plundered all the cities, since there was much plunder there. 2Ch 17:10Gen 35:52Ch 20:291Sa 14:152Ch 20:252Ki 7:162Ki 7:6-8Deu 2:25 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and carried off many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem. 1Ch 4:411Ch 5:211Sa 30:20Num 31:30-47Num 31:9