1 Abijah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. His son Asa reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. 3 He removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to obey the law and the commandment. 5 He removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. 6 He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land was quiet and he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest. 7 He said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates, and bars while the land still lies open before us. For 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.

8 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah carrying large shields and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin carrying smaller shields and drawing bows. All these were mighty men of valor.

9 Zerah the Cushite came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. 11 Asa cried out to the LORD his God, “LORD, it is nothing for you to help, whether with many or with those who have no strength. Help us, LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. LORD, you are our God; do not let a mortal prevail against you.”

12 The LORD defeated the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled. 13 Asa and the people with him pursued them as far as Gerar. So many Cushites fell that they could not recover, for they were shattered before the LORD and his army. Asa and his people carried off a great deal of plunder. 14 They struck all the cities around Gerar, for the terror of the LORD was on them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much spoil in them. 15 They also attacked the livestock camps and took great numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.