1 And Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa, his son, reigned for him. In whose days the land rested in peace ten years.

2 And Asa did that, that was good and pleasant in the sight of his God,

3 and he destroyed the altars of strange worshipping, that is, of idolatry, and the high places, and brake alto-gether the images, and cutted down [the] maumet woods;

4 and he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and all [the] commandments.

5 And he took away from all the cities of Judah altars and temples of idols, and he reigned in peace.

6 And he builded strong cities in Judah; for he was in rest, and no battles rose in his times, for the Lord gave him peace.

7 And Asa said to Judah, Build we [up] these cities, and encompass we them with walls, and strengthen we them with towers, and gates, and locks, as long as all things be restful from battle; for we have sought the Lord God of our fathers, and he hath given to us rest by compass. There-fore they builded, and there was no hindering in the building.

8 And Asa had in his host three hundred thousand of men of Judah bearing shields and spears; and of Benjamin, he had two hundred thousand and fourscore thousand of shield-bearers and of archers; all these were full strong men.

9 Forsooth Zerah of Ethiopia went out against them with his host of ten hundred thousand, and with three hundred chariots, and came unto Mareshah.

10 Certainly Asa went out against them, and they arrayed battle array in the valley of Zephathah, which is beside Mareshah.

11 And Asa inwardly called the Lord God, and said, Lord, no diversity is with thee, whether thou help in few, either in many; our Lord God, help thou us, for we have trust in thee, and in thy name, and we came against this multitude; Lord, thou art our God, a man have not the mastery against thee.

12 Therefore the Lord made afeared Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and Ethiopians fled;

13 and Asa and his people, that was with him, pursued them unto Gerar. And Ethiopians felled down to death, for they were all-broken by the Lord slaying, and by his host fighting. Then they took many spoils,

14 and they smote all the cities about Gerar; for great dread had assailed all men. And they spoiled or rifled the cities, and bare away much prey;

15 and also they destroyed the folds of sheep, and they took multitude without number of sheep and of camels, and they turned again into Jerusalem.