2 Chronicles 14

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Asa did what Yahweh his God regards as good and right.	1 Then Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And his son, Asa, reigned in his place. During his days, the land was quiet for ten years.
2 He abolished the foreign altars and the high places, broke the pil ars, cut down the sacred poles,	2 Now Asa did what was good and pleasing in the sight of his God. And he overturned the altars of foreign worship, and the high places.
3 and urged Judah to seek Yahweh, God of their ancestors, and to observe the law and commandment.	3 And he broke apart the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves.
4 Because he abolished the high places and incense altars through the towns of Judah, the kingdomunder him was undisturbed.	4 And he instructed Judah that they should seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and that they should carry out the law and all the commandments.
5 He rebuilt the fortified towns of Judah, since the country was at peace and free of war during thoseyears, because Yahweh had granted him peace.	5 And he took away, from all the cities of Judah, the altars and the shrines. And he reigned in peace.
6 'Let us rebuild these towns,' he told Judah, 'let us surround them with wal and tower, with gate andbar while the country is still ours, for we have sought Yahweh our God and he has sought us and given us peaceal around.' They built and prospered.	6 Also, he built fortified cities in Judah. For it was quiet, and in his time no wars had arisen. For the Lord was generously granting peace.
7 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men of Judah armed with shields and spears and twohundred and eighty thousand men of Benjamin armed with shields and bows, al of them outstanding soldiers.	7 Then he said to Judah: “Let us build these cities, and strengthen them with walls, and fortify them with towers and gates and bars, while all things are at rest from wars. For we have sought the Lord, the God of our fathers, and he has granted to us peace on every side.” And so they built, and there was nothing to impede them from building.
8 Zerah the Cushite took the field against them with an army a mil ion strong and three hundredchariots, and penetrated to Mareshah.	8 Now Asa had in his army three hundred thousand men of Judah, carrying shields and spears, and truly, of Benjamin, two hundred eighty thousand men with shields and bows. All of these were very valiant men.
9 Asa took the field against him and the battle-lines were drawn up in the Valley of Zephathah, atMareshah.	9 Then Zerah, the Ethiopian, went forth against them with his army of one million men, and three hundred chariots. And he approached as far as Mareshah.
10 Asa then cal ed on Yahweh his God and said, 'Yahweh, numbers and strength make no difference toyou when you give your help. Help us, Yahweh our God, for, relying on you, we are confronting this horde inyour name. Yahweh, you are our God. Human strength cannot prevail against you!'	10 And Asa traveled to meet him, and he set up a battle line for the war in the Valley of Zephathah, which is near Mareshah.
11 Yahweh routed the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled,	11 And he called upon the Lord God, and he said: “O Lord, there is no difference to you, whether you assist by few, or by many. Help us, O Lord our God. For having faith in you and in your name, we have gone forth against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God. Do not allow man to prevail against you.”
12 and Asa pursued them with his army as far as Gerar. So many of the Cushites fel that they wereunable to survive. They were cut to pieces by Yahweh and his army. They carried off a great deal of booty,	12 And so the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah. And the Ethiopians fled.
13 they destroyed al the towns round Gerar -- for a panic from Yahweh had seized the towns -- andplundered all the towns since they were ful of loot.	13 And Asa, and the people who were with him, pursued them as far as Gerar. And the Ethiopians fell, even unto utter destruction, for the Lord was striking, and his army was battling, and they were destroyed. Therefore, they took many spoils.
14 They also routed the cattle-owners and carried off great numbers of sheep and camels; then theyreturned to Jerusalem.	14 And they struck all the cities surrounding Gerar. For indeed, a great fear had overwhelmed everyone. And they despoiled the cities, and they carried away much plunder.
	15 Then too, destroying the fencing for the sheep, they took an innumerable multitude of cattle and camels. And they returned to Jerusalem.