2 Chronicles 14

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Asa did what was good and pleasing to the LORD, his God,	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 removing the heathen altars and the high places, breaking to pieces the sacred pillars, and cutting 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 He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to observe the law and its commands.	3 And he broke apart the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves.
4 He removed the high places and incense stands from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom had peace.	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 built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had peace and no war was waged against him during these years, because the LORD had given him peace.	5 And he took away, from all the cities of Judah, the altars and the shrines. And he reigned in peace.
6 He said to Judah: "Let us build these cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, for we have sought the LORD, our God; we sought him, and he has given us rest on every side." So 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 shield-and lance-bearers from Judah, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin who carried bucklers and were archers, all of them valiant warriors.	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 Ethiopian moved against them with a force of one million men and three hundred chariots, and he came as far as 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 went out to meet him and set himself in battle array in the valley of Zephathah, near Mareshah.	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 called upon the LORD, his God, praying: "O LORD, there is none like you to help the powerless against the strong. Help us, O LORD, our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. You are the LORD, our God; let no man 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 And so the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and they 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 Asa and those with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until there were no survivors, for they were crushed before the LORD and his army, which carried away enormous spoils.	12 And so the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah. And the Ethiopians fled.
13 Then the Judahites conquered all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD was upon them; they despoiled all the cities, for there was much booty in them.	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 attacked also the tents of the cattle-herders and carried off a great number of sheep and camels. Then they returned 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.