the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
8 And Asa had an army of men that bore shields and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.
9 And there came out against them Zerah the Cushite with an host of a million, and three hundred chariots; and came to Mareshah.
10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 And Asa cried to the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. [1]
12 So the LORD smote the Cushites before Asa, and before Judah; and the Cushites fled.
13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them to Gerar: and the Cushites were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. [2]
14 And they smote all the cities about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they smote all the cities; for there was very much spoil in them.
15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.
CHAP. 15.
1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye are with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. [3]
3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
4 But when they in their trouble returned to the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
6 And nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city: for God troubled them with all adversity. [4]
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and repaired the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD. [5]
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they resorted to him out of Israel in multitudes, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered to the LORD at the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. [6]
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
13 That whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
14 And they swore to the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found by them: and the LORD gave them rest on all sides.
16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. [7] [8]
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.
19 And there was no more war until the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
CHAP. 16.
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
2 Then Asa brought silver and gold out of the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, [9]
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold;
