1So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land had rest ten years. 2And Asa did [that which was] good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, 3for he took away the altars of the strange [gods] and the high places and broke down the images and cut down the groves 4and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and they fulfilled the law and the commandments. 5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images, and the kingdom had rest before him. 6And he built fenced cities in Judah, for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years because the LORD had given him rest. 7Therefore, he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities and make about [them] walls and towers, gates, and bars, now that the land [is] ours; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought [him], and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and were prospered. 8And 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. 9And there came out against them Zerah, the Ethiopian, with a host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots and came unto Mareshah. 10Then Asa went out against him, and they ordered the battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11And Asa cried unto the LORD his God and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many or with those that have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art] our God; do not let man prevail against thee. 12So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13And Asa and the people that [were] with him pursued them unto Gerar, and the Ethiopians were overthrown until there were none [left] alive, for they were destroyed before the LORD and before his host, and they carried away very much spoil. 14And they smote all the cities round about Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came upon them; and they spoiled all the cities, for there was exceeding much spoil in them. 15They smote also the booths of livestock and carried away sheep and camels in abundance and returned to Jerusalem.: