1Aviyah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son became king in his place; during his time the land was quiet for ten years.
2Asa did what was good and right from the perspective of ADONAI his God;
3for he removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashing the standing-stones and chopping down the sacred poles.
4He ordered Y'hudah to seek ADONAI, the God of their ancestors, and to obey the Torah and the mitzvah.
5He removed the high places and pillars for sun-worship from all the cities of Y'hudah, and under him the kingdom was quiet.
6Because the land was quiet, and he had no war during those years, since ADONAI had given him rest, he built fortified cities in Y'hudah.
7"Let's build these cities," he said to Y'hudah; "we'll surround them with walls, towers, gates and bars. The land is there for us to use, because we have sought ADONAI our God; we have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side." So they built and prospered.
8Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Y'hudah, equipped with shields and spears, and another 280,000 from Binyamin, with shields and bows; all were brave, strong men.
9Zerach the Ethiopian came out to attack them with an army of one million and three hundred chariots. When he arrived at Mareshah,
10Asa went out to fight him, and the forces were arranged for battle in the Tz'fat Valley at Mareshah.
11Asa cried out to ADONAI his God, "ADONAI, there is no one besides yourself, strong or weak, who can help. Help us, ADONAI our God, because we are relying on you, and we are coming against this vast throng in your name. You are ADONAI our God; don't let human beings stop you!"
12So ADONAI struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Y'hudah, and the Ethiopians fled.
13Asa and the army with him pursued them to G'rar, and the Ethiopians were defeated beyond recovery; they were shattered before ADONAI and his army, who carried off much spoil.
14Then they attacked all the cities in the vicinity of G'rar, for a panic from ADONAI had overcome them. They plundered all the cities, for they were full of spoil.
15They also attacked the tents of those tending the livestock and carried off sheep and camels in abundance. Then they returned to Yerushalayim.