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[1] So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead: in whose days the land was quiet ten year.
[2] And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.
[3] For he took away the altars of the strange gods and the high places, and break down the images, and cut down the groves,
[4] And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do according to the law and the commandment.
[5] And he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places, and the images: therefore the kingdom was quiet before him.
[6] He built also strong cities in Judah, because the land was in rest, and he had no war in those years: for the Lord had given him rest.
[7] Therefore he said to Judah, Let us build these cities and make walls about, and towers, gates, and bars, whiles the land is 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 Judah that bear shields and spears, three hundred thousand, and of Benjamin that bear shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were valiant men.
[9] And there came out against them Zerah of Ethiopia with an host of ten hundred thousand, and three hundred chariots, and came unto Mareshah.
[10] Then Asa went out before him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah beside Mareshah.
[11] And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help with many, or with no power: help us, O Lord our God: for we rest on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude: O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee.
[12] So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
[13] And Asa and the people that was with him, pursued them unto Gerar. And the Ethiopian's host was overthrown, so that there was no life in them: for they were destroyed before the Lord and before his host: and they carried away a mighty great spoil.
[14] And 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.
[15] Yea, and they smote the tents of cattle, and carried away plenty of sheep and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
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