Asa Reigns in Judah
(1 Kings 15:9–15)

1  וַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב (And rested) אֲבִיָּ֜ה (Abijah) עִם־ (with) אֲבֹתָ֗יו (his fathers), וַיִּקְבְּר֤וּ (and they buried) אֹתוֹ֙ (him) בְּעִ֣יר (in the City) דָּוִ֔יד (of David). וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ (And reigned) אָסָ֥א (Asa) בְנ֖וֹ (his son) תַּחְתָּ֑יו (in his place). בְּיָמָ֛יו (In his days) שָׁקְטָ֥ה (was quiet) הָאָ֖רֶץ (the land) עֶ֥שֶׂר (ten) שָׁנִֽים׃פ (years).

2  וַיַּ֤עַשׂ (And did) אָסָא֙ (Asa) הַטּ֣וֹב (the good) וְהַיָּשָׁ֔ר (and the right) בְּעֵינֵ֖י (in the eyes) יְהוָ֥ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹהָֽיו׃ (his God), 3  וַיָּ֛סַר (and he turned aside) אֶת־ (-) מִזְבְּח֥וֹת (the altars) הַנֵּכָ֖ר (of the foreigner) וְהַבָּמ֑וֹת (and the high places), וַיְשַׁבֵּר֙ (and he broke down) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּצֵּב֔וֹת (the pillars), וַיְגַדַּ֖ע (and cut down) אֶת־ (-) הָאֲשֵׁרִֽים׃ (the Asherah poles), 4  וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (and He commanded) לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה (Judah) לִדְר֕וֹשׁ (to seek) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֣י (God) אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם (of their fathers), וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת (and to observe) הַתּוֹרָ֥ה (the law) וְהַמִּצְוָֽה׃ (and the commandment). 5  וַיָּ֙סַר֙ (And He removed) מִכָּל־ (from all) עָרֵ֣י (the cities) יְהוּדָ֔ה (of Judah) אֶת־ (-) הַבָּמ֖וֹת (the high places) וְאֶת־ (and) הַֽחַמָּנִ֑ים (the incense altars); וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט (and was quiet) הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה (the kingdom) לְפָנָֽיו׃ (under him).

6  וַיִּ֛בֶן (And he built) עָרֵ֥י (cities) מְצוּרָ֖ה (fortified) בִּיהוּדָ֑ה (in Judah), כִּֽי־ (for) שָׁקְטָ֣ה (had rest) הָאָ֗רֶץ (the land), וְאֵין־ (and there was not) עִמּ֤וֹ (with him) מִלְחָמָה֙ (war) בַּשָּׁנִ֣ים (in the years) הָאֵ֔לֶּה (these), כִּֽי־ (because) הֵנִ֥יחַ (had given rest) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) לֽוֹ׃ (to him). 7  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And he said) לִֽיהוּדָ֜ה (to Judah), נִבְנֶ֣ה׀ (Let us build) אֶת־ (-) הֶעָרִ֣ים (the cities) הָאֵ֗לֶּה (these) וְנָסֵ֨ב (and make around them) חוֹמָ֣ה (walls) וּמִגְדָּלִים֮ (and towers), דְּלָתַ֣יִם (doors) וּבְרִיחִים֒ (and bars), עוֹדֶ֨נּוּ (while) הָאָ֜רֶץ (the land) לְפָנֵ֗ינוּ (is before our face), כִּ֤י (because) דָרַ֙שְׁנוּ֙ (we have sought) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ (our God). דָּרַ֕שְׁנוּ (We have sought Him) וַיָּ֥נַֽח (and He has given us rest) לָ֖נוּ (on) מִסָּבִ֑יב (every side).” וַיִּבְנ֖וּ (And they built) וַיַּצְלִֽיחוּ׃פ (and prospered).

8  וַיְהִ֣י (And there was) לְאָסָ֗א (unto Asa) חַיִל֮ (a force) נֹשֵׂ֣א (bearing) צִנָּ֣ה (shields) וָרֹמַח֒ (and spears): מִֽיהוּדָה֙ (From Judah) שְׁלֹ֣שׁ (three) מֵא֣וֹת (hundred) אֶ֔לֶףס (thousand), וּמִבִּנְיָמִ֗ן (and from Benjamin) נֹשְׂאֵ֤י (men who carried) מָגֵן֙ (shields) וְדֹ֣רְכֵי (and drew) קֶ֔שֶׁת (bows) מָאתַ֥יִם (two hundred) וּשְׁמוֹנִ֖ים (and eighty) אָ֑לֶף (thousand). כָּל־ (All) אֵ֖לֶּה (these were) גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי (mighty men) חָֽיִל׃ (of valor).

9  וַיֵּצֵ֨א (And came out) אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם (against them) זֶ֣רַח (Zerah) הַכּוּשִׁ֗י (the Ethiopian) בְּחַ֙יִל֙ (with an army) אֶ֣לֶף (of a thousand) אֲלָפִ֔ים (thousands), וּמַרְכָּב֖וֹת (and chariots) שְׁלֹ֣שׁ (three) מֵא֑וֹת (hundred), וַיָּבֹ֖א (and he came) עַד־ (to) מָרֵשָֽׁה׃ (Mareshah). 10  וַיֵּצֵ֥א (And went out) אָסָ֖א (Asa) לְפָנָ֑יו (against him), וַיַּֽעַרְכוּ֙ (and they arrayed) מִלְחָמָ֔ה (for battle) בְּגֵ֥יא (in the Valley) צְפַ֖תָה (of Zephathah) לְמָרֵשָֽׁה׃ (near Mareshah).

11  וַיִּקְרָ֨א (And cried out) אָסָ֜א (Asa) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהָיו֮ (his God) וַיֹּאמַר֒ (and said), יְהוָ֗ה (O YHWH), אֵֽין־ (it is nothing) עִמְּךָ֤ (for You) לַעְזוֹר֙ (to help), בֵּ֥ין (whether) רַב֙ (with many) לְאֵ֣ין (or with with no) כֹּ֔חַ (power). עָזְרֵ֜נוּ (Help us), יְהוָ֤ה (O YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (our God), כִּֽי־ (for) עָלֶ֣יךָ (on You) נִשְׁעַ֔נּוּ (we rest), וּבְשִׁמְךָ֣ (and in Your name) בָ֔אנוּ (we go) עַל־ (against) הֶהָמ֖וֹן (the multitude) הַזֶּ֑ה (this). יְהוָ֤ה (O YHWH), אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (our God), אַ֔תָּה (You) אַל־ (not) יַעְצֹ֥ר (do let prevail) עִמְּךָ֖ (against You) אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃ס (man).

12  וַיִּגֹּ֤ף (And struck) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) הַכּוּשִׁ֔ים (the Cushites) לִפְנֵ֥י (before) אָסָ֖א (Asa), וְלִפְנֵ֣י (and before) יְהוּדָ֑ה (Judah), וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ (and fled) הַכּוּשִֽׁים׃ (the Cushites). 13  וַיִּרְדְּפֵ֨ם (And pursued them) אָסָ֜א (Asa) וְהָעָ֣ם (and the people) אֲשֶׁר־ (who were) עִמּוֹ֮ (with him) עַד־ (as far as) לִגְרָר֒ (to Gerar), וַיִּפֹּ֤ל (and there fell) מִכּוּשִׁים֙ (the Cushites) לְאֵ֣ין (and not) לָהֶ֣ם (for them) מִֽחְיָ֔ה (preservation), כִּֽי־ (for) נִשְׁבְּר֥וּ (they were broken) לִפְנֵֽי־ (before) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) וְלִפְנֵ֣י (and) מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ (His army), וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ (and they carried away) שָׁלָ֖ל (plunder) הַרְבֵּ֥ה (much) מְאֹֽד׃ (exceedingly). 14  וַיַּכּ֗וּ (And they defeated) אֵ֤ת (-) כָּל־ (all) הֶֽעָרִים֙ (the cities) סְבִיב֣וֹת (around) גְּרָ֔ר (Gerar), כִּי־ (for) הָיָ֥ה (came) פַֽחַד־ (the dread) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (upon them), וַיָּבֹ֙זּוּ֙ (and they plundered) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים (the cities); כִּֽי־ (for) בִזָּ֥ה (spoil) רַבָּ֖ה (much) הָיְתָ֥ה (there was) בָהֶֽם׃ (in them). 15  וְגַם־ (And also) אָהֳלֵ֥י (the tents) מִקְנֶ֖ה (of the livestock) הִכּ֑וּ (they struck), וַיִּשְׁבּ֨וּ (and they carried off) צֹ֤אן (sheep) לָרֹב֙ (in abundance) וּגְמַלִּ֔ים (and camels), וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ (and they returned) יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ס (to Jerusalem).