| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years. | 1 Then Abijah died, as had his ancestors, and he was buried in the City of David. Abijah's son Asa reigned in his place, and during his lifetime the land enjoyed rest for ten years. |
| 2Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, | 2 Asa practiced what the LORD his God considered to be right |
| 3for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. | 3by removing the foreign altars and high places, tearing down the sacred pillars, cutting down the Asherim, and |
| 4He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. | 4commanding Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to keep the Law and the commandments. |
| 5He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. | 5He also removed the high places and incense altars from all of the cities of Judah. As a result, the kingdom enjoyed rest under Asa's leadership. |
| 6And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest. | 6Asa built fortified cities throughout Judah while the land lay undisturbed, because the LORD had given him peace so that no one went to war against him during those years. |
| 7Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, 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 prospered. | 7He had told Judah, "Let's build up these cities, surrounding them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land still belongs to us, because we have kept on seeking the LORD our God. We have sought him out, and he has given us rest all around us." So the people built and prospered. |
| 8And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor. | 8Asa kept a standing army of 300,000 soldiers from Judah equipped with large shields and spears, as well as 280,000 soldiers from Benjamin, also bearing shields and wielding bows. All of them were valiant soldiers. |
| 9Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. | 9Sometime later, Zerah the Ethiopian went to war against him at Mareshah with an army of one million troops and 300 chariots. |
| 10So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. | 10Asa went out to engage him in battle, and they drew up their battle lines at Mareshah in the Zephathah Valley. |
| 11And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!” | 11Asa cried out to the LORD his God, telling him, "LORD, there is no one except for you to help between the powerful and the weak. So help us, LORD God, because we're depending on you and have come against this vast group in your name. LORD, you are our God. Let no mere mortal man defeat you!" |
| 12So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. | 12So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians right in front of Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians ran away. |
| 13And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the LORD and His army. And they carried away very much spoil. | 13Asa and his army pursued the Ethiopians as far as Gerar. So many Ethiopians died that their army could not recover, because it had been shattered in the LORD's presence and in the presence of his army. The Israelis carried off a lot of plunder, too, |
| 14Then they defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much spoil in them. | 14They attacked all the cities that surrounded Gerar, because fear of the LORD had overwhelmed them. The Israelis spoiled all the cities, because there was a lot to plunder in them. |
| 15They also attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. | 15They also attacked the tents of those who owned livestock and carried off lots of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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