| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 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 When Abijah died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king. There was peace in the land for ten years. |
| 2Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, | 2 Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God. |
| 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. | 3He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. |
| 4He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. | 4He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands. |
| 5He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. | 5Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace. |
| 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. | 6During those peaceful years, he was able to build up the fortified towns throughout Judah. No one tried to make war against him at this time, for the LORD was giving him rest from his enemies. |
| 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. | 7Asa told the people of Judah, “Let us build towns and fortify them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the LORD our God, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion. |
| 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. | 8King Asa had an army of 300,000 warriors from the tribe of Judah, armed with large shields and spears. He also had an army of 280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, armed with small shields and bows. Both armies were composed of well-trained fighting men. |
| 9Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. | 9Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah, |
| 10So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. | 10so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah. |
| 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!” | 11Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, “O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O LORD, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!” |
| 12So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. | 12So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled. |
| 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 them as far as Gerar, and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. They were destroyed by the LORD and his army, and the army of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder. |
| 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. | 14While they were at Gerar, they attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the LORD came upon the people there. As a result, a vast amount of plunder was taken from these towns, too. |
| 15They also attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. | 15They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep, goats, and camels before finally returning to Jerusalem. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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