Asa's Rest, and the Army He Could Not Face
1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days, the land was quiet ten years. 2 Asa did that which was good and right in Yahweh his God’s eyes, 3 for he took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, 4 and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to obey his law and command. 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images; and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6 He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest. 7 For he said to Judah, “Let’s build these cities and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. 8 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand out of Judah who bore bucklers and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand out of Benjamin who bore shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor. 9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million troops and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.” 12 So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13 Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So many of the Ethiopians fell that they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before Yahweh and before his army. Judah’s army carried away very much booty. 14 They struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of Yahweh came on them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. 15 They also struck the tents of those who had livestock, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, then returned to Jerusalem.
Peace is treated as an opportunity rather than a reward, and the prayer before the battle asks God to defend his own reputation.
Ten quiet years open the reign, and Asa spends them on two things at once. He removes the foreign altars, the high places, the pillars and the poles, and he commanded Judah to seek Yahweh 2 Chronicles 14:3–4. Demolition and instruction together; the second is what the first was for.
Then he builds. And the speech he makes about it contains the chapter's argument: the land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side 2 Chronicles 14:7.
Rest is not treated as a reward to be enjoyed. It is read as a window, and the window is used for walls, towers, gates and bars. A man who believes the quiet was given rather than earned also believes it may not last, and he fortifies accordingly.
The test arrives with numbers designed to be hopeless — a million troops and three hundred chariots against an army of five hundred eighty thousand 2 Chronicles 14:8–9. Asa goes out to meet them anyway, and prays.
The prayer is four sentences and every one of them is worth its place. There is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. God is described as indifferent to the odds, which is the only relevant fact. We rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude — the reliance is stated as the reason they are standing there at all, not as a hope added to a plan.
And the last line changes whose problem this is. Yahweh, you are our God. Don't let man prevail against you 2 Chronicles 14:11. Not against us. He asks God to defend his own name, and puts the outcome where the risk actually lies.
The battle is reported in half a verse. God struck them, and they fled 2 Chronicles 14:12. Then the pursuit, the towns around Gerar taken because the fear of Yahweh came on them, and a great deal of plunder brought back 2 Chronicles 14:13–15.
That plunder is not incidental. Two chapters after Judah's treasury was emptied by Egypt, an African army arrives and its goods go into Jerusalem. The writer will note in the next chapter what part of it was given to God.
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