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Texts -- 2 Chronicles 14:2-15 (NET)

Context
Asa’s Religious and Military Accomplishments
14:2 Asa did what the Lord his God desired and approved . 14:3 He removed the pagan altars and the high places , smashed the sacred pillars , and cut down the Asherah poles . 14:4 He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to observe his law and commands . 14:5 He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah . The kingdom had rest under his rule . 14:6 He built fortified cities throughout Judah , for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years ; the Lord gave him peace . 14:7 He said to the people of Judah : “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls , towers , and barred gates . The land remains ours because we have followed the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides .” So they built the cities and prospered . 14:8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah , equipped with large shields and spears . He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin who carried small shields and were adept archers ; they were all skilled warriors . 14:9 Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots . He arrived at Mareshah , 14:10 and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah . 14:11 Asa prayed to the Lord his God : “O Lord , there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered . Help us, O Lord our God , for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army. O Lord our God , don’t let men prevail against you !” 14:12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah . The Cushites fled , 14:13 and Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar . The Cushites were wiped out ; they were shattered before the Lord and his army . The men of Judah carried off a huge amount of plunder . 14:14 They defeated all the cities surrounding Gerar , for the Lord caused them to panic . The men of Judah looted all the cities , for they contained a huge amount of goods . 14:15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock . They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Asa

    [isbe] ASA - a'-sa ('aca', "healer"; Asa): (1) A king of Judah, the third one after the separation of Judah and Israel. He was the son of Abijah and grandson of Rehoboam. Maacah, his mother, or rather grandmother, was daughter of A...
    [smith] (physician , or cure). Son of Abijah and third king of Judah. (B.C. 956-916.) (His long reign of 41 years was peaceful in its earlier portion, and he undertook the reformation of all abuses, especially of idolatry. He burnt ...
    [nave] ASA 1. King of Judah, 1 Kin. 15:8-24; 1 Chr. 3:10; 2 Chr. 14; 15; 16; Matt. 1:7. 2. A Levite, 1 Chr. 9:16.

  • Zerah

    [ebd] sunrise. (1.) An "Ethiopian," probably Osorkon II., the successor of Shishak on the throne of Egypt. With an enormous army, the largest we read of in Scripture, he invaded the kingdom of Judah in the days of Asa (2 Chr. 14:9...
    [isbe] ZERAH - ze'-ra (zerach, meaning uncertain): (1) In Gen 38:30; 46:12; Nu 26:20; Josh 7:1,18,24; 22:20; 1 Ch 2:4,6; 9:6; Neh 11:24; Mt 1:3, younger twin-son of Judah and Tamar, and an ancestor of Achan. In Nu 26:20; Josh 7:17 ...
    [nave] ZERAH 1. Son of Reuel, Gen. 36:13, 17; 1 Chr. 1:37. 2. Father of Jobab, Gen. 36:33; 1 Chr. 1:44. 3. See: Zarah. 4. Son of Simeon, Num. 26:13; 1 Chr. 4:24. 5. A Gershonite, 1 Chr. 6:21. 6. A Levite, 1 Chr. 6:41. 7. King...

  • Vail

    [nave] VAIL 1. Hangings used in the tabernacle to divide the holy of holies from the holy place. Called the second veil, Heb. 6:19; 9:3. Ordinances prescribing, Ex. 26:31-33. Made by Bezaleel and Aholiab, Ex. 36:35, 36. See: Vei...

  • Religion

    [nave] RELIGION. False Deut. 32:31-33. See: Idolatry; Intolerance; Teachers, False. Family See: Family. National Supported by taxes, Ex. 30:11-16; 38:26. Priests supported by the State, 1 Kin. 18:19; 2 Chr. 11:13-15. Subve...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Ethiopia

    [isbe] ETHIOPIA - e-thi-o'-pi-a (kush; Aithiopia): 1. Location, Extent and Population: Critically speaking Ethiopia may refer only to the Nile valley above the First Cataract, but in ancient as in modern times the term was often us...
    [nave] ETHIOPIA, a region in Africa, inhabited by the descendants of Ham. The inhabitants of, black, Jer. 13:23. Within the Babylonian empire, Esth. 1:1. Rivers of, Gen. 10:6; Isa. 18:1. Bordered Egypt on the S., Ezek. 29:10. Wa...

  • Zephathah

    [ebd] a valley in the west of Judah, near Mareshah; the scene of Asa's conflict with Zerah the Ethiopian (2 Chr. 14:9-13). Identified with the Wady Safieh.
    [smith] (watch-tower), The valley of, the spot in which Asa joined battle with Zerah the Ethiopian. (2 Chronicles 14:10) only.
    [nave] ZEPHATHAH, a valley W. of Judah, 2 Chr. 14:10.

  • ZERAH (THE ETHIOPIAN)

    [isbe] ZERAH (THE ETHIOPIAN) - (zerach ha-kushi (2 Ch 14:9); Zare): A generation ago the entire story of Zerah's conquest of Asa, coming as it did from a late source (2 Ch 14:9-15), was regarded as "apocryphal": "If the incredibili...

  • Gerar

    [isbe] GERAR - ge'-rar (gerar, "circle," "region"; Gerara): A town in the Philistine plain South of Gaza (Gen 10:19), where both Abraham and Isaac ' sojourned for a time, and where they came into contact with Abimelech, king of Ger...
    [smith] (a lodging-place), a very ancient city south of Gaza. It occurs chiefly in Genesis, (Genesis 10:19; 20:1; 26:17) also incidentally in (2 Chronicles 14:13,14) It must have trenched on the "south" or "south country" of later...
    [nave] GERAR 1. A city of the Philistines, Gen. 10:19. Abimelech, king of, Gen. 20:1; 26:6. Visited by Abraham, Gen. 20:1; by Isaac, Gen. 26:1; 2 Chr. 14:13, 14. 2. A valley, Gen. 26:17-22.

  • Zeal

    [nave] ZEAL, Religious Josh. 24:15, 16; 2 Sam. 24:24, 25; 1 Kin. 9:4; 1 Kin. 15:14; 1 Chr. 29:17; 2 Chr. 15:15; 2 Chr. 19:3; Ezra 7:23; Job 16:19; Psa. 42:1, 2; Psa. 60:4; Psa. 96:2, 3, 10; Psa. 119:139; Prov. 11:30; Eccl. 9:10; ...

  • Prayer

    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • Mareshah

    [ebd] possession, a city in the plain of Judah (John. 15:44). Here Asa defeated Zerah the Ethiopian (2 Chr. 14:9, 10). It is identified with the ruin el-Mer'ash, about 1 1/2 mile south of Beit Jibrin.
    [isbe] MARESHAH - ma-re'-sha (mareshah; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Bathesar; Codex Alexandrinus Maresa): A town in the Shephelah of Judah named with Keilah and Achzib (Josh 15:44). It occupied such a position that Rehoboam thought...
    [nave] MARESHAH 1. A city of Judah, Josh. 15:44; 2 Chr. 11:8; 14:9, 10. Birthplace of Eliezer the prophet, 2 Chr. 20:37. Prophecy concerning, Mic. 1:15. 2. Father of Hebron, 1 Chr. 2:42. 3. A son of, or possibly a city founded ...

  • Revivals

    [nave] REVIVALS. Religious Zech. 8:20-23. Prayer for, Hab. 3:2. Prophecies concerning, Isa. 32:15; Joel 2:28; Mic. 4:1-8; Hab. 3:2. Instances of Under Joshua, Josh. 5:2-9; Samuel, 1 Sam. 7:1-6; Elijah, 1 Kin. 18:17-40; Jehoas...

  • MARESHAH, OR MARESHAH

    [smith] (crest of a hill), one of the cities of Judah in the low country. (Joshua 15:44) It was one of the cities fortified and garrisoned by Rehoboam after the rupture with the northern kingdom. (2 Chronicles 11:8) Near it was fo...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Iconoclasm

    [nave] ICONOCLASM Idols to be destroyed, Ex. 23:24; 34:13; Num. 33:52; Deut. 7:5, 25, 26; 12:1-4; Judg. 2:2; Jer. 50:2. Destroyed by Jacob, Gen. 35:2-4; Moses, Ex. 32:19, 20; Gideon, Judg. 6:28-32; David, 2 Sam. 5:21; 1 Chr. 14:12...

  • CRITICISM

    [isbe] CRITICISM - (The Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis) I. PRELIMINARY 1. Thesis 2. Historical Perspective 3. Inspiration and Criticism II. THE LEGISLATION 1. Groups 2. Covenant Code 3. The Sanctuary 4. Kinds of Sacrifice 5. Sacrifice ...

  • JUDAH, KINGDOM OF

    [isbe] JUDAH, KINGDOM OF - || I. CANAAN BEFORE THE MONARCHY 1. The Coming of the Semites 2. The Canaanites 3. The Israelite Confederacy 4. Migration into Canaan 5. The Bond of Union 6. Early Rulers 7. The Judges 8. Hereditary Kings...

  • Tent

    [isbe] TENT - tent ('ohel; skene; 'ohel is a derivative of 'ahal, "to be clear," "to shine"; hence, 'ohel, "to be conspicuous from a distance"): In the great stretches of uncultivated lands in the interior of Syria or Arabia, which...
    [nave] TENT Used for dwelling, Gen. 4:20; by Noah, Gen. 9:21; by Abraham, Gen. 12:8; 13:18; 18:1; by Lot, Gen. 13:5; by Moses, Ex. 18:7; by children of Israel, Num. 24:5, 6; 2 Sam. 20:1; 1 Kin. 12:16; by the Midianites, Judg. 6:5; ...
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Arts

Hymns

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  • [2Ch 14:11] We Rest On Thee

Sermon Illustrations

Scriptural Illustrations of Revival; It was my idea

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 2:4 Having related the creation of the universe as we know it, God next inspired Moses to explain for his readers what became of it.129Sin entered it and devastated it."The destiny of the human creation is to live in God's wo...
  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • It was when God had subdued all of David's enemies that He gave this covenant to him (vv. 1, 9). Those enemies included the Ammonites with whom David was at war when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Ur...
  • Asa was the first of eight kings of Judah whom the writer of Kings judged as good. Four were reformers who sought to bring the nation back to the Mosaic Covenant, and Asa was the first of these. The writer of Chronicles descr...
  • Asa came to power close to the end of Jeroboam's reign over Israel in 910 B.C. Asa reigned from 911-870 B.C., 41 years, an unusually long reign that probably began when he was quite young (cf. 15:2). It was his grandmother (N...
  • Chronicles covers a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. It begins with Adam and ends with Anani who lived eight generations after King Jehoiachin (1 Chron. 3:24). If we allow 25 years for each generat...
  • Even though 1 and 2 Chronicles give one continuous story the emphasis in 2 Chronicles is different from that in 1 Chronicles. In 1 Chronicles the emphasis is the importance of the temple in national life. However in 2 Chronic...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Chronicles)III. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-9A. Solomon's wisdom and prosperity ch. 1B. The building of the temple 2:1-5:11. Preparations for building the temple ch. 22. The temple proper 3:1-93. Th...
  • Chronicles gives much more attention to Asa than Kings does. That is because Asa's experiences illustrated the points the Chronicler wanted to drive home to his readers.We have already seen in Rehoboam's history that obedienc...
  • Asa inherited a kingdom at peace. He wisely used the peace to purge the idolatry that had crept into Judah (vv. 3-5). He also fortified his defenses against future attacks from the North. Because of his trust in Yahweh, God g...
  • The Chronicler featured Azariah's sermon (vv. 1-7), Asa's reformation (vv. 8-15), and Maacah's removal (vv. 16-19) during the middle part of Asa's reign.A message from the prophet Azariah was the spark that ignited revival in...
  • This account of Jehoshaphat's rule reveals that God was then actively leading His people. These were the years of alliance with Israel. Ahab was on the throne of the Northern Kingdom.The Chronicler deliberately presented Jeho...
  • Ackroyd, Peter R. I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah. London: SCM Press, 1973.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed., New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William F. The...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • And Asa did that which 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 brake down the images, and cut. down the groves: 4. And commanded Judah t...
  • Namely, the connection between honouring Jehovah and national prosperity. He did not import that thought into his narrative, but he insisted on it as moulding the history of Judah. Modern critics charge him with writing with ...
  • And Ass cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with Thee help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us. O Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go against this multitude...
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