2 Chronicles 14:7-15

14:7 He said to the people of Judah: ¹  “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. ²  The land remains ours because we have followed ³  the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” ⁴  So they built the cities ⁵  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 ⁶  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 ⁷  to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered. ⁸  Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army. ⁹  O Lord our God, don’t let men prevail against you!” ¹⁰  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; ¹¹  they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah ¹²  carried off a huge amount of plunder. 14:14 They defeated all the cities surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic. ¹³  The men of Judah ¹⁴  looted all the cities, for they contained a huge amount of goods. ¹⁵  14:15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock. ¹⁶  They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁷ 

[14:7]  ¹ tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah.

[14:7]  ² tn Heb “and we will surround [them] with wall[s] and towers, doors, and bars.”

[14:7]  ³ tn Heb “sought.”

[14:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he has given us rest all around.”

[14:7]  ⁵ tn The words “the cities” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[14:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “a thousand thousands.”

[14:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “called out.”

[14:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “there is not with you to help between many with regard to [the one] without strength.”

[14:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “and in your name we have come against this multitude.”

[14:11]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “let not man retain [strength] with you.”

[14:13]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and there fell from the Cushites so that there was not to them preservation of life.”

[14:13]  ¹² tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “for the terror of the Lord was upon them.”

[14:14]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:14]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “for great plunder was in them.”

[14:15]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and also they struck down the tents of the livestock.”

[14:15]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.