2 Chronicles 14

2Ch 14:1-5.

ASA

DESTROYS

IDOLATRY.

1. In his days the land was quiet ten years--This long interval of

peace was the continued effect of the great battle of Zemaraim (compare

1Ki 15:11-14).

2. Asa did that which was good and right--(compare

1Ki 15:14).

Still his character and life were not free from faults

(2Ch 16:7, 10, 12).

3. brake down the images--of Baal

(see on

2Ch 34:4;

Le 26:30).

cut down the groves--rather, "Asherim."

5. he took away . . . the high places--that is, those devoted to

idolatrous rites.

took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the

images--All public objects and relics of idolatry in Jerusalem and

other cities through his kingdom were destroyed; but those high places

where God was worshipped under the figure of an ox, as at Beth-el, were

allowed to remain

(1Ki 15:14);

so far the reformation was incomplete.

2Ch 14:6-8.

HAVING

PEACE,

HE

STRENGTHENS

HIS

KINGDOM WITH

FORTS AND

ARMIES.

6. he built fenced cities in

Judah--(See on

1Ki 15:22).

7. while the land is yet before us--that is, while we have free and

undisputed progress everywhere; no foe is near; but, as this happy time

of peace may not last always and the kingdom is but small and weak, let

us prepare suitable defenses in case of need. He had also an army of

five hundred eighty thousand men. Judah furnished the heavily armed

soldiers, and Benjamin the archers. This large number does not mean a

body of professional soldiers, but all capable of bearing arms and

liable to be called into service.

2Ch 14:9-15.

HE

OVERCOMES

ZERAH, AND

SPOILS THE

ETHIOPIANS.

9. there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian--This could not

have been from Ethiopia south of the cataracts of the Nile, for in the

reign of Osorkon I, successor of Shishak, no foreign army would have

been allowed a free passage through Egypt. Zerah must, therefore, have

been chief of the Cushites, or Ethiopians of Arabia, as they were

evidently a nomad horde who had a settlement of tents and cattle in the

neighborhood of Gerar.

a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots--"Twenty camels

employed to carry couriers upon them might have procured that number of

men to meet in a short time. As Zerah was the aggressor, he had time to

choose when he would summon these men and attack the enemy. Every one

of these Cushite shepherds, carrying with them their own provisions of

flour and water, as is their invariable custom, might have fought with

Asa without eating a loaf of Zerah's bread or drinking a pint of his

water" [BRUCE, Travels].

10. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array

. . . at Mareshah--one of the towns which Rehoboam

fortified

(2Ch 11:8),

near a great southern pass in the low country of Judah

(Jos 15:44).

The engagement between the armies took place in a plain near the town,

called "the valley of Zephathah," supposed to be the broad way coming

down Beit Jibrin towards Tell Es-Safren [ROBINSON].

11-13. Asa cried unto the Lord his God--Strong in the confidence that

the power of God was able to give the victory equally with few as with

many, the pious king marched with a comparatively small force to

encounter the formidable host of marauders at his southern frontier.

Committing his cause to God, he engaged in the conflict--completely

routed the enemy, and succeeded in obtaining, as the reward of his

victory, a rich booty in treasure and cattle from the tents of this

pastoral horde.