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1. Abijah passed away and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa replaced him as king. During his reign the land had rest for ten years.
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1. So Abijah H29 slept H7901 with H5973 his fathers H1 , and they buried H6912 him in the city H5892 of David H1732 : and Asa H609 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead H8478 . In his days H3117 the land H776 was quiet H8252 ten H6235 years H8141 .
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2. Asa did what the LORD his God desired and approved.
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2. And Asa H609 did H6213 that which was good H2896 and right H3477 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 :
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3. He removed the pagan altars and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.
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3. For he took away H5493 H853 the altars H4196 of the strange H5236 gods , and the high places H1116 , and broke down H7665 H853 the images H4676 , and cut down H1438 H853 the groves H842 :
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4. He ordered Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to observe his law and commands.
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4. And commanded H559 Judah H3063 to seek H1875 H853 the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers H1 , and to do H6213 the law H8451 and the commandment H4687 .
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5. He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule.
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5. Also he took away H5493 out of all H4480 H3605 the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 H853 the high places H1116 and the images H2553 : and the kingdom H4467 was quiet H8252 before H6440 him.
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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.
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6. And he built H1129 fenced H4694 cities H5892 in Judah H3063 : for H3588 the land H776 had rest H8252 , and he had no H369 war H4421 in those H428 years H8141 ; because H3588 the LORD H3068 had given him rest H5117 .
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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.
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7. Therefore he said H559 unto Judah H3063 , Let us build H1129 H853 these H428 cities H5892 , and make about H5437 them walls H2346 , and towers H4026 , gates H1817 , and bars H1280 , while the land H776 is yet H5750 before H6440 us; because H3588 we have sought H1875 H853 the LORD H3068 our God H430 , we have sought H1875 him , and he hath given us rest H5117 on every side H4480 H5439 . So they built H1129 and prospered H6743 .
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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.
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8. And Asa H609 had H1961 an army H2428 of men that bore H5375 targets H6793 and spears H7420 , out of H4480 Judah H3063 three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand H505 ; and out of Benjamin H4480 H1144 , that bore H5375 shields H4043 and drew H1869 bows H7198 , two hundred H3967 and fourscore H8084 thousand H505 : all H3605 these H428 were mighty men H1368 of valor H2428 .
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9. Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. He arrived at Mareshah,
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9. And there came out H3318 against H413 them Zerah H2226 the Ethiopian H3569 with a host H2428 of a thousand H505 thousand H505 , and three H7969 hundred H3967 chariots H4818 ; and came H935 unto H5704 Mareshah H4762 .
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10. and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
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10. Then Asa H609 went out H3318 against H6440 him , and they set the battle in array H6186 H4421 in the valley H1516 of Zephathah H6859 at Mareshah H4762 .
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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!"
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11. And Asa H609 cried H7121 unto H413 the LORD H3068 his God H430 , and said H559 , LORD H3068 , it is nothing H369 with H5973 thee to help H5826 , whether H996 with many H7227 , or with them that have no H369 power H3581 : help H5826 us , O LORD H3068 our God H430 ; for H3588 we rest H8172 on H5921 thee , and in thy name H8034 we go H935 against H5921 this H2088 multitude H1995 . O LORD H3068 , thou H859 art our God H430 ; let not H408 man H582 prevail H6113 against H5973 thee.
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12. The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled,
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12. So the LORD H3068 smote H5062 H853 the Ethiopians H3569 before H6440 Asa H609 , and before H6440 Judah H3063 ; and the Ethiopians H3569 fled H5127 .
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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.
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13. And Asa H609 and the people H5971 that H834 were with H5973 him pursued H7291 them unto H5704 Gerar H1642 : and the Ethiopians H4480 H3569 were overthrown H5307 , that they could not H369 recover H4241 themselves; for H3588 they were destroyed H7665 before H6440 the LORD H3068 , and before H6440 his host H4264 ; and they carried away H5375 very H3966 much H7235 spoil H7998 .
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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.
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14. And they smote H5221 H853 all H3605 the cities H5892 round about H5439 Gerar H1642 ; for H3588 the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 came H1961 upon H5921 them : and they spoiled H962 H853 all H3605 the cities H5892 ; for H3588 there was H1961 exceeding much H7227 spoil H961 in them.
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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.
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15. They smote H5221 also H1571 the tents H168 of cattle H4735 , and carried away H7617 sheep H6629 and camels H1581 in abundance H7230 , and returned H7725 to Jerusalem H3389 .
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