So Abia was laid to rest with his fathers, with the Keep of David for his burying-place, and the throne passed to his son Asa; for the first ten years of his reign, the land was at peace.

His was a life well lived, in obedience to the Lord’s will; altar and hill-shrine of alien worship he overthrew,✻

broke the images, cut down the forest sanctuaries,

and bade Juda have recourse to the Lord, the God of their fathers, carrying out all his law enjoined.

No city in Juda but he rid it of altar and of shrine, and so he reigned in peace.

And now, the Lord so blessing him with peace, his reign free from every alarm of battle, he set about fortifying the cities in his realm.

Rebuild we these cities, he said to the men of Juda, and wall them about, making them fast with tower and bolt and bar, while we are still free from wars, and the Lord God of our fathers grants to us, his worshippers, a time of peace with our neighbours. So build they did, without let or hindrance.

Three hundred thousand men of Juda this Asa had in his army, that carried shield and spear, besides two hundred and eighty thousand men of Benjamin, armed with shield and bow, trained warriors all.

When Zara the Ethiopian marched in, and reached as far as Maresa, he had a million of fighting men and three hundred chariots to match against them.

But Asa went to meet him, and offered battle in the valley of Sephata, close by Maresa.

And there he made his plea to the Lord God; It is all one to thee, Lord, be they few or many to whom thou wouldst bring thy aid. Help us now, O Lord our God; in thee, in thy name we put our trust, boldly offering battle to such hordes as these. Lord, thou art our own God; do not let man have the mastery of thee.

With that, the Lord struck terror into the Ethiopians as Asa and the men of Juda approached, so that they turned and fled;

all the way to Gerara Asa and his men pursued them, till nothing was left of them; it was the Lord that smote them, his army that did battle against them; and rich were the spoils of that victory.

All the cities about Gerara, now overcome with terror, they conquered and plundered, carrying away their booty with them;

the sheep-folds, too, they broke down, and drove away sheep and camels in abundance. And so they returned to Jerusalem.