14When Abijah died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king. There was peace in the land for ten years.H29H7901H1H6912H5892H1732H609H1121H4427H3117H776H8252H6235H81412Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God.H609H6213H2896H3477H5869H3068H4303He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles.H5493H4196H5236H1116H7665H4676H1438H8424He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands.H559H3063H1875H3068H430H1H6213H8451H46875Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah's towns. So Asa's kingdom enjoyed a period of peace.H5493H5892H3063H1116H2553H4467H8252H64406During those peaceful years, he was able to build up the fortified towns throughout Judah. No one tried to make war against him at this time, for the LORD was giving him rest from his enemies.H1129H4694H5892H3063H776H8252H4421H8141H3068H51177Asa told the people of Judah, "Let us build towns and fortify them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the LORD our God, and he has given us peace on every side." So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion.H559H3063H1129H5892H5437H2346H4026H1817H1280H776H6440H1875H3068H430H1875H5117H5439H1129H67438King Asa had an army of 300,000 warriors from the tribe of Judah, armed with large shields and spears. He also had an army of 280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, armed with small shields and bows. Both armies were composed of well-trained fighting men.H609H2428H5375H6793H7420H3063H7969H3967H505H1144H5375H4043H1869H7198H3967H8084H505H1368H24289Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah,H3318H2226H3569H2428H505H505H7969H3967H4818H935H476210so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah.H609H3318H6440H4421H6186H1516H6859H476211Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, "O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O LORD, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!"H609H7121H3068H430H559H3068H5826H996H7227H3581H5826H3068H430H8172H8034H935H1995H3068H430H582H611312So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled.H3068H5062H3569H6440H609H6440H3063H3569H512713Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar, and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. They were destroyed by the LORD and his army, and the army of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder.H609H5971H7291H1642H3569H5307H4241H7665H6440H3068H6440H4264H5375H3966H7235H799814While they were at Gerar, they attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the LORD came upon the people there. As a result, a vast amount of plunder was taken from these towns, too.H5221H5892H5439H1642H6343H3068H962H5892H7227H96115They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep, goats, and camels before finally returning to Jerusalem.H5221H168H4735H7617H6629H1581H7230H7725H3389