13Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam's reign in Israel.H8083H6240H8141H4428H3379H29H4427H3063 2He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Then war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.H4427H7969H8141H3389H517H8034H4322H1323H222H1390H4421H29H3379 3Judah, led by King Abijah, fielded 400,000 select warriors, while Jeroboam mustered 800,000 select troops from Israel.H29H631H4421H631H2428H1368H4421H702H3967H505H977H376H3379H4421H6186H8083H3967H505H977H376H1368H2428 4When the army of Judah arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim and shouted to Jeroboam and all Israel: "Listen to me!H29H6965H2022H6787H2022H669H559H8085H3379H3478 5Don't you realize that the LORD, the God of Israel, made a lasting covenant with David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever?H3045H3068H430H3478H5414H4467H3478H1732H5769H1121H1285H4417 6Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a mere servant of David's son Solomon, rebelled against his master.H3379H1121H5028H5650H8010H1121H1732H6965H4775H113 7Then a whole gang of scoundrels joined him, defying Solomon's son Rehoboam when he was young and inexperienced and could not stand up to them.H6908H7386H582H1121H1100H553H7346H1121H8010H7346H5288H7390H3824H2388H6440 8"Do you really think you can stand against the kingdom of the LORD that is led by the descendants of David? You may have a vast army, and you have those gold calves that Jeroboam made as your gods.H559H2388H6440H4467H3068H3027H1121H1732H7227H1995H2091H5695H3379H6213H430 9But you have chased away the priests of the LORD (the descendants of Aaron) and the Levites, and you have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours!H5080H3548H3068H1121H175H3881H6213H3548H5971H776H935H4390H3027H1121H1241H6499H7651H352H3548H3808H430 10"But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve the LORD as priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work.H3068H430H5800H3548H8334H3068H1121H175H3881H4399 11They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD every morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him.H6999H3068H1242H6153H5930H5561H7004H3899H4635H2889H7979H4501H2091H5216H1197H6153H8104H4931H3068H430H5800 12So you see, God is with us. He is our leader. His priests blow their trumpets and lead us into battle against you. O people of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed!"H430H7218H3548H8643H2689H7321H1121H3478H3898H3068H430H1H6743 13Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them.H3379H3993H935H5437H310H6440H3063H3993H310 14When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the LORD for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets,H3063H6437H4421H6440H268H6817H3068H3548H2690H2690H2689 15and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah.H376H3063H7321H376H3063H7321H430H5062H3379H3478H6440H29H3063 16The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat.H1121H3478H5127H6440H3063H430H5414H3027 17Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel's select troops were killed that day.H29H5971H5221H7227H4347H5307H2491H3478H2568H3967H505H977H376 18So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their ancestors.H1121H3478H3665H6256H1121H3063H553H8172H3068H430H1 19Abijah and his army pursued Jeroboam's troops and captured some of his towns, including Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages.H29H7291H310H3379H3920H5892H1008H1323H3466H1323H6085H1323 20So Jeroboam of Israel never regained his power during Abijah's lifetime, and finally the LORD struck him down and he died.H3379H6113H3581H3117H29H3068H5062H4191 21Meanwhile, Abijah of Judah grew more and more powerful. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.H29H2388H5375H702H6240H802H3205H6242H8147H1121H8337H6240H1323 22The rest of the events of Abijah's reign, including his words and deeds, are recorded in The Commentary of Iddo the Prophet.H3499H1697H29H1870H1697H3789H4097H5030H5714
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.H29H7901H1H6912H5892H1732H609H1121H4427H3117H776H8252H6235H8141 2Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God.H609H6213H2896H3477H5869H3068H430 3He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles.H5493H4196H5236H1116H7665H4676H1438H842 4He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands.H559H3063H1875H3068H430H1H6213H8451H4687 5Asa 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.H5493H5892H3063H1116H2553H4467H8252H6440 6During 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.H1129H4694H5892H3063H776H8252H4421H8141H3068H5117 7Asa 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.H559H3063H1129H5892H5437H2346H4026H1817H1280H776H6440H1875H3068H430H1875H5117H5439H1129H6743 8King 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.H609H2428H5375H6793H7420H3063H7969H3967H505H1144H5375H4043H1869H7198H3967H8084H505H1368H2428 9Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah,H3318H2226H3569H2428H505H505H7969H3967H4818H935H4762 10so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah.H609H3318H6440H4421H6186H1516H6859H4762 11Then 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!"H609H7121H3068H430H559H3068H5826H996H7227H3581H5826H3068H430H8172H8034H935H1995H3068H430H582H6113 12So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled.H3068H5062H3569H6440H609H6440H3063H3569H5127 13Asa 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.H609H5971H7291H1642H3569H5307H4241H7665H6440H3068H6440H4264H5375H3966H7235H7998 14While 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.H5221H5892H5439H1642H6343H3068H962H5892H7227H961 15They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep, goats, and camels before finally returning to Jerusalem.H5221H168H4735H7617H6629H1581H7230H7725H3389
15Then the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded,H7307H430H5838H1121H5752 2and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. "Listen to me, Asa!" he shouted. "Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The LORD will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.H3318H6440H609H559H8085H609H3063H1144H3068H1875H4672H5800H5800 3For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the Law to instruct them.H7227H3117H3478H3808H571H430H3384H3548H8451 4But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him out, they found him.H6862H7725H3068H430H3478H1245H4672 5"During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land.H6256H7965H3318H935H7227H4103H3427H776 6Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem.H1471H3807H1471H5892H5892H430H2000H6869 7But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded."H2388H3027H7503H6468H3426H7939 8When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the altar of the LORD, which stood in front of the entry room of the LORD's Temple.H609H8085H1697H5016H5752H5030H2388H5674H8251H776H3063H1144H5892H3920H2022H669H2318H4196H3068H6440H197H3068 9Then Asa called together all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa's reign when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.H6908H3063H1144H1481H669H4519H8095H5307H3478H7230H7200H3068H430 10The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring, during the fifteenth year of Asa's reign.H6908H3389H7992H2320H2568H6240H8141H4438H609 11On that day they sacrificed to the LORD 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle.H2076H3068H3117H7998H935H7651H3967H1241H7651H505H6629 12Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.H935H1285H1875H3068H430H1H3824H5315 13They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death—whether young or old, man or woman.H1875H3068H430H3478H4191H4480H6996H1419H376H802 14They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the LORD with trumpets blaring and rams' horns sounding.H7650H3068H1419H6963H8643H2689H7782 15All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God, and they found him. And the LORD gave them rest from their enemies on every side.H3063H8055H7621H7650H3824H1245H7522H4672H3068H5117H5439 16King Asa even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole, broke it up, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.H4601H517H609H4428H5493H1377H6213H4656H842H609H3772H4656H1854H8313H5158H6939 17Although the pagan shrines were not removed from Israel, Asa's heart remained completely faithful throughout his life.H1116H5493H3478H3824H609H8003H3117 18He brought into the Temple of God the silver and gold and the various items that he and his father had dedicated.H935H1004H430H1H6944H6944H3701H2091H3627 19So there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign.H4421H2568H7970H8141H4438H609
16In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa's territory in Judah.H8337H7970H8141H4438H609H1201H4428H3478H5927H3063H1129H7414H1115H5414H3318H935H609H4428H3063 2Asa responded by removing the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace. He sent it to King Ben-hadad of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message.H609H3318H3701H2091H214H1004H3068H4428H1004H7971H1130H4428H758H3427H1834H559 3"Let there be a treaty between you and me like the one between your father and my father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone."H1285H1H1H7971H3701H2091H3212H6565H1285H1201H4428H3478H5927 4Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa's request and sent the commanders of his army to attack the towns of Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all the store cities in Naphtali.H1130H8085H4428H609H7971H8269H2428H5892H3478H5221H5859H1835H66H4543H5892H5321 5As soon as Baasha of Israel heard what was happening, he abandoned his project of fortifying Ramah and stopped all work on it.H1201H8085H2308H1129H7414H4399H7673 6Then King Asa called out all the men of Judah to carry away the building stones and timbers that Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. Asa used these materials to fortify the towns of Geba and Mizpah.H609H4428H3947H3063H5375H68H7414H6086H1201H1129H1129H1387H4709 7At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, "Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.H6256H2607H7200H935H609H4428H3063H559H8172H4428H758H8172H3068H430H2428H4428H758H4422H3027 8Don't you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them over to you.H3569H3864H7230H2428H3966H7235H7393H6571H8172H3068H5414H3027 9The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war."H5869H3068H7751H776H2388H3824H8003H5528H6258H3426H4421 10Asa became so angry with Hanani for saying this that he threw him into prison and put him in stocks. At that time Asa also began to oppress some of his people.H609H3707H7200H5414H4115H1004H2197H609H7533H5971H6256 11The rest of the events of Asa's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.H1697H609H7223H314H3789H5612H4428H3063H3478 12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the LORD's help but turned only to his physicians.H609H7970H8672H8141H4438H2456H7272H2483H4605H2483H1875H3068H7495 13So he died in the forty-first year of his reign.H609H7901H1H4191H259H705H8141H4427 14He was buried in the tomb he had carved out for himself in the City of David. He was laid on a bed perfumed with sweet spices and fragrant ointments, and the people built a huge funeral fire in his honor.H6912H6913H3738H5892H1732H7901H4904H4390H1314H2177H7543H4842H4639H8313H3966H1419H8316
17Then Jehoshaphat, Asa's son, became the next king. He strengthened Judah to stand against any attack from Israel.H3092H1121H4427H2388H3478 2He stationed troops in all the fortified towns of Judah, and he assigned additional garrisons to the land of Judah and to the towns of Ephraim that his father, Asa, had captured.H5414H2428H1219H5892H3063H5414H5333H776H3063H5892H669H609H1H3920 3The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father's early years and did not worship the images of Baal.H3068H3092H1980H7223H1870H1H1732H1875H1168 4He sought his father's God and obeyed his commands instead of following the evil practices of the kingdom of Israel.H1875H430H1H1980H4687H4639H3478 5So the LORD established Jehoshaphat's control over the kingdom of Judah. All the people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so he became very wealthy and highly esteemed.H3068H3559H4467H3027H3063H5414H3092H4503H6239H3519H7230 6He was deeply committed to the ways of the LORD. He removed the pagan shrines and Asherah poles from Judah.H3820H1361H1870H3068H5493H1116H842H3063 7In the third year of his reign Jehoshaphat sent his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah. These officials included Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.H7969H8141H4427H7971H8269H1134H5662H2148H5417H4322H3925H5892H3063 8He sent Levites along with them, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah. He also sent out the priests Elishama and Jehoram.H3881H8098H5418H2069H6214H8070H3083H138H2900H2899H3881H476H3088H3548 9They took copies of the Book of the Law of the LORD and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people.H3925H3063H5612H8451H3068H5437H5892H3063H3925H5971 10Then the fear of the LORD fell over all the surrounding kingdoms so that none of them wanted to declare war on Jehoshaphat.H6343H3068H4467H776H5439H3063H3898H3092 11Some of the Philistines brought him gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.H6430H935H3092H4503H4853H3701H6163H935H6629H7651H505H7651H3967H352H7651H505H7651H3967H8495 12So Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful and built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah.H3092H1980H1432H4605H1129H3063H1003H5892H4543 13He stored numerous supplies in Judah's towns and stationed an army of seasoned troops at Jerusalem.H7227H4399H5892H3063H582H4421H1368H2428H3389 14His army was enrolled according to ancestral clans. From Judah there were 300,000 troops organized in units of 1,000, under the command of Adnah.H6486H1004H1H3063H8269H505H5734H8269H1368H2428H7969H3967H505 15Next in command was Jehohanan, who commanded 280,000 troops.H3027H3076H8269H3967H8084H505 16Next was Amasiah son of Zicri, who volunteered for the LORD's service, with 200,000 troops under his command.H3027H6007H1121H2147H5068H3068H3967H505H1368H2428 17From Benjamin there were 200,000 troops equipped with bows and shields. They were under the command of Eliada, a veteran soldier.H1144H450H1368H2428H5401H7198H4043H3967H505 18Next in command was Jehozabad, who commanded 180,000 armed men.H3027H3075H3967H8084H505H2502H6635 19These were the troops stationed in Jerusalem to serve the king, besides those Jehoshaphat stationed in the fortified towns throughout Judah.H8334H4428H4428H5414H4013H5892H3063
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, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Then war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.H4427
