He built fortified towns in Judah, since the land was untroubled and he was not engaged in warfare during those years, for GOD had granted him respite.
He said to Judah, “Let us build up these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while the land is at our disposal because we turned to the ETERNAL our God—after we did so, we were given respite on all sides.” They were successful in their building.
Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin bearing bucklers and drawing the bow; all these were valiant warriors.
Asa called to the ETERNAL his God, and said, “O ETERNAL One, it is all the same to You to help the numerous and the powerless. Help us, our ETERNAL God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this great multitude. You are the ETERNAL our God. Let no mortal hinder You.”
Asa and the army with him pursued them as far as Gerar. Many of the Cushites fell wounded beyond recovery, for they broke before GOD’s camp.bbefore GOD’s camp Heb. “before GOD and before His camp.” Very much spoil was taken.
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אָסָא֙ הַטּ֣וֹב וְהַיָּשָׁ֔ר בְּעֵינֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
Asa did what was good and pleasing to the ETERNAL his God.
וַיָּ֛סַר אֶת־מִזְבְּח֥וֹת הַנֵּכָ֖ר וְהַבָּמ֑וֹת וַיְשַׁבֵּר֙ אֶת־הַמַּצֵּב֔וֹת וַיְגַדַּ֖ע אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִֽים׃
He abolished the alien altars and shrines; he smashed the pillars and cut down the sacred posts.asacred posts Used in worship of the goddess Asherah.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה לִדְר֕וֹשׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת הַתּוֹרָ֥ה וְהַמִּצְוָֽה׃
He ordered Judah to turn to the ETERNAL God of their ancestors and to observe the Teaching and the Commandment.
וַיָּ֙סַר֙ מִכׇּל־עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה אֶת־הַבָּמ֖וֹת וְאֶת־הַחַמָּנִ֑ים וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה לְפָנָֽיו׃
He abolished the shrines and the incense stands throughout the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was untroubled under him.
וַיִּ֛בֶן עָרֵ֥י מְצוּרָ֖ה בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה כִּֽי־שָׁקְטָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ וְאֵין־עִמּ֤וֹ מִלְחָמָה֙ בַּשָּׁנִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה כִּֽי־הֵנִ֥יחַ יְהֹוָ֖ה לֽוֹ׃
He built fortified towns in Judah, since the land was untroubled and he was not engaged in warfare during those years, for GOD had granted him respite.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לִיהוּדָ֜ה נִבְנֶ֣ה ׀ אֶת־הֶעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה וְנָסֵ֨ב חוֹמָ֣ה וּמִגְדָּלִים֮ דְּלָתַ֣יִם וּבְרִיחִים֒ עוֹדֶ֨נּוּ הָאָ֜רֶץ לְפָנֵ֗ינוּ כִּ֤י דָרַ֙שְׁנוּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ דָּרַ֕שְׁנוּ וַיָּ֥נַֽח־לָ֖נוּ מִסָּבִ֑יב וַיִּבְנ֖וּ וַיַּצְלִֽיחוּ׃ {פ}
He said to Judah, “Let us build up these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while the land is at our disposal because we turned to the ETERNAL our God—after we did so, we were given respite on all sides.” They were successful in their building.
וַיְהִ֣י לְאָסָ֗א חַ֘יִל֮ נֹשֵׂ֣א צִנָּ֣ה וָרֹ֒מַח֒ מִֽיהוּדָה֙ שְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אֶ֔לֶף {ס} וּמִבִּנְיָמִ֗ן נֹשְׂאֵ֤י מָגֵן֙ וְדֹ֣רְכֵי קֶ֔שֶׁת מָאתַ֥יִם וּשְׁמוֹנִ֖ים אָ֑לֶף כׇּל־אֵ֖לֶּה גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי חָֽיִל׃
Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin bearing bucklers and drawing the bow; all these were valiant warriors.
וַיֵּצֵ֨א אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם זֶ֣רַח הַכּוּשִׁ֗י בְּחַ֙יִל֙ אֶ֣לֶף אֲלָפִ֔ים וּמַרְכָּב֖וֹת שְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת וַיָּבֹ֖א עַד־מָרֵשָֽׁה׃
Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of a thousand thousand and 300 chariots. When he reached Mareshah
וַיֵּצֵ֥א אָסָ֖א לְפָנָ֑יו וַיַּֽעַרְכוּ֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה בְּגֵ֥יא צְפַ֖תָה לְמָרֵשָֽׁה׃
Asa confronted him, and the battle lines were drawn in the valley of Zephat by Mareshah.
וַיִּקְרָ֨א אָסָ֜א אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָיו֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ יְהֹוָ֗ה אֵֽין־עִמְּךָ֤ לַעְזֹר֙ בֵּ֥ין רַב֙ לְאֵ֣ין כֹּ֔חַ עׇזְרֵ֜נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ כִּֽי־עָלֶ֣יךָ נִשְׁעַ֔נּוּ וּבְשִׁמְךָ֣ בָ֔אנוּ עַל־הֶהָמ֖וֹן הַזֶּ֑ה יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ אַ֔תָּה אַל־יַעְצֹ֥ר עִמְּךָ֖ אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃ {ס}
Asa called to the ETERNAL his God, and said, “O ETERNAL One, it is all the same to You to help the numerous and the powerless. Help us, our ETERNAL God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this great multitude. You are the ETERNAL our God. Let no mortal hinder You.”
וַיִּגֹּ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־הַכּוּשִׁ֔ים לִפְנֵ֥י אָסָ֖א וְלִפְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ הַכּוּשִֽׁים׃
So GOD routed the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled.
וַיִּרְדְּפֵ֨ם אָסָ֜א וְהָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־עִמּוֹ֮ עַד־לִגְרָר֒ וַיִּפֹּ֤ל מִכּוּשִׁים֙ לְאֵ֣ין לָהֶ֣ם מִֽחְיָ֔ה כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּר֥וּ לִפְנֵי־יְהֹוָ֖ה וְלִפְנֵ֣י מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ שָׁלָ֖ל הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
Asa and the army with him pursued them as far as Gerar. Many of the Cushites fell wounded beyond recovery, for they broke before GOD’s camp.bbefore GOD’s camp Heb. “before GOD and before His camp.” Very much spoil was taken.
וַיַּכּ֗וּ אֵ֤ת כׇּל־הֶעָרִים֙ סְבִיב֣וֹת גְּרָ֔ר כִּי־הָיָ֥ה פַחַד־יְהֹוָ֖ה עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙זּוּ֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים כִּֽי־בִזָּ֥ה רַבָּ֖ה הָיְתָ֥ה בָהֶֽם׃
All the cities in the vicinity of Gerar were ravaged, for a terror of GOD seized them. All the cities were plundered, and they yielded much booty.
וְגַם־אׇהֳלֵ֥י מִקְנֶ֖ה הִכּ֑וּ וַיִּשְׁבּ֨וּ צֹ֤אן לָרֹב֙ וּגְמַלִּ֔ים וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {ס}
They also ravaged the encampment of herders, capturing much sheep, and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.