6 He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest.
7 For he said to Judah, “Let’s build these cities and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.
8 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand out of Judah who bore bucklers and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand out of Benjamin who bore shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor.
9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million troops and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.
10 Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.”
6 passages from writers of 2 traditions, in their own words, each with their dates and tradition. The site doesn’t say who is right: read them beside the verses. About these
Reading as
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On verse
Oldest first.
Josephus37–c. 100JewishAntiquities of the Jews · on 2 Chronicles 14:9–11But when he had already reigned ten years, Zerah, king of Ethiopia, made an expedition against him, with a great army, … and came as far as Mareshah, a city that belonged to the tribe of Judah. Now when Zerah had passed so far with his own army, Asa met him, and put his army in array over against him, in a valley called Zephathah, not far from the city; and when he saw the multitude of the Ethiopians, he cried out, and besought God to give him the victory, … "For," said he, "I depend on nothing else but that assistance which I expect from thee, which is able to make the fewer superior to the more numerous, and the weaker to the stronger; and thence it is alone that I venture to meet Zerah, and fight him."
But when he had already reigned ten years, Zerah, king of Ethiopia, made an expedition against him, with a great army, … and came as far as Mareshah, a city that belonged to the tribe of Judah. Now when Zerah had passed so far with his own army, Asa met him, and put his army in array over against him, in a valley called Zephathah, not far from the city; and when he saw the multitude of the Ethiopians, he cried out, and besought God to give him the victory, … "For," said he, "I depend on nothing else but that assistance which I expect from thee, which is able to make the fewer superior to the more numerous, and the weaker to the stronger; and thence it is alone that I venture to meet Zerah, and fight him."
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Antiquities 8.12.1; translated by William Whiston (1737); the text of Project Gutenberg. The edition
A Jewish priest from Jerusalem who fought Rome in the war of 66–70 and afterwards wrote the history of his people for Greek readers.
Matthew Henry1662–1714English PresbyterianCommentary on the Whole Bible · on 2 Chronicles 14:6–7Asa takes notice of the rest they had as the gift of God (He hath given us rest on every side. Note, God must be acknowledged with thankfulness in the rest we are blessed with, of body and mind, family and country), and as the reward of the reformation begun: Because we have sought the Lord our God, he has given us rest. … We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it gives us rest. While we pursue the world we meet with nothing but vexation. … Times of rest from war should be employed in work, for we must always find ourselves something to do. In the years when he had no war he said, "Let us build; still let us be doing." When the churches had rest they were built up, Act 9:31. When the sword is sheathed take up the trowel.
Asa takes notice of the rest they had as the gift of God (He hath given us rest on every side. Note, God must be acknowledged with thankfulness in the rest we are blessed with, of body and mind, family and country), and as the reward of the reformation begun: Because we have sought the Lord our God, he has given us rest. … We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it gives us rest. While we pursue the world we meet with nothing but vexation. … Times of rest from war should be employed in work, for we must always find ourselves something to do. In the years when he had no war he said, "Let us build; still let us be doing." When the churches had rest they were built up, Act 9:31. When the sword is sheathed take up the trowel.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, on 14:1–8; 1706–1714; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
An English Presbyterian minister whose commentary on the whole Bible Protestants have read for three centuries.
Matthew Henry1662–1714English PresbyterianCommentary on the Whole Bible · on 2 Chronicles 14:11He that sought God in the day of his peace and prosperity could with holy boldness cry to God in the day of his trouble, and call him his God. His prayer is short, but has much in it. 1. He gives to God the glory of his infinite power and sovereignty: It is nothing with thee to help and save by many or few, by those that are mighty or by those that have no power. See Sa1 14:6. God works in his own strength, not in the strength of instruments (Psa 21:13), nay, it is his glory to help the weakest and to perfect strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. "We do not say, Lord, take our part, for we have a good army for thee to work by; but, take our part, for without thee we have no power." … He pleads their dependence upon God, and the eye they had to him in this expedition. he was well prepared for it, yet trusted not to his preparations; but, "Lord, we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude, by warrant from thee, aiming at thy glory, and trusting to thy strength."
He that sought God in the day of his peace and prosperity could with holy boldness cry to God in the day of his trouble, and call him his God. His prayer is short, but has much in it. 1. He gives to God the glory of his infinite power and sovereignty: It is nothing with thee to help and save by many or few, by those that are mighty or by those that have no power. See Sa1 14:6. God works in his own strength, not in the strength of instruments (Psa 21:13), nay, it is his glory to help the weakest and to perfect strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. "We do not say, Lord, take our part, for we have a good army for thee to work by; but, take our part, for without thee we have no power." … He pleads their dependence upon God, and the eye they had to him in this expedition. he was well prepared for it, yet trusted not to his preparations; but, "Lord, we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude, by warrant from thee, aiming at thy glory, and trusting to thy strength."
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, on 14:9–15; 1706–1714; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
An English Presbyterian minister whose commentary on the whole Bible Protestants have read for three centuries.
Adam Clarkec. 1760–1832MethodistCommentary on the Holy Bible · on 2 Chronicles 14:9Zerah the Ethiopian - Probably of that Ethiopia which lay on the south of Egypt, near to Libya, and therefore the Libyans are joined with them, Ch2 16:8.
Zerah the Ethiopian - Probably of that Ethiopia which lay on the south of Egypt, near to Libya, and therefore the Libyans are joined with them, Ch2 16:8.
Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Holy Bible, on 14:9; 1810–1826; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
A Methodist preacher and scholar from Ulster, whose commentary on the whole Bible took him nearly forty years.
Jamieson, Fausset and Brownpublished 1871Presbyterian and AnglicanA Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments · on 2 Chronicles 14:9there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian--This could not have been from Ethiopia south of the cataracts of the Nile, for in the reign of Osorkon I, successor of Shishak, no foreign army would have been allowed a free passage through Egypt. Zerah must, therefore, have been chief of the Cushites, or Ethiopians of Arabia, … who had a settlement of tents and cattle in the neighborhood of Gerar.
there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian--This could not have been from Ethiopia south of the cataracts of the Nile, for in the reign of Osorkon I, successor of Shishak, no foreign army would have been allowed a free passage through Egypt. Zerah must, therefore, have been chief of the Cushites, or Ethiopians of Arabia, … who had a settlement of tents and cattle in the neighborhood of Gerar.
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, on 14:9; 1871; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
Three ministers, two Scottish Presbyterians and an Irish Anglican, whose commentary on the whole Bible was written to be short and plain.
Keil and Delitzsch1807–1888 and 1813–1890LutheranBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament · on 2 Chronicles 14:11Then he called upon the Lord his God for help. … "None is with Thee … to help between a mighty one and a weak," i.e., no other than Thou can help in an unequal battle, i.e., help the weaker side; … "In Thy name (i.e., trusting in Thy help) are we come against this multitude" … "Let not a mortal retain strength with Thee" … i.e., let not weak men accomplish anything with Thee, show Thy power or omnipotence over weak men.
Then he called upon the Lord his God for help. … "None is with Thee … to help between a mighty one and a weak," i.e., no other than Thou can help in an unequal battle, i.e., help the weaker side; … "In Thy name (i.e., trusting in Thy help) are we come against this multitude" … "Let not a mortal retain strength with Thee" … i.e., let not weak men accomplish anything with Thee, show Thy power or omnipotence over weak men.
Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, on 14:11; translated by James Martin and others (Edinburgh, 1866–1891); the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, two German Lutheran scholars of Hebrew whose commentary on the Old Testament is still read for its learning.
2 Chronicles 14
2 Chronicles 14:6–11, World English Bible
2 Chronicles 14 in the Bible · Told in the Story: Chapter 3, Kings of Judah and Israel
What others have written
6 passages from writers of 2 traditions, in their own words, each with their dates and tradition. The site doesn’t say who is right: read them beside the verses. About these
Oldest first.
Josephus37–c. 100JewishAntiquities of the Jews · on 2 Chronicles 14:9–11But when he had already reigned ten years, Zerah, king of Ethiopia, made an expedition against him, with a great army, … and came as far as Mareshah, a city that belonged to the tribe of Judah. Now when Zerah had passed so far with his own army, Asa met him, and put his army in array over against him, in a valley called Zephathah, not far from the city; and when he saw the multitude of the Ethiopians, he cried out, and besought God to give him the victory, … "For," said he, "I depend on nothing else but that assistance which I expect from thee, which is able to make the fewer superior to the more numerous, and the weaker to the stronger; and thence it is alone that I venture to meet Zerah, and fight him."
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Antiquities 8.12.1; translated by William Whiston (1737); the text of Project Gutenberg. The edition
A Jewish priest from Jerusalem who fought Rome in the war of 66–70 and afterwards wrote the history of his people for Greek readers.
Matthew Henry1662–1714English PresbyterianCommentary on the Whole Bible · on 2 Chronicles 14:6–7Asa takes notice of the rest they had as the gift of God (He hath given us rest on every side. Note, God must be acknowledged with thankfulness in the rest we are blessed with, of body and mind, family and country), and as the reward of the reformation begun: Because we have sought the Lord our God, he has given us rest. … We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it gives us rest. While we pursue the world we meet with nothing but vexation. … Times of rest from war should be employed in work, for we must always find ourselves something to do. In the years when he had no war he said, "Let us build; still let us be doing." When the churches had rest they were built up, Act 9:31. When the sword is sheathed take up the trowel.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, on 14:1–8; 1706–1714; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
An English Presbyterian minister whose commentary on the whole Bible Protestants have read for three centuries.
Matthew Henry1662–1714English PresbyterianCommentary on the Whole Bible · on 2 Chronicles 14:11He that sought God in the day of his peace and prosperity could with holy boldness cry to God in the day of his trouble, and call him his God. His prayer is short, but has much in it. 1. He gives to God the glory of his infinite power and sovereignty: It is nothing with thee to help and save by many or few, by those that are mighty or by those that have no power. See Sa1 14:6. God works in his own strength, not in the strength of instruments (Psa 21:13), nay, it is his glory to help the weakest and to perfect strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. "We do not say, Lord, take our part, for we have a good army for thee to work by; but, take our part, for without thee we have no power." … He pleads their dependence upon God, and the eye they had to him in this expedition. he was well prepared for it, yet trusted not to his preparations; but, "Lord, we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude, by warrant from thee, aiming at thy glory, and trusting to thy strength."
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, on 14:9–15; 1706–1714; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
An English Presbyterian minister whose commentary on the whole Bible Protestants have read for three centuries.
Adam Clarkec. 1760–1832MethodistCommentary on the Holy Bible · on 2 Chronicles 14:9Zerah the Ethiopian - Probably of that Ethiopia which lay on the south of Egypt, near to Libya, and therefore the Libyans are joined with them, Ch2 16:8.
Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Holy Bible, on 14:9; 1810–1826; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
A Methodist preacher and scholar from Ulster, whose commentary on the whole Bible took him nearly forty years.
Jamieson, Fausset and Brownpublished 1871Presbyterian and AnglicanA Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments · on 2 Chronicles 14:9there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian--This could not have been from Ethiopia south of the cataracts of the Nile, for in the reign of Osorkon I, successor of Shishak, no foreign army would have been allowed a free passage through Egypt. Zerah must, therefore, have been chief of the Cushites, or Ethiopians of Arabia, … who had a settlement of tents and cattle in the neighborhood of Gerar.
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, on 14:9; 1871; the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
Three ministers, two Scottish Presbyterians and an Irish Anglican, whose commentary on the whole Bible was written to be short and plain.
Keil and Delitzsch1807–1888 and 1813–1890LutheranBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament · on 2 Chronicles 14:11Then he called upon the Lord his God for help. … "None is with Thee … to help between a mighty one and a weak," i.e., no other than Thou can help in an unequal battle, i.e., help the weaker side; … "In Thy name (i.e., trusting in Thy help) are we come against this multitude" … "Let not a mortal retain strength with Thee" … i.e., let not weak men accomplish anything with Thee, show Thy power or omnipotence over weak men.
Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, on 14:11; translated by James Martin and others (Edinburgh, 1866–1891); the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, two German Lutheran scholars of Hebrew whose commentary on the Old Testament is still read for its learning.