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1 | So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his
days the land was quiet ten years. |
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2 | And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the
LORD his God: |
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3 | For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high
places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: |
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4 | And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and
to do the law and the commandment. |
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5 | Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high
places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. |
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6 | And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest,
and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given
him rest. |
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7 | Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and
make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the
land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our
God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every
side. So they built and prospered. |
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8 | And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out
of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that
bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore
thousand: all these were mighty men of valour. |
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9 | And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an
host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and
came unto Mareshah. |
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10 | Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in
array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. |
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11 | And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is
nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them
that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on
thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD,
thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee. |
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12 | So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah;
and the Ethiopians fled. |
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13 | And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto
Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not
recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD,
and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. |
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14 | And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear
of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities;
for there was exceeding much spoil in them. |
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15 | They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep
and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. |
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