1 So Abijah H29 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and they buried H6912 him in the city H5892 of David: H1732 and Asa H609 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead. In his days H3117 the land H776 was quiet H8252 ten H6235 years. H8141
So David H1732 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 in the city H5892 of David. H1732
And Rehoboam H7346 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 with his fathers H1 in the city H5892 of David. H1732 And his mother's H517 name H8034 was Naamah H5279 an Ammonitess. H5985 And Abijam H38 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
And Abijam H38 slept H7901 with his fathers; H1 and they buried H6912 him in the city H5892 of David: H1732 and Asa H609 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead. And in the twentieth H6242 year H8141 of Jeroboam H3379 king H4428 of Israel H3478 reigned H4427 Asa H609 over Judah. H3063 And forty H705 and one H259 years H8141 reigned H4427 he in Jerusalem. H3389 And his mother's H517 name H8034 was Maachah, H4601 the daughter H1323 of Abishalom. H53 And Asa H609 did H6213 that which was right H3477 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD, H3068 as did David H1732 his father. H1 And he took away H5674 the sodomites H6945 out of the land, H776 and removed H5493 all the idols H1544 that his fathers H1 had made. H6213 And also Maachah H4601 his mother, H517 even her he removed H5493 from being queen, H1377 because she had made H6213 an idol H4656 in a grove; H842 and Asa H609 destroyed H3772 her idol, H4656 and burnt H8313 it by the brook H5158 Kidron. H6939 But the high places H1116 were not removed: H5493 nevertheless Asa's H609 heart H3824 was perfect H8003 with the LORD H3068 all his days. H3117 And he brought H935 in the things H6944 which his father H1 had dedicated, H6944 and the things which himself had dedicated, H6944 into the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 silver, H3701 and gold, H2091 and vessels. H3627 And there was war H4421 between Asa H609 and Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel H3478 all their days. H3117 And Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 against Judah, H3063 and built H1129 Ramah, H7414 that he might not suffer H5414 any to go out H3318 or come in H935 to Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah. H3063 Then Asa H609 took H3947 all the silver H3701 and the gold H2091 that were left H3498 in the treasures H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of his servants: H5650 and king H4428 Asa H609 sent H7971 them to Benhadad, H1130 the son H1121 of Tabrimon, H2886 the son H1121 of Hezion, H2383 king H4428 of Syria, H758 that dwelt H3427 at Damascus, H1834 saying, H559 There is a league H1285 between me and thee, and between my father H1 and thy father: H1 behold, I have sent H7971 unto thee a present H7810 of silver H3701 and gold; H2091 come H3212 and break H6565 thy league H1285 with Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that he may depart H5927 from me. So Benhadad H1130 hearkened H8085 unto king H4428 Asa, H609 and sent H7971 the captains H8269 of the hosts H2428 which he had against the cities H5892 of Israel, H3478 and smote H5221 Ijon, H5859 and Dan, H1835 and Abelbethmaachah, H62 and all Cinneroth, H3672 with all the land H776 of Naphtali. H5321 And it came to pass, when Baasha H1201 heard H8085 thereof, that he left off H2308 building H1129 of Ramah, H7414 and dwelt H3427 in Tirzah. H8656 Then king H4428 Asa H609 made a proclamation H8085 throughout all Judah; H3063 none was exempted: H5355 and they took H5375 away the stones H68 of Ramah, H7414 and the timber H6086 thereof, wherewith Baasha H1201 had builded; H1129 and king H4428 Asa H609 built H1129 with them Geba H1387 of Benjamin, H1144 and Mizpah. H4709 The rest H3499 of all the acts H1697 of Asa, H609 and all his might, H1369 and all that he did, H6213 and the cities H5892 which he built, H1129 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063 Nevertheless in the time H6256 of his old age H2209 he was diseased H2470 in his feet. H7272 And Asa H609 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 with his fathers H1 in the city H5892 of David H1732 his father: H1 and Jehoshaphat H3092 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
And Solomon's H8010 son H1121 was Rehoboam, H7346 Abia H29 his son, H1121 Asa H609 his son, H1121 Jehoshaphat H3092 his son, H1121
And Solomon H8010 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and he was buried H6912 in the city H5892 of David H1732 his father: H1 and Rehoboam H7346 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 14
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 14 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Asa's Reign - 2 Chronicles 14-16
In 1 Kings 15:9-24 it is merely recorded of Asa, that he reigned forty-one years, did that which was right as David did, removed from the land all the idols which his fathers had made, and, although the high places were not removed, was devoted to the Lord during his whole life, and laid up in the temple treasury all that had been consecrated by his father and himself. Then it is related that when Baasha marched against him, and began to fortify Ramah, he induced the Syrian king Benhadad, by sending to him the treasures of the temple and of his palace, to break faith with Baasha, and to make an inroad upon and smite the northern portion of the land; that Baasha was thereby compelled to abandon the building of Ramah, and to fall back to Tirzah, and that thereupon Asa caused the fortifications of Ramah to be pulled down, and the cities Geba and Benjamin and Mizpah to be fortified with the materials; and, finally, it is recorded that Asa in his old age became diseased in his feet, and died. The Chronicle also characterizes Asa as a pious king, who did that which was right, and removed the high places and sun-pillars in the land; but gives, as to other matters, a much more detailed account of his reign of forty-one years. It states that in the first years, as the land had rest, he built fortified cities in Judah, and had an army fit for war (2 Chronicles 14:1-7); that thereupon he marched against the Cushite Zerah, who was then advancing upon Judah with an innumerable host, prayed for help to the Lord, who then smote the Cushites, so that they fled; and that Asa pursued them to Gerar, and returned with great booty (2 Chronicles 14:8-14). Then we learn that the prophet Azariah, the son of Oded, came to meet him, who, pointing to the victory which the Lord had granted them, called upon the king and the people to remain stedfast in their fidelity to the Lord; that Asa thereupon took courage, extirpated all the still remaining idolatrous abominations from the land, and in the fifteenth year of his reign held with the people a great sacrificial feast in Jerusalem, renewed the covenant with the Lord, crushed out all the remains of former idolatry, although the high places were not destroyed, and also deposited in the temple treasury all that had been consecrated by his father and himself (2 Chron 15). Thereafter Baasha's inroad upon Judah and the alliance with Ben-hadad of Syria are narrated (2 Chronicles 16:1-6), as in the book of Kings; but it is also added that the prophet Hanani censured his seeking help from the king of Syria, and was thereupon put into the prison-house by Asa (2 Chronicles 16:7-10); and then we have an account of the end of his reign, in which several additions to the account in 1 Kings are communicated (2 Chronicles 16:11-14).
2 Chronicles 14:1-3
Asa's efforts for the abolition of idolatry and the establishment of the kingdom . - 2 Chronicles 14:1-4. The good and right in God's eyes which Asa did is further defined in 2 Chronicles 14:2-4. He abolished all the objects of the idolatrous worship. The “altars of the strangers” are altars consecrated to foreign gods; from them the בּמות , high places, are distinguished-these latter being illegal places of sacrifice connected with the worship of Jahve (see on 1 Kings 15:14). The מצּבוה are the statues or monumental columns consecrated to Baal, and אשׁרים the wooden idols, tree-trunks, or trees, which were consecrated to Astarte (see on 1 Kings 14:23 and Deuteronomy 16:21). Asa at the same time commanded the people to worship Jahve, the God of the fathers, and to follow the law.
2 Chronicles 14:4-6
He removed from all the cities of Judah the altars of the high places, and the חמּנים , sun-pillars, pillars or statues consecrated to Baal as sun-god, which were erected near or upon the altars of Baal (2 Chronicles 34:4; see on Leviticus 26:30). In consequence of this the kingdom had rest לפניו , before him, i.e., under his oversight (cf. Numbers 8:22). This ten-years' quiet (2 Chronicles 14:1) which God granted him, Asa employed in building fortresses in Judah (2 Chronicles 14:5). “We will build these cities, and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bolts.” It is not said what the cities were, but they were at any rate others than Geba and Mizpah, which he caused to be built after the war with Baasha (2 Chronicles 16:6). “The land is still before us,” i.e., open, free from enemies, so that we may freely move about, and build therein according to our pleasure. For the phraseology, cf. Genesis 13:9. The repetition of דּרשׁנוּ , 2 Chronicles 14:6, is impassioned speech. “They built and had success;” they built with effect, without meeting with any hindrances.
2 Chronicles 14:7
Asa had also a well-equipped, well-armed army. The men of Judah were armed with a large shield and lance (cf. 1 Chronicles 12:24), the Benjamites with a small shield and bow (cf. 1 Chronicles 8:40). The numbers are great; of Judah 300,000, of Benjamin 280,000 men. Since in these numbers the whole population capable of bearing arms is included, 300,000 men does not appear too large for Judah, but 280,000 is a very large number for Benjamin, and is founded probably on an overestimate.
The victory over the Cushite Zerah . - 2 Chronicles 14:8. “And there went forth against them Zerah.” אליהם for עליהם refers to Asa's warriors mentioned in 2 Chronicles 14:7. The number of the men in Judah capable of bearing arms is mentioned only to show that Asa set his hope of victory over the innumerable host of the Cushites not on the strength of his army, but on the all-powerful help of the Lord (2 Chronicles 14:10). The Cushite זרח is usually identified with the second king of the 22nd (Bubastitic) dynasty, Osorchon I; while Brugsch, hist. de l'Eg. i. p. 298, on the contrary, has raised objections, and holds Zerah to be an Ethiopian and not an Egyptian prince, who in the reign of Takeloth I, about 944 b.c., probably marched through Egypt as a conqueror (cf. G. Rösch in Herz.'s Realenc. xviii. S. 460). The statement as to Zerah's army, that it numbered 1,000,000 warriors and 300 war-chariots, rests upon a rough estimate, in which 1000 times 1000 expresses the idea of the greatest possible number. The Cushites pressed forward to Mareshah, i.e., Marissa, between Hebron and Ashdod (see on 2 Chronicles 11:8).
2 Chronicles 14:9
Thither Asa marched to meet them, and drew up his army in battle array in the valley Zephathah, near Mareshah. The valley Zephathah is not, as Robins., Pal. sub voce , thinks, to be identified with Tel es Safieh, but must lie nearer Mareshah, to the west or north-west of Marâsch.
2 Chronicles 14:10
Then he called upon the Lord his God for help. וגו עמּך אין we translate, with Berth., “None is with Thee (on עמּך , cf. 2 Chronicles 20:6; Psalms 73:25) 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; while the Vulg., on the contrary, after the analogy of 1 Samuel 14:6, translates, “non est apud te ulla distantia, utrum in paucis auxilieris an in pluribus;” and the older commentators (Schmidt, Ramb.) give the meaning thus: “perinde est tibi potentiori vel imbecilliori opem ferre.” But in 1 Samuel 14:16 the wording is different, so that that passage cannot be a standard for us here. “In Thy name (i.e., trusting in Thy help) are we come against this multitude” (not “have we fallen upon this multitude”). וגו יעצר אל , “Let not a mortal retain strength with Thee” ( עצר = כּח עצר , 2 Chronicles 13:20; 1 Chronicles 29:14), i.e., let not weak men accomplish anything with Thee, show Thy power or omnipotence over weak men.
2 Chronicles 14:11
God heard this prayer. Jahve drove the Cushites into flight before Asa, scil. by His mighty help.
2 Chronicles 14:12
Asa, with his people, pursued to Gerar, the old ancient Philistine city, whose ruins Rowlands has discovered in the Khirbet el Gerar, in the Wady Jorf el Gerar (the torrent of Gerar), three leagues south-south-east of Gaza (see on Genesis 20:1). “And there fell of the Cushites, so that to them was not revival,” i.e., so many that they could not make a stand and again collect themselves, ut eis vivificatio i. e. copias restaurandi ratio non esset, as older commentators, in Annott. uberior. ad h. l., have already rightly interpreted it. The words are expressions for complete defeat. Berth. translates incorrectly: “until to them was nothing living;” for לאין does not stand for לאין עד , but ל serves to subordinate the clause, “so that no one,” where in the older language אין alone would have been sufficient, as in 2 Chronicles 20:25; 1 Chronicles 22:4, cf. Ew. §315, c ; and מחיה denotes, not “a living thing,” but only “preservation of life, vivification, revival, maintenance.” For they were broken before Jahve and before His host. מחנהוּ , i.e., Asa's army is called Jahve's, because Jahve fought in and with it against the enemy. There is no reason to suppose, with some older commentators, that there is any reference to an angelic host or heavenly camp (Genesis 32:2.). And they (Asa and his people) brought back very much booty.
2 Chronicles 14:13
“They smote all the cities round about Gerar,” which, as we must conclude from this, had made common cause with the Cushites, being inhabited by Philistines; for the fear of Jahve had fallen upon them. יהוה פּחד יהוה . here, and in 2 Chronicles 17:10; 2 Chronicles 20:29, as in 1 Samuel 11:7, the fear of the omnipotence displayed by Jahve in the annihilation of the innumerable hostile army. In these cities Judah found much booty.
2 Chronicles 14:14-15
They also smote the tents of the herds of the wandering tribes of that district, and carried away many sheep and camels as booty.