3 For he took away H5493 the altars H4196 of the strange H5236 gods, and the high places, H1116 and brake down H7665 the images, H4676 and cut down H1438 the groves: H842
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 it came to pass the same night, H3915 that the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Take H3947 thy father's H1 young H6499 bullock, H7794 even the second H8145 bullock H6499 of seven H7651 years old, H8141 and throw down H2040 the altar H4196 of Baal H1168 that thy father H1 hath, and cut down H3772 the grove H842 that is by it: And build H1129 an altar H4196 unto the LORD H3068 thy God H430 upon the top H7218 of this rock, H4581 in the ordered place, H4634 and take H3947 the second H8145 bullock, H6499 and offer H5927 a burnt sacrifice H5930 with the wood H6086 of the grove H842 which thou shalt cut down. H3772 Then Gideon H1439 took H3947 ten H6235 men H582 of his servants, H5650 and did H6213 as the LORD H3068 had said H1696 unto him: and so it was, because he feared H3372 his father's H1 household, H1004 and the men H582 of the city, H5892 that he could not do H6213 it by day, H3119 that he did H6213 it by night. H3915 And when the men H582 of the city H5892 arose early H7925 in the morning, H1242 behold, the altar H4196 of Baal H1168 was cast down, H5422 and the grove H842 was cut down H3772 that was by it, and the second H8145 bullock H6499 was offered H5927 upon the altar H4196 that was built. H1129
Then did Solomon H8010 build H1129 an high place H1116 for Chemosh, H3645 the abomination H8251 of Moab, H4124 in the hill H2022 that is before H6440 Jerusalem, H3389 and for Molech, H4432 the abomination H8251 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 And likewise did H6213 he for all his strange H5237 wives, H802 which burnt incense H6999 and sacrificed H2076 unto their gods. H430
And Judah H3063 did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and they provoked him to jealousy H7065 with their sins H2403 which they had committed, H2398 above all that their fathers H1 had done. H6213 For they also built H1129 them high places, H1116 and images, H4676 and groves, H842 on every high H1364 hill, H1389 and under every green H7488 tree. H6086 And there were also sodomites H6945 in the land: H776 and they did H6213 according to all the abominations H8441 of the nations H1471 which the LORD H3068 cast out H3423 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 14
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 14 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 14
2Ch 14:1-5. Asa Destroys Idolatry.
1. In his days the land was quiet ten years—This long interval of peace was the continued effect of the great battle of Zemaraim (compare 1Ki 15:11-14).
2. Asa did that which was good and right—(compare 1Ki 15:14). Still his character and life were not free from faults (2Ch 16:7, 10, 12).
3. brake down the images—of Baal (see on 2Ch 34:4; Le 26:30).
cut down the groves—rather, "Asherim."
5. he took away … the high places—that is, those devoted to idolatrous rites.
took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images—All public objects and relics of idolatry in Jerusalem and other cities through his kingdom were destroyed; but those high places where God was worshipped under the figure of an ox, as at Beth-el, were allowed to remain (1Ki 15:14); so far the reformation was incomplete.
2Ch 14:6-8. Having Peace, He Strengthens His Kingdom with Forts and Armies.
6. he built fenced cities in Judah—(See on 1Ki 15:22).
7. while the land is yet before us—that is, while we have free and undisputed progress everywhere; no foe is near; but, as this happy time of peace may not last always and the kingdom is but small and weak, let us prepare suitable defenses in case of need. He had also an army of five hundred eighty thousand men. Judah furnished the heavily armed soldiers, and Benjamin the archers. This large number does not mean a body of professional soldiers, but all capable of bearing arms and liable to be called into service.
2Ch 14:9-15. He Overcomes Zerah, and Spoils the Ethiopians.
9. 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, as they were evidently a nomad horde who had a settlement of tents and cattle in the neighborhood of Gerar.
a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots—"Twenty camels employed to carry couriers upon them might have procured that number of men to meet in a short time. As Zerah was the aggressor, he had time to choose when he would summon these men and attack the enemy. Every one of these Cushite shepherds, carrying with them their own provisions of flour and water, as is their invariable custom, might have fought with Asa without eating a loaf of Zerah's bread or drinking a pint of his water" [Bruce, Travels].
10. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array … at Mareshah—one of the towns which Rehoboam fortified (2Ch 11:8), near a great southern pass in the low country of Judah (Jos 15:44). The engagement between the armies took place in a plain near the town, called "the valley of Zephathah," supposed to be the broad way coming down Beit Jibrin towards Tell Es-Safren [Robinson].
11-13. Asa cried unto the Lord his God—Strong in the confidence that the power of God was able to give the victory equally with few as with many, the pious king marched with a comparatively small force to encounter the formidable host of marauders at his southern frontier. Committing his cause to God, he engaged in the conflict—completely routed the enemy, and succeeded in obtaining, as the reward of his victory, a rich booty in treasure and cattle from the tents of this pastoral horde.