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| 1 And Abijah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in the city of David, and reign doth Asa his son in his stead: in his days was the land quiet ten years. |
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| 2 And Asa doth that which is good, and that which is right, in the eyes of Jehovah his God, |
Good and right – In the midst of an unfavorable setting, Asa quickly developed a loyalty to God and soundness of judgment beneficial to his kingdom. R4724:2
We have seen children of evil parentage become nauseated by evil and take right paths. R4724:2
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| 3 and turneth aside the altars of the stranger, and the high places, and breaketh the standing-pillars, and cutteth down the shrines, |
Took away the altars – Erected on various hilltops, at which the orgies of heathendom were practiced. R3392:3
It would be improper now for the people of the United States to decide what is false worship and abolish it or interfere with absolute religious liberty because the people of the United States are not God's Kingdom as was Israel. R2364:2
Brake down the images – Asa did much to abolish idolatry in his kingdom and to sway the minds of the people to the reverence and obedience of Almighty God. R4724:3
Cut down the groves – Accessories to the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth by those who affected to be largely worshippers of nature. R3392:3
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| 4 and saith to Judah to seek Jehovah, God of their fathers, and to do the law and the command; |
Judah – The two-tribe kingdom. R3392:1
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| 5 and he turneth aside out of all cities of Judah the high places and the images, and the kingdom is quiet before him.
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He took away – Such action has been misunderstood to imply that rulers in other countries should take similar action for the destruction of all false religions. R3392:3
It would be entirely improper for any king, governor, president or emperor of earth today to exercise such power, claiming divine approval. R3392:5, R2363:5, R2364:2
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| 6 And he buildeth cities of bulwarks in Judah, for the land hath quiet, and there is no war with him in these years, because Jehovah hath given rest to him. |
Built fenced cities – Fortress cities as a protection against attack from Egypt on the south and west, from Syria on the north and east, and from the ten-tribe kingdom on the immediate north. R3392:6
No war in those years – Asa had peace for ten years, during which time he encouraged his people and trained an army. R4724:3
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| 7 And he saith to Judah, 'Let us build these cities, and compass [them] with wall, and towers, two-leaved doors, and bars, while the land [is] before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God, we have sought, and He giveth rest to us round about;' and they build and prosper. |
Build these cities – Fortified cities on the extremity of his kingdom for protection against attacks of enemies. R4724:3
We should erect fortresses of character which will be a defense against attacks of the world, the flesh and the devil. R4725:4, R3392:6
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| 8 And there is to Asa a force bearing target and spear, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin, bearing shield and treading bow, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these [are] mighty of valour. |
An army of men – These preparations for war had the divine approval, but in no sense indicated that we should take a similar course, for we contend not with flesh and blood. R3392:6
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| 9 And come out unto them doth Zerah the Cushite with a force of a thousand thousand, and chariots three hundred, and he cometh in unto Mareshah, |
Came out against them – To punish Asa for erecting fortifications, etc., to bring away more spoil and to reduce the nation again to the condition of a vassal. R3393:1
Zerah the Ethiopian – Supposed to have been Osorkon II of Egypt. R3392:6
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| 10 and Asa goeth out before him, and they set battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. |
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| 11 And Asa calleth unto Jehovah his God, and saith, 'Jehovah! it is nothing with Thee to help, between the mighty and those who have no power; help us, O Jehovah, our God, for on Thee we have leant, and in Thy name we have come against this multitude; O Jehovah, our God thou [art]; let him not prevail with Thee mortal man! |
Cried unto the LORD – A perfectly proper thing for him to do as the representative of God's chosen people; but prayers for victory in war are improper when made by any nation since Israel's rejection of the Lord at the time of his crucifixion. R3393:4
Asa's faith looked up to God, realizing that with him was the power to give or to withhold victory. R4724:3
We are to look to the Lord for victory: "For when I am weak (in myself), then am I strong (in the Lord)." (2 Cor. 12:10) R4725:4
We rest on thee – Pray, trusting God's power. R5380:5*
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| 12 And Jehovah smiteth the Cushim before Asa, and before Judah, and the Cushim flee, |
So the LORD smote – In the battle which followed Asa and his army were successful. R4724:3
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| 13 and Asa and the people who [are] with him pursue them even to Gerar, and there fall of the Cushim, for they have no preserving, because they have been broken before Jehovah, and before His camp; and they bear away very much spoil, |
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| 14 and smite all the cities round about Gerar, for a fear of Jehovah hath been upon them, and they spoil all the cities, for abundant spoil hath been in them; |
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| 15 and also tents of cattle they have smitten, and they capture sheep in abundance, and camels, and turn back to Jerusalem. |
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