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| 1 And 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 what was good and right in the sight 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 he took away the altars of the strange gods and the high places, and broke the columns, and cut down the Asherahs; |
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 commanded Judah to seek Jehovah the God of their fathers, and to practise the law and the commandment. |
Judah – The two-tribe kingdom. R3392:1
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| 5 And he removed out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images; and the kingdom was quiet before him. |
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 built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because Jehovah had given him rest. |
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 said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while the land is yet before us; for we have sought Jehovah our God; we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. And they built and prospered. |
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 Asa had an army that bore targets and spears: out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew the bow, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these, mighty men 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 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against him with a host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots, and he came to 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 went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. |
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| 11 And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, it maketh no difference to thee to help, whether there be much or no power: help us, O Jehovah our God, for we rely on thee, and in thy name have we come against this multitude. Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. |
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 smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. |
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 that were with him pursued them to Gerar; and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that none of them was left alive; for they were crushed before Jehovah and before his army. And they carried away very much spoil. |
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| 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar, for the terror of Jehovah came upon them; and they spoiled all the cities, for there was very 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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