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2
Chronicles Chapter Fourteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 14
This
chapter relates the death of Abijah, and the succession of Asa in his stead, 2 Chronicles 14:1,
gives a good character of the latter for his reformation in religion, and for
the care he took for the safety and protection of his subjects, 2 Chronicles 14:2,
and an account is given of a large army of Ethiopians that came against him,
over whom he crying to the Lord, and trusting in him, by his help obtained a
complete victory, 2 Chronicles 14:9.
2 Chronicles
14:1 So Abijah
rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his
son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.
YLT
1And 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.
So Abijah slept with his fathers, 1 Kings 15:8.
and Asa his son reigned in his stead; in his days the land was
quiet ten years; the Targum is, the land of Israel; but much better the
Septuagint, the land of Judah; these ten years, in which it had rest from war,
were the first three years of Asa's reign, and the first seven of Baasha's,
according to Jarchi, and which seems right; after which there was war between
them all their days, see 1 Kings 15:32.
2 Chronicles 14:2 2 Asa did what was
good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God,
YLT
2And Asa doth that which is
good, and that which is right, in the eyes of Jehovah his God,
And Asa did that which was good and right,.... See 1 Kings 15:11.
2 Chronicles 14:3 3 for he removed the altars
of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred
pillars and cut down the wooden images.
YLT
3and turneth aside the
altars of the stranger, and the high places, and breaketh the standing-pillars,
and cutteth down the shrines,
For he took away the altars of the strange gods,.... Or of a
strange people, of the Zidonians, Ammonites, and Moabites, which had remained
from the times of Solomon, and which he built for his wives, 1 Kings 11:7.
and the high places; built for idols; for as
for those on which the true God was worshipped, they were not removed in his
days, 1 Kings 15:14.
and brake down the images: or statues, or pillars,
erected to the honour of idols, and on which the images of them were placed:
and cut down the groves; in the midst of which
they stood.
2 Chronicles 14:4 4 He commanded Judah to seek
the Lord
God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.
YLT
4and saith to Judah to seek
Jehovah, God of their fathers, and to do the law and the command;
And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers,.... To pray
to him, and him only, and attend his worship and service; this he did by a
public edict:
and to do the law and the commandment: to observe
all the laws of God, moral, ceremonial, and civil.
2 Chronicles 14:5 5 He also removed the high
places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was
quiet under him.
YLT
5and he turneth aside out of
all cities of Judah the high places and the images, and the kingdom is quiet
before him.
Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places
and the images,.... Perhaps the high places in 2 Chronicles 14:3
design only the high places and altars in Jerusalem, and near it; these in all
the rest of the cities of the land; the "images were", as the word
signifies, "sun images", either made in the form of the sun, or
dedicated to it, or temples for it; See Gill on Leviticus 26:30,
and the kingdom was quiet before him; he had no
foreign enemy to molest him, and so took that opportunity to reform divine
worship, and in that he met with no opposition from his people.
2 Chronicles 14:6 6 And he built fortified
cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because
the Lord
had given him rest.
YLT
6And 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.
And he built fenced cities in Judah,.... For his defence
against the kingdom of Israel and other nations, as Rehoboam had done before
him; and which might have been demolished by Shishak king of Egypt, when he
took them, 2 Chronicles 11:5.
for the land had rest; according to the Targum,
the land of Israel rested, and gave no disturbance to the kingdom of Judah, not
having recovered the blow given them by Abijah; but it is rather to be
understood of the land of Judah, which, as it did not attempt the reduction of
the ten tribes, so it was neither attacked by them, nor any other enemy: and he
had no war in those years; in the ten years mentioned, 2 Chronicles 14:1,
neither with Israel nor any other nation: because the Lord had given him rest;
that he might be at leisure to do the above things; all rest is from the Lord,
civil, spiritual, and eternal.
2 Chronicles 14:7 7 Therefore he said to
Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, 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 has given us rest on every side.” So
they built and prospered.
YLT
7And 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.
Therefore he said unto Judah,.... To the nobles and
principal men of the kingdom:
let us build these cities; which he, no doubt,
particularly mentioned by name, and pointed at; that is, repair and fortify
them, and put them into a better condition of defence:
and make about them walls and towers, gates and bars; which are
always made to fortified places, to protect the inhabitants, and keep out an
enemy:
while the land is yet before us; in our power, no enemy
in it, nor any to hinder or molest:
because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and
he hath given us rest on every side; had set up his pure
worship, reformed abuses in it, and removed idolatry from it, and closely
attended to the service of the sanctuary, which was well pleasing to God; the
happy effect of which they experienced, rest from all their enemies round about
them:
so that they built, and prospered; they began, and went on,
and finished, there being nothing to hinder them.
2 Chronicles 14:8 8 And Asa had an army of
three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from
Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows;
all these were mighty men of valor.
YLT
8And 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.
And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of
Judah three hundred thousand,.... These were armed with a large sort of
shield, to protect them, and with spears, to push at an enemy when they came
near them, and to close quarters with them:
and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred
and fourscore thousand; these had also a lesser sort of shields, to defend their bodies,
and bows and arrows, to annoy an enemy at a distance:
all these were mighty men of valour; able bodied men, valiant
and courageous; perhaps Asa gathered these together, on hearing that the
Ethiopians were preparing to attack him, as follows.
2 Chronicles 14:9 9 Then Zerah the Ethiopian
came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots,
and he came to Mareshah.
YLT
9And 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,
And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian, with an host
of thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots,.... According to
JosephusF2Antiqu. l. 8. c. 12. sect. 1. , this army consisted of
900,000 foot, and 100,000 horsemen, and certain it is there were horsemen among
them, 2 Chronicles 16:8
some say these were not the Ethiopians in Africa, beyond Egypt, being, as is
said, too far off for such an army to travel, and it would be hard to say what
should induce them to it; and besides it is urged, the king of Egypt would
never have suffered them to pass through his dominions, as they must to come to
Judea; but that they were the Cushite Arabs, that inhabited Midian, part of
Arabia Petraea, and Arabia Felix, near Judaea; see Gill on Numbers 12:1, but
since this great host consisted of Lubim or Libyans, inhabitants of Africa, as
well as of Ethiopians, 2 Chronicles 16:8,
these Ethiopians seem to be rather those in Africa, who were masters of Egypt
and Libya, as well as Ethiopia, quickly after the death of Shishak, or
Sesostris, see 2 Chronicles 12:2,
which accounts for the size of this army, and their passage through Egypt: that
there were two sorts of Ethiopians, the western and eastern ones, the one that
dwelt in Africa, the other in Asia, appears clearly from HomerF3Odyss.
1. ver. 23, 24. , HerodotusF4Polymnia, sive, l. 7. c. 69, 70. , and
HeliodorusF5Ethiopic. l. 9. c. 6. , the former of which seem here
meant; nor need this army be thought incredible, especially since they were
joined by the Lubim or Libyans, and assisted by the Philistines, as appears by
what follows; besides, the two armies of Israel and Judah we read of in the
preceding chapter, when put together, exceed this; see also 2 Chronicles 17:14,
so the armies of Tamerlane and Bajazet, that of the former being 1,600,000, and
that of the latter 1,400,000F6Laonic. Chalcocond. de rebus Turc. l.
3. p. 98, 102. :
and came unto Mareshah; a city in the tribe of
Judah, on the borders of it, 2 Chronicles 11:8.
2 Chronicles 14:10 10 So Asa went out against
him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at
Mareshah.
YLT
10and Asa goeth out before
him, and they set battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
Then Asa went out against him,.... Notwithstanding he
brought so great an army with him:
and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at
Mareshah; where the Ethiopians were; he did not stay till they got further
into his country, but marched against them when on the frontiers of it, and
chose the valley to pitch in, as being more to the advantage of his smaller
army; see Judges 1:17.
2 Chronicles 14:11 11 And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and
said, “Lord,
it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have
no power; help us, O Lord
our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are
our God; do not let man prevail against You!”
YLT
11And 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!
And Asa cried unto the Lord his God,.... Or prayed, as the
Targum, with vehemence, being in distress; this he did before the battle began,
at the head of his army, and for the encouragement of it:
and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help; nothing can
hinder from helping, his power being superior to all others, and even infinite,
and none besides him could:
whether with many, or with them that have no power; numbers make
no difference with him, nor the condition they are in; whether numerous and
mighty, or few and feeble; he can as easily help the one as the other, see 1 Samuel 14:6,
help us, O Lord our God; who are few and weak in
comparison of the enemy:
for we rest on thee; trust in thee, and rely
upon thee for help; the Targum is,"on thy Word we lean:"
and in thy name we go against this multitude; expressing
faith in him, expecting help from him, encouraging and strengthening themselves
in him, going forth not in their own name and strength, but in his; the Targum
is,"in the name of the Word of the Lord:"
O Lord, thou art our God: and thou only we know,
and serve no other, and we are thy people, called by thy name:
let not man prevail against thee; for should this enemy
prevail against them, it would be interpreted prevailing against their God.
2 Chronicles 14:12 12 So the Lord struck the
Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
YLT
12And Jehovah smiteth the
Cushim before Asa, and before Judah, and the Cushim flee,
So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah,.... With
consternation and terror; they were thrown into a panic:
and the Ethiopians fled; before them, just as
Jeroboam and Israel had, as related in the preceding chapter, 2 Chronicles 13:15.
2 Chronicles 14:13 13 And Asa and the people who
were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown,
and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord and His army.
And they carried away very much spoil.
YLT
13and 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,
And Asa, and the people that were with him, pursued them
unto Gerar,.... A city of the Philistines, Genesis 20:1,
and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover
themselves; they were thrown into such a fright, and into so much confusion,
that they could not put themselves in order, and rally again; or there fell
such a vast number of them, that there were scarce any remaining alive, which
seems to be the sense of the words used:
for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; the army of
Israel, which the Lord was, as it were, the Commander of, fought for, and led
them in the pursuit, and gave them victory; or it may mean an host of angels,
employed in destroying this great army; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions
of 2 Chronicles 14:12
read,"the angel of the Lord smote the Ethiopians:"
and they carried away very much spoil; which they
found in their camp, and with their slain; even much gold and silver, as JosephusF7Ut
supra, (Antiq. l. 8. c. 12.) sect. 2. says.
2 Chronicles 14:14 14 Then they defeated all the
cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord came upon them; and they
plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much spoil in them.
YLT
14and 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;
And they smote all the cities round about Gerar,.... The
cities of the Philistines, who were auxiliaries and confederates with these
Ethiopians, and colonies from them, according to Theodoret, and who says, about
Eleutheropolis was a place, called, in his time, Geraron Saton:
for the fear of the Lord came upon them; so that they
had no power to defend themselves, and oppose the men of Judah:
and they spoiled all the cities; of the goods and
substance that were in them:
for there was exceeding much spoil in them; great wealth
and riches of one kind or another.
2 Chronicles 14:15 15 They also attacked the
livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and
returned to Jerusalem.
YLT
15and also tents of cattle
they have smitten, and they capture sheep in abundance, and camels, and turn
back to Jerusalem.
They smote also the tents of cattle,.... The people that
dwelt in tents for the sake of the pasturage of their cattle; the Scenite
Arabs, so called from dwelling in tents:
and carried away sheep; which those Arabs were
feeding in Palestine, and which this great army brought with them for their
support:
and camels in abundance; which is another
circumstance proving them to be Arabs, who abounded with camels:
and returned to Jerusalem; with their spoil, and
with great joy.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》