2 Chronicles 14
Asa becomes Judah’s king, destroys pagan shrines, 10 years of peace
Abijah joined his ancestors' sleep, and they buried him in David's city. His son Asa took the throne in his place, and Judah had peace for ten years. Asa did what was good and correct in the Existing One his God's eyes. He tore down the foreign alters, shrines, pillars, and Asherim, ordering Judah to seek their forefathers' God the Existing One and to follow his orders. He also removed the shrines and incense alters from all of Judah's cities, and the entire kingdom experienced peace under him. The Existing One gave them peace, and they had no wars, so Asa used this time to built fortified cities in Judah. Asa said, "Let's build cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land belongs to us because we have sought the Existing One our God. We sought him and he's given us peace on every side." So they built and prospered. Asa's army had 300,000 from Judah with spears and shields and 280,000 from Benjamin with shields and bows. These were his strong and brave warriors.
Judah defeats Ethiopians on God’s behalf
Zerah (the Ethiopian) came from Mareshah and challenged them with an army of 1 million men and 300 chariots. Asa met him and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Zephathah in Mareshah. Asa cried to the Existing One his God, "Oh Existing One, out of all the strong and weak no one can help us like you can. Help us, oh Existing One our God, because we rely on you, and we resist this army on your behalf. Oh Existing One, you're our God; don't let man defeat you." So the Existing One defeated the Ethiopians in front of Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians retreated. Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until all of them were dead. They were broken in front of the Existing One and his army. Judah's men brought back a ton of loot, and they attacked all the cities around Gerar, because the Existing One's fear was with them. They knocked down the farmers' tents and took their sheep and camels, bringing them back to Jerusalem.