2 Chronicles · Chapter 14

V. 1. Quiet-There was no open war, but there were private hostilities between his and Baasha’s subjects.

Verse 1. The land was quiet ten years.] Calmet thinks these years should be counted from the fifth to the fifteenth of Asa’s reign.

Verse 1. In his days the land was quiet ten years — There was no war with the kingdom of Israel, which did not recover the blow given in the last reign for a great while. Abijah’s victory, which was owing, under God, to his courage and bravery, laid a foundation for Asa’s peace, which was the reward of his piety, and the reformation he effected. Though Abijah had little religion himself, he was instrumental in preparing the way for one that had much. If Abijah had not done what he did to quiet the land, Asa could not have done what he did to reform it.

1. In his days the land was quiet ten years — This was probably the result, largely, of Abijah’s great victory over Jeroboam.

Verse 2. Did that which was good] He attended to what the law required relative to the worship of God. He was no idolater, though, morally speaking, he was not exempt from faults, 1 Kings 15:14. He suppressed idolatry universally, and encouraged the people to worship the true God: see 2 Chronicles 14:3-5.

Verse 2. Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord — Happy they that walk by this rule; that do not only that which is right in their own eyes, or in the eyes of the world, but which is so in God’s eyes. Asa saw that God’s eye was always upon him, and therefore he kept his eye always upon God, studied to approve himself to him, and endeavoured in all things to please him.

Verse 3. He took away the altars of the strange gods — Since the time when Solomon admitted idolatry, in the latter end of his reign, it appears, nothing had been done till now to suppress it; so that it may be presumed it had gained ground. Strange gods were worshipped, and had their altars, images, and groves: and the temple-service, though kept up by the priests, was neglected by many of the people. As soon as Asa had power in his hands, he made it his business to destroy those idolatrous altars and images, they being a great provocation to the jealous God, and a great temptation to a careless and unthinking people. He hoped, by destroying the idols, to reform the idolaters, which he had in view, and not their destruction.

Verse 3. Altars of the strange… The author of this book, like Moses, Deuteronomy 32:16, would not pollute his text with the unhallowed name of idols.

3. Took away… the high places — This statement, repeated in verse 5, seems to be contradicted in 2 Chronicles 15:17, where it is said “the high places were not taken away out of Israel.” This apparent discrepancy is explicable in several ways. Some think that the high places here referred to were those of the strange gods; a possible explanation, though scarcely satisfactory, since no mention of strange gods occurs in verse 5, or 2Chronicles 15:17. We may suppose that Asa succeeded, at one period of his reign, in abolishing all the high places, but that they subsequently appeared again, and he died without seeing his kingdom entirely rid of them. But perhaps the best explanation is, that Asa made the greatest effort to remove the high places from his kingdom, and was largely successful, but, notwithstanding all his efforts, he failed of complete success. The writer does not say that he took away all the high places. Either of these explanations is more rational than to suppose that the writer contradicted himself in the space of a chapter.

Verses 4, 5. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord — By his royal edicts he commanded them to worship God, and him only. And to do the law, and the commandment — To observe all divine institutions, which many had neglected, and to practise all that the law of Moses required of them. And the kingdom was quiet before him — Though, it is probable, they were much in love with their idols, and very loath to part with them; yet the convictions of their consciences sided with the commands of Asa, and they could not, for shame, but comply with them. They that have power in their hands, and will use it vigorously for the suppression of profaneness, and the reformation of manners, will, in general, not meet with so much difficulty and opposition as, perhaps, they might expect. Vice is a mean and base thing, and carries its own shame and condemnation on the face of it; while virtue has always reason enough on its side to make iniquity stop her mouth, Psalm 107:42.

Verses 4, 5. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord — By his royal edicts he commanded them to worship God, and him only. And to do the law, and the commandment — To observe all divine institutions, which many had neglected, and to practise all that the law of Moses required of them. And the kingdom was quiet before him — Though, it is probable, they were much in love with their idols, and very loath to part with them; yet the convictions of their consciences sided with the commands of Asa, and they could not, for shame, but comply with them. They that have power in their hands, and will use it vigorously for the suppression of profaneness, and the reformation of manners, will, in general, not meet with so much difficulty and opposition as, perhaps, they might expect. Vice is a mean and base thing, and carries its own shame and condemnation on the face of it; while virtue has always reason enough on its side to make iniquity stop her mouth, Psalm 107:42.

V. 6. The land had rest-Those have rest indeed, to whom God gives rest; peace indeed, to whom Christ gives peace. We find by experience, it is good to seek the Lord. While we pursue the world, we meet with nothing but vexation.

Verse 6. Fenced cities] To preserve his territories from invasion, and strengthen the frontiers of his kingdom, see 2 Chronicles 14:7.

Verses 6, 7. He built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest — He wisely provided for war in the time of peace. The Lord had given him rest — Those have rest indeed to whom God gives rest; peace indeed to whom Christ gives peace. Asa takes notice of the rest they had as the gift of God, and the happy consequence of their seeking the Lord. Because we have sought the Lord, he hath given us rest on every side — Whatever rest we enjoy, whether of body or mind, of our family or country, God ought to be acknowledged with thankfulness as the author of it. For as the frowns and rebukes of Providence should be observed as a check to us in an evil way, so the smiles of Providence should be taken notice of for our encouragement in that which is good. We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it gives us rest. While we pursue the world, we meet with nothing but vexation.

6. Built fenced cities in Judah — He probably restored the fortresses which Shishak had taken and dismantled. Compare 2 Chronicles 12:4. The kingdom of Judah had probably been tributary to Egypt since the time of Shishak’s invasion, (2 Chronicles 12:8, 9;) but now Asa discerned a favourable time to throw off this foreign yoke, and “while the land was yet before” them, (verse 7, that is, unoccupied and unguarded by the Egyptians, so that they could move about in it at pleasure,) he improved his opportunity to fortify his kingdom. Verse 8 shows also that the number of valiant warriors in Judah and Benjamin was now much greater than it was in Abijah’s reign. Comp. 2 Chronicles 13:3.

V. 7. Before us-In our power.

Verses 6, 7. He built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest — He wisely provided for war in the time of peace. The Lord had given him rest — Those have rest indeed to whom God gives rest; peace indeed to whom Christ gives peace. Asa takes notice of the rest they had as the gift of God, and the happy consequence of their seeking the Lord. Because we have sought the Lord, he hath given us rest on every side — Whatever rest we enjoy, whether of body or mind, of our family or country, God ought to be acknowledged with thankfulness as the author of it. For as the frowns and rebukes of Providence should be observed as a check to us in an evil way, so the smiles of Providence should be taken notice of for our encouragement in that which is good. We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it gives us rest. While we pursue the world, we meet with nothing but vexation.

Verse 8. Targets and spears] Probably targets with the dagger in the centre, and javelins for distant fight.

Bare shields and drew bows] They were not only archers, but had shield and sword for close fight.

Ver. 8. Out of Benjamin—two hundred and fourscore thousand. Josephus following the Septuagint says, “Two hundred and fifty thousand.” The mode of numbering in Hebrew subjected the scribes to make frequent mistakes, which in very many places embarrass the sacred text.

V. 9. Ethiopian-Or, the Arabian, as the Hebrew word Cush is commonly used: these being much nearer to Asa than the Ethiopians.

Verse 9. Zerah the Ethiopian] Probably of that Ethiopia which lay on the south of Egypt, near to Libya, and therefore the Libyans are joined with them, 2 Chronicles 16:8.

A thousand thousand] If this people had come from any great distance, they could not have had forage for such an immense army.

Verse 9. There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian — Or, the Arabian, as the Hebrew word Cush is frequently used, and must necessarily be understood, 2 Chronicles 21:16, and 2 Kings 19:9. The Arabians were much nearer to Asa than the Ethiopians, who could not have come to attack him but through Egypt, which probably the king of Egypt would not have permitted them to do. And came unto Mareshah — A city upon and within the borders of Judah, Joshua 15:44. Though Asa and his people still sought the Lord, yet he suffered this immense force of a thousand thousand men, to come against them, that their faith in him might be tried, and that he might have an opportunity of doing great things for them.

WAR WITH ZERAH THE ETHIOPIAN, 9-15.

9. Zerah the Ethiopian belonged, probably, to the same dynasty as Shishak, (see note on 1 Kings 11:40; 14:25,) for the composition of his army of “the Ethiopians and the Lubims,” (2 Chronicles 16:8,) the same nations as composed the army of Shishak, (2 Chronicles 12:3,) proves him to have been an Egyptian, not, as some have thought, an Asiatic or Arabian king. He was known as the Ethiopian, doubtless, because he was such by birth, being, as Rawlinson says, the son-in-law, not the son, of his predecessor on the throne of Egypt. Hence he is most probably to be identified with Usarken II., (written also Osarchon,) the third king of the twenty-second dynasty, and the second after Shishak. His object in invading Judah was doubtless to recover to Egypt the cities which Asa had been fortifying, (verse 6, note,) for Asa’s procedure had been virtually a rebellion against Egypt. A thousand thousand — An enormous army, but not larger than other Oriental monarchs have been known to bring into the field. Came unto Mareshah — This was one of the cities which Rehoboam had fortified, (2 Chronicles 11:8,) and which Shishak had probably captured. It lay, according to Robinson, (see note on Joshua 15:44,) on a hill a mile and a half south of Eleutheropolis, a spot admirably adapted for a fortress. Here the hill country of Judah borders on the great Philistine plain, and the vast Egyptian army might easily have advanced along the coast, and across the plain as far as Mareshah, without meeting much opposition.

10. The valley of Zephathah — Dr. Robinson conjectures that this valley may have been the broad wady that runs northwesterly from Eleutheropolis towards Zell es-Safieh, which latter place may bear a trace of the ancient name Zephathah. But this valley seems to be too far away to be spoken of as at Mareshah. Probably some valley nearer the spot above indicated as Mareshah was the place of the battle.

V. 11. Let not man prevail-If he prevails against us, he prevails, as it were, against thee; because thou art our God. And we rest on thee, and go forth in thy name, which thou hast encouraged us to do.

Verse 11. Whether with many] The same sentiment as that uttered by Jonathan, 1 Samuel 14:6, when he attacked the garrison of the Philistines.

O Lord our God-we rest on thee] “Help us, O Lord our God; because we depend on thy WORD, and in the name of thy WORD we come against this great host.”-Targum.

Verse 11. Asa cried unto the Lord his God — He that sought God in the time of his peace and prosperity, could, with holy boldness, cry to God in the day of his trouble, and call him his God. Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, &c. — There is no difference or difficulty with thee, to help or save by many or few, by those that are mighty, or by them that have no power — Thus he gives the glory of his almighty power to him, who works in his own strength, not in the strength of instruments: nay, whose glory it is to help the most helpless, and perfect strength in the weakness of his people. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee — He was well prepared for this attack, having of Judah three hundred thousand, and of Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand, all well armed, and mighty men of valour, verse 8; yet he trusted not to his preparations, but relied on the Lord. In thy name we go against this great multitude — That is, by thy commission, in confidence of thy assistance, and for the maintenance of thy honour, and service, and people. Let not man prevail against thee — Hebrew, vwna, enosh, mortal man. If he prevail against us, it will be said that he prevails against thee; because thou art our God, and we rest on thee, and go forth in thy name, which thou hast encouraged us to do. The enemy is a mortal man; make it appear what an unequal match he is for an immortal God! Maintain, Lord, thine own honour.

11. Asa cried unto the Lord — The vast hosts of the enemy made Asa feel that his help and hope lay not in numbers. His prayer and his faith made a deep impression on the minds of his people. 1 Chronicles 16:8.

V. 12. Smote-With terror, and an unaccountable consternation.

Verses 12, 13. So the Lord smote the Ethiopians — Smote them with terror, and an unaccountable consternation, so that they fled, and knew not why or whither. Asa and the people pursued them unto Gerar — A city of the Philistines, who probably were confederate with them in this design. They were destroyed before the Lord — For who can stand before him? And before his host — The host of Israel, called God’s host, because owned by him as his people. They carried away very much spoil — From the slain, together with the plunder of their camp.

12. The Lord smote the Ethiopians — But not without the help of Asa and his Jewish and Benjamite forces. Jehovah inspired his people with faith and their enemies with terror, thus making the former doubly strong and the latter hopelessly weak and fearful.

“Egyptian monuments,” says R. Stuart Poole, “enable us to picture the general disposition of Zerah’s army. The chariots formed the first corps, in a single or double line; behind them, massed in phalanxes, were heavy armed troops; probably on the flanks stood archers and horsemen in lighter formations. Asa, marching down a valley, must have attacked in a heavy column, for none but the most highly disciplined troops can form line from column in the face of an enemy. His spearmen of Judah would compose this column; each bank of the valley would be occupied by the Benjamite archers, like those who came to David, ‘helpers of the war, armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow.’ 2 Chronicles 12:1, 2. No doubt the Ethiopian, confident in his numbers, disdained to attack the Hebrews, or clear the heights, but waited in the broad valley or the plain. From the account of Abijah’s defeat of Jeroboam, we may suppose that the priests sounded their trumpets, and the men of Judah descended with a shout. 2 Chronicles 13:14, 15. The hills and mountains were the favourite camping places of the Hebrews, who usually rushed down upon their more numerous or better disciplined enemies in the plains and valleys.” — SMITH’S Bible Dictionary.

Verses 12, 13. So the Lord smote the Ethiopians — Smote them with terror, and an unaccountable consternation, so that they fled, and knew not why or whither. Asa and the people pursued them unto Gerar — A city of the Philistines, who probably were confederate with them in this design. They were destroyed before the Lord — For who can stand before him? And before his host — The host of Israel, called God’s host, because owned by him as his people. They carried away very much spoil — From the slain, together with the plunder of their camp.

13. Pursued them unto Gerar — A distance of twenty miles or more, on the way from Mareshah to Egypt. Gerar was an ancient Philistine town, the abode for a time of Abraham and of Isaac. Genesis 20:1; 26:1. It is probable that Mr. Williams discovered the site of this ancient city in the ruins el Gerar, some three hours south of Gaza, situated in a wady of the same name; but this identification has not yet been confirmed by more recent exploration. It was a nomadic region, and, lying on the borders of the desert, it would be likely to abound in cattle, sheep, and camels. Verse 15.

V. 14. Smote the cities-because they had joined, with Zerah in this war.

Verse 14. There was-much spoil in them.] These cities being on the rear of this vast army, they had laid up much forage in them; and to get this the Jews overthrew the whole.

Verses 14, 15. They smote all the cities round about Gerar — Partly because they had joined with Zerah in this war, and partly because the Ethiopians had sheltered a great part of the remains of their army in them. For the fear of the Lord came upon them — That is, God struck them with such a fear, that they had no heart to withstand, or even to make any resistance against the conquerors. They smote also the tents of cattle — That is, the dwellers in tents, who were either a part of Zerah’s company, or joined with them, or had come along with them, to furnish that great host with necessary provisions. And carried away sheep and camels — Fetched them away out of the enemy’s country in vast numbers.

14. They smote all the cities round about Gerar — For probably the inhabitants of these cities were in league with Zerah, and had assisted in this war against Judah. With the much spoil of these cities, Asa was enabled to repair the serious losses his kingdom had sustained by the invasion of Shishak. 2 Chronicles 12:9.

“The defeat of the Egyptian army by Asa,” says Poole, “is without a parallel in the history of the Jews. On no other occasion did an Israelite army meet an army of one of the great powers and defeat it. Shishak was unopposed; Sennacherib was not met in the field; Necho was so met, but overthrew Josiah’s army; Nebuchadnezzar, like Shishak, was only delayed by fortifications. The defeat of Zerah thus is a solitary instance, more of the power of faith than of the bravery of the Hebrews — a single witness that the God of Israel was still the same who had led his people through the Red Sea, and would give them the same aid if they trusted in him.”

Verse 15. Tents of cattle] Those which had carried the baggage of the great army, and which they had left in such places as abounded with pasture. Perhaps sheepfolds, enclosures for camels, mules, &c., may also be intended. The discomfiture was great, because God fought for the people; and the spoil was immense, because the multitude was prodigious, indeed almost incredible, a million of men in one place is almost too much for the mind to conceive, but there may be some mistake in the numerals: it is evident from the whole account that the number was vast and the spoil great.

II CHRONICLES

Verses 14, 15. They smote all the cities round about Gerar — Partly because they had joined with Zerah in this war, and partly because the Ethiopians had sheltered a great part of the remains of their army in them. For the fear of the Lord came upon them — That is, God struck them with such a fear, that they had no heart to withstand, or even to make any resistance against the conquerors. They smote also the tents of cattle — That is, the dwellers in tents, who were either a part of Zerah’s company, or joined with them, or had come along with them, to furnish that great host with necessary provisions. And carried away sheep and camels — Fetched them away out of the enemy’s country in vast numbers.

WAR WITH ZERAH THE ETHIOPIAN, 9-15.

9. Zerah the Ethiopian belonged, probably, to the same dynasty as Shishak, (see note on 1 Kings 11:40; 14:25,) for the composition of his army of “the Ethiopians and the Lubims,” (2 Chronicles 16:8,) the same nations as composed the army of Shishak, (2 Chronicles 12:3,) proves him to have been an Egyptian, not, as some have thought, an Asiatic or Arabian king. He was known as the Ethiopian, doubtless, because he was such by birth, being, as Rawlinson says, the son-in-law, not the son, of his predecessor on the throne of Egypt. Hence he is most probably to be identified with Usarken II., (written also Osarchon,) the third king of the twenty-second dynasty, and the second after Shishak. His object in invading Judah was doubtless to recover to Egypt the cities which Asa had been fortifying, (verse 6, note,) for Asa’s procedure had been virtually a rebellion against Egypt. A thousand thousand — An enormous army, but not larger than other Oriental monarchs have been known to bring into the field. Came unto Mareshah — This was one of the cities which Rehoboam had fortified, (2 Chronicles 11:8,) and which Shishak had probably captured. It lay, according to Robinson, (see note on Joshua 15:44,) on a hill a mile and a half south of Eleutheropolis, a spot admirably adapted for a fortress. Here the hill country of Judah borders on the great Philistine plain, and the vast Egyptian army might easily have advanced along the coast, and across the plain as far as Mareshah, without meeting much opposition.