1So 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. 2And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: 3For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:14.3 images: Heb. statues 4And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.14.5 images: Heb. sun images
6¶ And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. 7Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, 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 hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. 8And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.
9¶ And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. 10Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.14.11 man: or, mortal man 12So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.14.13 destroyed: Heb. broken 14And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. 15They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.
Asa Ahennie Ahyɛaseɛ
1Ɛberɛ a Abia wuiɛ no, wɔsiee no wɔ Dawid kurom. Ne babarima Asa na ɔdii nʼadeɛ sɛ ɔhene. Asomdwoeɛ baa asase no so mfeɛ edu, 2ɛfiri sɛ, Asa yɛɛ deɛ ɛfata na ɛyɛ wɔ Awurade, ne Onyankopɔn, ani so. 3Ɔtutuu abosonsomfoɔ afɔrebukyia ne wɔn abosonnan nyinaa guiɛ. Ɔdwirii wɔn afadum, twitwaa Asera afɔrebukyia nyinaa. 4Ɔhyɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ a wɔwɔ Yuda sɛ, wɔnhwehwɛ Awurade wɔn agyanom Onyankopɔn na wɔnni ne mmara ne nʼahyɛdeɛ nyinaa so. 5Asa sane bubuu abosonnan ne nnuhwam afɔrebukyia firii Yuda nkuro nyinaa mu. Ɛno enti, wɔnyaa asomdwoeɛ wɔ Asa ahennie mu. 6Saa asomdwoeɛ mfeɛ no mu no, ɔtumi siesiee banbɔ nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ Yudaman mu nyinaa. Obiara anyɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛko atia no saa ɛberɛ yi, ɛfiri sɛ, na Awurade rema no ahomegyeɛ wɔ nʼatamfoɔ nsam.
7Asa ka kyerɛɛ Yudafoɔ sɛ, “Momma yɛnkyekyere nkuro, na yɛntwa afasuo mfa ho, mfa mmɔ ho ban. Yɛbɛyɛ abantenten, asisi apono, ayɛ nnadeban nso. Asase no yɛ yɛn dea, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛbisaa Awurade yɛn Onyankopɔn, na wama yɛn ahomegyeɛ wɔ yɛn atamfoɔ nsam.” Enti, wɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ saa nnwuma yi de baa awieeɛ.
8Na ɔhene Asa wɔ akofoɔ ɔpehasa a wɔfiri Yuda abusuakuo mu a wɔwɔ akokyɛm ne mpea akɛseɛ. Afei, na ɔwɔ akofoɔ ɔpehanu aduɔwɔtwe a wɔfiri Benyamin abusua mu a wɔkurakura akokyɛm ne agyan nketewa. Na akofoɔ akokoɔdurufoɔ wɔ saa akodɔm mmienu yi mu.
9Ɛberɛ bi, Etiopiani bi a wɔfrɛ no Serah de akodɔm ɔpepem baako ne nteaseɛnam ahasa, kɔto hyɛɛ Yuda so. Wɔkɔ kɔduruu Maresa kuropɔn mu. 10Asa nso boaa nʼakodɔm ano ne wɔn kɔkoo wɔ Sefata bɔnhwa mu a ɛbɛn Maresa.
11Asa teaam, frɛɛ Awurade ne Onyankopɔn sɛ, “Ao Awurade, wo nko ara na wobɛtumi aboa deɛ ɔyɛ mmrɛ na watumi ako atia ɔhoɔdenfoɔ! Boa yɛn, Ao, Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn, ɛfiri sɛ, wo nko ara ne yɛn anidasoɔ. Wo din mu na yɛrehyia ɛdɔm kɛseɛ yi. Ao, Awurade, woyɛ yɛn Onyankopɔn, na mma ɛkwan mma nnipa teta nnsɔre ntia wo!”
12Na Awurade dii Etiopiafoɔ no so nkonim wɔ Asa ne Yuda akodɔm no anim, na atamfoɔ no dwaneeɛ. 13Asa ne nʼakodɔm taa wɔn ara kɔsii Gerar, maa Etiopiafoɔ no bebree totɔeɛ a wɔantumi ammoa wɔn ho ano. Awurade ne nʼakodɔm dwerɛɛ wɔn, na Yuda akodɔm no nyaa afodeɛ bebree kɔeɛ. 14Ɛberɛ a wɔwɔ Gerar no, wɔto hyɛɛ nkuro a ɛwɔ beaeɛ hɔ nyinaa so, na Awurade ho huboa tɔɔ nnipa a wɔwɔ hɔ no so. Awieeɛ no, wɔnyaa afodeɛ bebree wɔ saa nkuro no so nso. 15Wɔsane to hyɛɛ mmoahwɛfoɔ atenaeɛ, kyekyeree nnwan ne nyoma, ansa na wɔresane akɔ Yerusalem.
