2 Chronicles 14:13

_SO THE LORD SMOTE THE ETHIOPIANS BEFORE ASA, AND BEFORE JUDAH; AND THE ETHIOPIANS FLED._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

EXPOSITION This chapter commences Asa's long reign of forty-one years. Asa was son of Abijah and grandson of Maachah (2 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Kings 15:13). The reign was remarkable for the devotion of Asa to the true God, and for the signal successes given to him in consequence, but it did not reach its end without a mournful defection on Asa's part from trust in God (2 Chronicles 16:2, 2 Chronicles 16:12), which entailed its reward (2 Chronicles 16:9), and which has left tarnished for all ages

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 Chronic

CHAPTER 14 THE REIGN OF ASA _ 1. The death of Abijah and Asa becomes king (2 Chronicles 14:1)_ 2. The good beginning (2 Chronicles 14:2) 3. His victory over Zerah (2 Chronicles 14:9) Asa, (which means “healing” or “who will heal?”), the son of Abijah, began his reign well. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord. The strange altars, the high places and the images were taken away and the groves cut down. He was not satisfied with this work, but he also commanded Judah to seek the Lord. The land was quiet. The Lord blessed him and the land for the faithful work which had been done. “The land had rest, and he had no war in those years, because the LORD had

2 Chronicles 14:1 to 2 Chronicles 16:14. THE REIGN OF ASA (see notes on 1 Kings 15:8; 1 Kings 15:11). Most of this section has no parallel in 1 K. 2 CHRONICLES 14:1 describes Asa's loyalty to Yahweh, his defences, and his army. For the sun-images in 2 Chronicles 14:5 _cf._ Leviticus 26:30;...

DESTROYED. broken. HIS HOST. His People's battles are His own (1 Samuel 18:17; 1 Samuel 25:28)....

_Gerar_ Identified with _Jerâr_, ruins three hours south of Gaza; cp. 1 Chronicles 4:39 (read "Gerar," LXX. Γέραρα). _the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves_ R.V. THERE FELL OF THE ETHIOPIANS (read "the Cushites") SO MANY THAT THEY COULD NOT RECOVER THEMSELVES. _very much spoil_ R.V. VERY MUCH BOOTY. The phrase used belongs to a style earlier than that of the Chronicler. Cp. note on 2 Chronicles 14:9 (_against them_)....

4. THE REIGN OF ASA (14-16) TEXT 2 Chronicles 14:1. So 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. 2. And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God: 3. for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and brake down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, 4. and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6. And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest. 7, For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the

14:13 alive; (c-25) Or 'that they could not revive.' see Ezra 9:8 ,Ezra 9:9 . army. (d-35) Elsewhere, 'camp.'...

REIGN OF ASA This chapter adds to what is related of Asa in 1 Kings 15:9 an account of the invasion of the Ethiopian Zerah....