2 Chronicles 14:8

_AND 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._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

Verse 2 Chronicles 14:8. _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....

The men of Judah served as heavy-armed troops, while the Benjamites were light-armed. Their numbers accord well with those of 2 Chronicles 13:3. As the boundaries of Judah had been enlarged 2 Chronicles 13:19, and as for ten years at least there had been no war 2 Chronicles 14:1, the effective force had naturally increased. It was 400, 000; it is now 580, 000....

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 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....

THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND (_ See Scofield) - ( 1Co_ 10:8). _...

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;...

AN ARMY. a force. THREE HUNDRED... TWO HUNDRED (580,000). An increase of 180,000 on his father's. See note on 2 Chronicles 13:3. MIGHTY MEN. Hebrew. _gibbor._ App-14. belonging to Judah (2Ch 11:8. 2 Chronicles 14:9; 2 Chronicles 14:10; 2 Chronicles 20:37; Joshua 15:44). Micah 1:15....

6 8 (cp. 1 Kings 15:17-22). The Defensive Measures of Asa According to 1 Kin., Asa being threatened by Baasha, king of Israel, secured himself a respite by inducing Ben-hadad of Syria with a heavy bribe to invade Baasha's dominions. On the retirement of Israel Asa built himself two fortresses on his northern frontier to secure himself against Baasha. The Chronicler seems to be referring to the same occasion, but he says nothing of Baasha, nor of the intervention of Ben-hadad, and speaks of Asa building fortresses without mentioning their number....