2 Chronicles Chapter 14

The Reign of Asa

A. The characteristics of the reign of Asa.

1. (2 Chronicles 14:1-6) The blessedness of the reign of King Asa.

“So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years. Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest.”

The transition from Abijah to Asa marks a dramatic spiritual change in Judah. Whereas Abijah experienced moments of victory through reliance on God but lacked a consistently faithful heart, Asa emerges as a king who intentionally sought to bring Judah back into alignment with covenant faithfulness. His reign opens with ten years of quietness, a rare season of national peace that the chronicler attributes directly to the blessing of the LORD. Asa’s early years reveal a clear pattern: decisive reforms, rejection of idolatry, and a firm commitment to the covenant standards given to Israel. The chronicler stresses that Asa “did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God,” anchoring his leadership not in political pragmatism but in spiritual obedience.

a. “Asa his son reigned in his place.”

Asa, the great-grandson of Solomon, ascended to the throne of Judah after the short reign of his father Abijah. His rule begins at the end of Jeroboam’s time in the northern kingdom, meaning Asa’s early kingship occurred during a season of Israel’s spiritual decline and instability. In contrast, Judah under Asa embarks on a path of restoration. His succession embodies the chronicler’s larger message. God can raise up faithful leadership even after kings who were inconsistent or ungodly.

b. “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD.”

This evaluation places Asa in the line of David rather than in the pattern of his own father. 1 Kings 15:11 affirms this by saying that Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did his father David. David becomes the benchmark for righteous kingship, and Asa’s moral and spiritual orientation mirrors that standard. The chronicler highlights Asa’s character early because the rest of the narrative will demonstrate how obedience leads to divine blessing.

c. “He removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places.”

Asa’s reforms were not symbolic; they were forceful, sweeping, and theologically grounded. He targeted every visible expression of idolatry. He tore down foreign altars, smashed sacred pillars, and cut down wooden images associated with Asherah worship. This was a direct assault against the syncretism that had infected Judah since the reign of Rehoboam.

i. Asa’s reforms included moral cleansing.

1 Kings 15:12 records that Asa banished the perverted persons from the land. These were male cult prostitutes, tied to pagan fertility rituals, brought into Judah during Rehoboam’s reign (1 Kings 14:24). Asa not only opposed pagan worship but also dismantled the state-approved immorality woven into those religious practices. His father Abijah tolerated these sins. Asa did not. His reforms reached all the way into his own family.

ii. Asa removed his own grandmother from her position of authority.

1 Kings 15:13 tells us that he removed Maachah from being queen mother because she had set up an obscene Asherah image. This action highlights the seriousness of Asa’s commitment. Upholding covenant faithfulness meant purging sin even when it came from one’s own household. Knapp is right to observe that a man’s truest test of faithfulness often emerges in his own family circle. Asa’s courage demonstrates that holiness cannot be shaped by sentiment or family loyalty.

d. “He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers.”

Though a king cannot force genuine spiritual transformation, he can set a righteous example and establish a moral expectation. Asa commanded Judah to seek the LORD and observe His commandments. He used the authority of his office to point the nation toward the covenant and to model what sincere devotion looks like. This top-down leadership worked hand in hand with the people’s willingness to respond, resulting in a period of widespread spiritual renewal.

e. “He also removed the high places.”

1 Kings 15:14 states that Asa did not remove the high places, yet the chronicler says he did. There is no contradiction. Asa removed idolatrous high places but not the high places dedicated to the LORD. The chronicler’s focus is theological, emphasizing Asa’s war against idolatry. The author of Kings, dealing with a broader narrative, critiques the nation’s failure to centralize worship at Jerusalem according to Deuteronomy’s commands. Both accounts are accurate, each serving different purposes.

f. “The kingdom was quiet under him… because the LORD had given him rest.”

Asa’s loyalty brought blessing. Scripture testifies in 1 Kings 15:14 that Asa’s heart was loyal to the LORD all his days, and the chronicler shows the outcome of that loyalty: divine rest. God granted Judah peace, stability, and security. A nation once plagued by constant warfare now enjoyed tranquility because its king walked in covenant faithfulness.

i. Asa’s wisdom in times of peace.

Even during peace, Asa built fortified cities. Trapp notes that Queen Elizabeth of England likewise prepared for war even when peace seemed secure. Asa’s spiritual obedience did not negate prudence. He recognized that peace is the time to strengthen defenses, not relax vigilance. This applies to every believer: peace is the season to deepen roots, fortify faith, and prepare for future trials.

2. (2 Chronicles 14:7-8) Asa’s emphasis on strengthening the nation’s defense.

“Therefore he said to Judah, ‘Let us build these cities and make walls around them, 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 has given us rest on every side.’ So they built and prospered. And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.”

Asa used the gift of peace wisely. He urged Judah to build and fortify their cities while the land was quiet. His reasoning is explicitly theological. He recognized that the rest they enjoyed came from God, and therefore the present moment was a stewardship responsibility. Asa’s example reveals a mature understanding of providence. God gives rest, but His people must use that rest for righteous preparation, not complacency.

a. “So they built and prospered.”

The chronicler adds this account, absent from 1 Kings, because it directly encouraged his post-exilic audience. Those returning from Babylonian captivity understood what it meant to rebuild broken walls, defeated cities, and devastated homes. Asa’s success demonstrated that national restoration and prosperity are tied to seeking the LORD wholeheartedly. Judah prospered not because of economic strength or political alliances, but because they sought the LORD and acted with diligence in the time of blessing.

B. Deliverance from the Ethiopians.

1. (2 Chronicles 14:9-11) The threat from Ethiopia and the cry to God.

“Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, ‘LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’”

The narrative shifts dramatically from peace and national fortification to a sudden and overwhelming military crisis. Zerah the Ethiopian advanced against Judah with a staggering force of one million men and three hundred chariots. Ancient records confirm that Cushite armies from the region of Nubia and Egypt could mobilize large forces, and combined with Egyptian command structures under the Libyan Pharaohs, such a military threat would have been terrifying to Judah. Zerah’s arrival at Mareshah placed this massive army directly on Judah’s doorstep. Yet Asa did not respond with panic or retreat. He set his forces in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah and cried out to the LORD his God, demonstrating that his earlier reforms were not merely ceremonial but grounded in genuine trust.

a. “Came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots.”

Judah’s own forces numbered 580,000 men (2 Chronicles 14:8), which was formidable but still dramatically smaller than Zerah’s army. Judah was outnumbered almost two to one, and the Ethiopians possessed a chariot force that could devastate infantry formations. This threat was greater than anything Asa had faced.

i. Asa had precedent for trusting God.

Asa could recall the victory God gave Judah under his father Abijah in 2 Chronicles 13:3, where Judah defeated an army twice its size. This historical memory reinforced his confidence that God is not constrained by numerical disadvantage.

ii. Historical background of Zerah.

Selman’s insight is significant. Zerah was likely a Nubian general under Pharaoh Osorkon I, successor of Shoshenq I, the same Shishak who invaded Judah in 2 Chronicles 12. This would place the invasion within the context of Egyptian political dominance in the region, making the threat not merely local but imperial.

b. “Asa cried out to the LORD his God.”

This prayer is one of the most theologically rich battlefield prayers in Scripture. Asa acknowledges that God’s power is not dependent on human strength. “It is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power.” This statement reflects profound understanding of God’s sovereignty, omnipotence, and covenant faithfulness. Asa identifies the battle as belonging to the LORD. His plea, “do not let man prevail against You,” frames the conflict not as Judah versus Ethiopia, but as God’s honor versus human rebellion.

i. Meyer observes that Asa’s prayer reminds God of His covenant responsibilities.

Not that God needs reminding, but prayer aligns the believer with the truth of God’s character. Asa knows that the threat against Judah is ultimately an assault against God’s chosen people. Therefore, Asa appeals to God’s own glory, a hallmark of mature biblical prayer.

2. (2 Chronicles 14:12-15) God gives Judah victory over the Ethiopians.

“So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the LORD and His army. And they carried away very much spoil. Then they defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much spoil in them. They also attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.”

God responded to Asa’s cry with decisive action. There is no mention of tactical brilliance, strategic maneuver, or military innovation. The chronicler is deliberate. The LORD struck the Ethiopians, and Judah pursued the fleeing enemy as far as Gerar. The battle was not a narrow victory but a total collapse of Zerah’s forces. The phrase “they could not recover” indicates that the blow was catastrophic and irreversible. The LORD’s army broke them, demonstrating that God Himself was engaged in the fight on Judah’s behalf.

a. “So the LORD struck the Ethiopians.”

The chronicler emphasizes God’s direct intervention. Asa’s leadership and Judah’s courage were real, but the victory was supernatural. As in earlier accounts, the chronicler wants his readers to see that victories come not from strength but from reliance on God. Judah was not merely spared. They were given overwhelming victory.

b. “And they carried away very much spoil.”

God not only delivers but enriches His people through the defeat of their enemies. Judah captured immense amounts of plunder, a sign of divine blessing. They defeated surrounding cities as the fear of the LORD fell upon them, revealing that God’s victory had regional impact. They even collected vast numbers of sheep and camels before returning to Jerusalem.

i. Clarke notes the immensity of the spoil.

Clarke acknowledges that a million-man army stretches the imagination, though ancient numerals may involve textual complexities. Yet whether the precise number or a rounded rhetorical figure, the chronicler’s point stands. The enemy force was vast, the threat overwhelming, and the victory undeniably the work of God. The spoil was extensive because the multitude was vast.

In this sense, Judah was more than conquerors. God fought the battle, and they received the benefit.