6. When the land was at peace, he built fortified cities in Judah; there was no war in those years because the Lord had given him rest.
7. "Let’s build up these cities," Asa told Judah. "We’ll surround them with walls, towers, gates, and crossbars while the land is still ours, because we sought the Lord our God and he sought us and surrounded us with rest." As a result, the people successfully completed their building projects.
8. Asa had an army of three hundred thousand Judeans armed with body-sized shields and spears and another two hundred eighty thousand from Benjamin armed with small shields and bows. All were brave warriors.
9. Zerah the Cushite marched against him with an army of one million men and three hundred chariots. When he got as far as Mareshah,
10. Asa marched against him, setting up for battle in a valley north of Mareshah.