5. Because he abolished the pagan places of worship and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, the kingdom was at peace under his rule.
6. He built fortifications for the cities of Judah during this time, and for several years there was no war, because the Lord gave him peace.
7. He said to the people of Judah, “Let us fortify the cities by building walls and towers, and gates that can be shut and barred. We have control of the land because we have done the will of the Lord our God. He has protected us and given us security on every side.” And so they built and prospered.
8. King Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, armed with shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin, armed with shields and bows. All of them were brave, well-trained men.
9. An Ethiopian named Zerah invaded Judah with an army of a million men and 300 chariots and advanced as far as Mareshah.
10. Asa went out to fight him, and both sides took up their positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
11. Asa prayed to the Lord his God, “O Lord, you can help a weak army as easily as a powerful one. Help us now, O Lord our God, because we are relying on you, and in your name we have come out to fight against this huge army. Lord, you are our God; no one can hope to defeat you.”
12. The Lord defeated the Ethiopian army when Asa and the Judean army attacked them. They fled,