2. And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:
3. For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and broke down the images, and cut down the groves:
4. And commanded Judah to seek the LORD 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 images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6. And he built fortified cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.
7. Therefore he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, 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 hath given us rest on every side. So they built, and prospered.
8. And Asa had an army of men that bore targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.
9. And there came out against them Zerah the Cushite, with a host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came to Mareshah.