14 And they smote H5221 all the cities H5892 round about H5439 Gerar; H1642 for the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 came upon them: and they spoiled H962 all the cities; H5892 for there was exceeding much H7227 spoil H961 in them.
And the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 fell upon all the kingdoms H4467 of the lands H776 that were round about H5439 Judah, H3063 so that they made no war H3898 against Jehoshaphat. H3092
A dreadful H6343 sound H6963 is in his ears: H241 in prosperity H7965 the destroyer H7703 shall come H935 upon him.
And he shall pass over H5674 to his strong hold H5553 for fear, H4032 and his princes H8269 shall be afraid H2865 of the ensign, H5251 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 whose fire H217 is in Zion, H6726 and his furnace H8574 in Jerusalem. H3389
This day H3117 will I begin H2490 to put H5414 the dread H6343 of thee and the fear H3374 of thee upon the nations H6440 H5971 that are under the whole heaven, H8064 who shall hear H8085 report H8088 of thee, and shall tremble, H7264 and be in anguish H2342 because of thee. H6440
And when Jehoshaphat H3092 and his people H5971 came H935 to take away H962 the spoil H7998 of them, they found H4672 among them in abundance H7230 both riches H7399 with the dead bodies, H6297 and precious H2532 jewels, H3627 which they stripped off H5337 for themselves, more than H369 they could carry away: H4853 and they were three H7969 days H3117 in gathering H962 of the spoil, H7998 it was so much. H7227
For the Lord H136 had made the host H4264 of the Syrians H758 to hear H8085 a noise H6963 of chariots, H7393 and a noise H6963 of horses, H5483 even the noise H6963 of a great H1419 host: H2428 and they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 Lo, the king H4428 of Israel H3478 hath hired H7936 against us the kings H4428 of the Hittites, H2850 and the kings H4428 of the Egyptians, H4714 to come H935 upon us. Wherefore they arose H6965 and fled H5127 in the twilight, H5399 and left H5800 their tents, H168 and their horses, H5483 and their asses, H2543 even the camp H4264 as it was, and fled H5127 for their life. H5315 And when these lepers H6879 came H935 to the uttermost part H7097 of the camp, H4264 they went H935 into one H259 tent, H168 and did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and carried H5375 thence silver, H3701 and gold, H2091 and raiment, H899 and went H3212 and hid H2934 it; and came again, H7725 and entered H935 into another H312 tent, H168 and carried H5375 thence also, and went H3212 and hid H2934 it.
And there was trembling H2731 in the host, H4264 in the field, H7704 and among all the people: H5971 the garrison, H4673 and the spoilers, H7843 they also trembled, H2729 and the earth H776 quaked: H7264 so it was a very great H430 trembling. H2731
And the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 came H6743 upon him, and he went down H3381 to Ashkelon, H831 and slew H5221 thirty H7970 men H376 of them, and took H3947 their spoil, H2488 and gave H5414 change H2487 of garments unto them which expounded H5046 the riddle. H2420 And his anger H639 was kindled, H2734 and he went up H5927 to his father's H1 house. H1004
And it came to pass, when all the kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which were on the side H5676 of Jordan H3383 westward, H3220 and all the kings H4428 of the Canaanites, H3669 which were by the sea, H3220 heard H8085 that the LORD H3068 had dried up H3001 the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 from before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 until we were passed over, H5674 that their heart H3824 melted, H4549 neither was there spirit H7307 in them any more, because H6440 of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
And they said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Truly H3588 the LORD H3068 hath delivered H5414 into our hands H3027 all the land; H776 for even all the inhabitants H3427 of the country H776 do faint H4127 because H6440 of us.
And she said H559 unto the men, H582 I know H3045 that the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 you the land, H776 and that your terror H367 is fallen H5307 upon us, and that all the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 faint H4127 because H6440 of you. For we have heard H8085 how the LORD H3068 dried up H3001 the water H4325 of the Red H5488 sea H3220 for you, H6440 when ye came out H3318 of Egypt; H4714 and what ye did H6213 unto the two H8147 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 that were on the other side H5676 Jordan, H3383 Sihon H5511 and Og, H5747 whom ye utterly destroyed. H2763 And as soon as we had heard H8085 these things, our hearts H3824 did melt, H4549 neither did there remain H6965 any more courage H7307 in any man, H376 because H6440 of you: for the LORD H3068 your God, H430 he is God H430 in heaven H8064 above, H4605 and in earth H776 beneath.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 14
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 14 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Asa's Reign - 2 Chronicles 14-16
In 1 Kings 15:9-24 it is merely recorded of Asa, that he reigned forty-one years, did that which was right as David did, removed from the land all the idols which his fathers had made, and, although the high places were not removed, was devoted to the Lord during his whole life, and laid up in the temple treasury all that had been consecrated by his father and himself. Then it is related that when Baasha marched against him, and began to fortify Ramah, he induced the Syrian king Benhadad, by sending to him the treasures of the temple and of his palace, to break faith with Baasha, and to make an inroad upon and smite the northern portion of the land; that Baasha was thereby compelled to abandon the building of Ramah, and to fall back to Tirzah, and that thereupon Asa caused the fortifications of Ramah to be pulled down, and the cities Geba and Benjamin and Mizpah to be fortified with the materials; and, finally, it is recorded that Asa in his old age became diseased in his feet, and died. The Chronicle also characterizes Asa as a pious king, who did that which was right, and removed the high places and sun-pillars in the land; but gives, as to other matters, a much more detailed account of his reign of forty-one years. It states that in the first years, as the land had rest, he built fortified cities in Judah, and had an army fit for war (2 Chronicles 14:1-7); that thereupon he marched against the Cushite Zerah, who was then advancing upon Judah with an innumerable host, prayed for help to the Lord, who then smote the Cushites, so that they fled; and that Asa pursued them to Gerar, and returned with great booty (2 Chronicles 14:8-14). Then we learn that the prophet Azariah, the son of Oded, came to meet him, who, pointing to the victory which the Lord had granted them, called upon the king and the people to remain stedfast in their fidelity to the Lord; that Asa thereupon took courage, extirpated all the still remaining idolatrous abominations from the land, and in the fifteenth year of his reign held with the people a great sacrificial feast in Jerusalem, renewed the covenant with the Lord, crushed out all the remains of former idolatry, although the high places were not destroyed, and also deposited in the temple treasury all that had been consecrated by his father and himself (2 Chron 15). Thereafter Baasha's inroad upon Judah and the alliance with Ben-hadad of Syria are narrated (2 Chronicles 16:1-6), as in the book of Kings; but it is also added that the prophet Hanani censured his seeking help from the king of Syria, and was thereupon put into the prison-house by Asa (2 Chronicles 16:7-10); and then we have an account of the end of his reign, in which several additions to the account in 1 Kings are communicated (2 Chronicles 16:11-14).
2 Chronicles 14:1-3
Asa's efforts for the abolition of idolatry and the establishment of the kingdom . - 2 Chronicles 14:1-4. The good and right in God's eyes which Asa did is further defined in 2 Chronicles 14:2-4. He abolished all the objects of the idolatrous worship. The “altars of the strangers” are altars consecrated to foreign gods; from them the בּמות , high places, are distinguished-these latter being illegal places of sacrifice connected with the worship of Jahve (see on 1 Kings 15:14). The מצּבוה are the statues or monumental columns consecrated to Baal, and אשׁרים the wooden idols, tree-trunks, or trees, which were consecrated to Astarte (see on 1 Kings 14:23 and Deuteronomy 16:21). Asa at the same time commanded the people to worship Jahve, the God of the fathers, and to follow the law.
2 Chronicles 14:4-6
He removed from all the cities of Judah the altars of the high places, and the חמּנים , sun-pillars, pillars or statues consecrated to Baal as sun-god, which were erected near or upon the altars of Baal (2 Chronicles 34:4; see on Leviticus 26:30). In consequence of this the kingdom had rest לפניו , before him, i.e., under his oversight (cf. Numbers 8:22). This ten-years' quiet (2 Chronicles 14:1) which God granted him, Asa employed in building fortresses in Judah (2 Chronicles 14:5). “We will build these cities, and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bolts.” It is not said what the cities were, but they were at any rate others than Geba and Mizpah, which he caused to be built after the war with Baasha (2 Chronicles 16:6). “The land is still before us,” i.e., open, free from enemies, so that we may freely move about, and build therein according to our pleasure. For the phraseology, cf. Genesis 13:9. The repetition of דּרשׁנוּ , 2 Chronicles 14:6, is impassioned speech. “They built and had success;” they built with effect, without meeting with any hindrances.
2 Chronicles 14:7
Asa had also a well-equipped, well-armed army. The men of Judah were armed with a large shield and lance (cf. 1 Chronicles 12:24), the Benjamites with a small shield and bow (cf. 1 Chronicles 8:40). The numbers are great; of Judah 300,000, of Benjamin 280,000 men. Since in these numbers the whole population capable of bearing arms is included, 300,000 men does not appear too large for Judah, but 280,000 is a very large number for Benjamin, and is founded probably on an overestimate.
The victory over the Cushite Zerah . - 2 Chronicles 14:8. “And there went forth against them Zerah.” אליהם for עליהם refers to Asa's warriors mentioned in 2 Chronicles 14:7. The number of the men in Judah capable of bearing arms is mentioned only to show that Asa set his hope of victory over the innumerable host of the Cushites not on the strength of his army, but on the all-powerful help of the Lord (2 Chronicles 14:10). The Cushite זרח is usually identified with the second king of the 22nd (Bubastitic) dynasty, Osorchon I; while Brugsch, hist. de l'Eg. i. p. 298, on the contrary, has raised objections, and holds Zerah to be an Ethiopian and not an Egyptian prince, who in the reign of Takeloth I, about 944 b.c., probably marched through Egypt as a conqueror (cf. G. Rösch in Herz.'s Realenc. xviii. S. 460). The statement as to Zerah's army, that it numbered 1,000,000 warriors and 300 war-chariots, rests upon a rough estimate, in which 1000 times 1000 expresses the idea of the greatest possible number. The Cushites pressed forward to Mareshah, i.e., Marissa, between Hebron and Ashdod (see on 2 Chronicles 11:8).
2 Chronicles 14:9
Thither Asa marched to meet them, and drew up his army in battle array in the valley Zephathah, near Mareshah. The valley Zephathah is not, as Robins., Pal. sub voce , thinks, to be identified with Tel es Safieh, but must lie nearer Mareshah, to the west or north-west of Marâsch.
2 Chronicles 14:10
Then he called upon the Lord his God for help. וגו עמּך אין we translate, with Berth., “None is with Thee (on עמּך , cf. 2 Chronicles 20:6; Psalms 73:25) to help between a mighty one and a weak,” i.e., no other than Thou can help in an unequal battle, i.e., help the weaker side; while the Vulg., on the contrary, after the analogy of 1 Samuel 14:6, translates, “non est apud te ulla distantia, utrum in paucis auxilieris an in pluribus;” and the older commentators (Schmidt, Ramb.) give the meaning thus: “perinde est tibi potentiori vel imbecilliori opem ferre.” But in 1 Samuel 14:16 the wording is different, so that that passage cannot be a standard for us here. “In Thy name (i.e., trusting in Thy help) are we come against this multitude” (not “have we fallen upon this multitude”). וגו יעצר אל , “Let not a mortal retain strength with Thee” ( עצר = כּח עצר , 2 Chronicles 13:20; 1 Chronicles 29:14), i.e., let not weak men accomplish anything with Thee, show Thy power or omnipotence over weak men.
2 Chronicles 14:11
God heard this prayer. Jahve drove the Cushites into flight before Asa, scil. by His mighty help.
2 Chronicles 14:12
Asa, with his people, pursued to Gerar, the old ancient Philistine city, whose ruins Rowlands has discovered in the Khirbet el Gerar, in the Wady Jorf el Gerar (the torrent of Gerar), three leagues south-south-east of Gaza (see on Genesis 20:1). “And there fell of the Cushites, so that to them was not revival,” i.e., so many that they could not make a stand and again collect themselves, ut eis vivificatio i. e. copias restaurandi ratio non esset, as older commentators, in Annott. uberior. ad h. l., have already rightly interpreted it. The words are expressions for complete defeat. Berth. translates incorrectly: “until to them was nothing living;” for לאין does not stand for לאין עד , but ל serves to subordinate the clause, “so that no one,” where in the older language אין alone would have been sufficient, as in 2 Chronicles 20:25; 1 Chronicles 22:4, cf. Ew. §315, c ; and מחיה denotes, not “a living thing,” but only “preservation of life, vivification, revival, maintenance.” For they were broken before Jahve and before His host. מחנהוּ , i.e., Asa's army is called Jahve's, because Jahve fought in and with it against the enemy. There is no reason to suppose, with some older commentators, that there is any reference to an angelic host or heavenly camp (Genesis 32:2.). And they (Asa and his people) brought back very much booty.
2 Chronicles 14:13
“They smote all the cities round about Gerar,” which, as we must conclude from this, had made common cause with the Cushites, being inhabited by Philistines; for the fear of Jahve had fallen upon them. יהוה פּחד יהוה . here, and in 2 Chronicles 17:10; 2 Chronicles 20:29, as in 1 Samuel 11:7, the fear of the omnipotence displayed by Jahve in the annihilation of the innumerable hostile army. In these cities Judah found much booty.
2 Chronicles 14:14-15
They also smote the tents of the herds of the wandering tribes of that district, and carried away many sheep and camels as booty.