2 Chronicles
Chapter 14
Asa of Judah (911-870)
Asa did what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord.
He removed the pagan altars and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.
He commanded the people of Judah to do the will of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to observe the law and its commands.
He removed the high places and the altars of incense in every town of Judah. The kingdom was at peace under his rule.
He rebuilt the fortified towns of Judah since the country was at peace, and there was no war during those years, for the Lord had granted him peace.
He told the people of Judah: “Let us rebuild these towns and surround them with walls and towers, with gates and bars, while we have control of this land since we have done the will of the Lord our God; and he has protected us and given us peace on every side.”They built and prospered.
Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah armed with bucklers and spears and two hundred eighty thousand Benjaminites bearing shields and wielding bows, all brave, well-trained men.
Zerah the Cushite, with an army of one million strong men and three hundred chariots, made an incursion that reached Mareshah.
Asa marched against him and drew up his battle line in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
He called on the Lord, his God: “Lord, no one but you can stand up for the powerless against the powerful. Come to our help, Lord our God! We rely on you and fight against this huge army in your name. Lord, you are our God. Let no one defeat you.”
The Lord defeated the Cushites when Asa and the army of the Jews attacked them. The Cushites fled,
and Asa pursued them with his army as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell even to the last, for the Lord and his camp had overpowered them. They collected significant amounts of loot.
They conquered all the towns in the area of Gerar, for the terror of the Lord had fallen on these towns, and they plundered them all since they were full of loot.
They also attacked some shepherds’ camps and carried off many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
Commentaries
The Kings of Judah Until the Exile.
The final section of the Chronicler’s work focuses on the history of the kingdom of Judah, covering from Solomon to the exile, with little mention of the Northern Kingdom. For the Chronicler, the kingdom of Judah represents the entire nation of Israel. The primary standard for judging each king is their loyalty to God. Four notable figures stand out as models of this loyalty: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Josiah, and especially Hezekiah. The prophets are also depicted alongside the kings, delivering messages that include warnings and sincere calls to stay loyal to the Lord. Ultimately, the Chronicler encourages the post-exilic community to seek God and remain faithful to the One who has remained true to his people despite their difficulties.
Positive Phase.
The reign begins by presenting Rehoboam as obedient to the Word of the Lord, who instructs him not to fight against Jeroboam. The list of cities (5-12) is likely authentic, although it is probable that they were only fortified after the invasion of Shishak, Pharaoh of Egypt (12:1-12). Through the removal of priests and Levites (13-17), the author emphasizes that the center of worship is in Jerusalem and that the Levites have been loyal to the Temple from the start.
Negative Phase.
Through a pattern of sin, humiliation, and forgiveness, the Chronicler applies the doctrine of retribution to Rehoboam’s case. In response to the abandonment of his Law, the Lord demands humiliation from both the king and the people through the prophet Shemaiah (6:7, 12). As the people humble themselves, the Lord spares Judah from destruction (12). The chapter concludes by characterizing Rehoboam as one who “did evil because he did not set his heart to serve the Lord” (14).
The Faithfulness of Abijah.
Building on the account in 1 Kings 15:1-8, the Chronicler revises the story from a new perspective. Although he only reigned for three years, the Chronicler presents the king as faithful to God, a worthy successor to David and Solomon. The war against Jeroboam (3) is probably real and offers a chance to include a speech by Abijah to the northern tribes (4-12): those in the north (8.11) are not part of the Lord’s kingdom; they do not have a legitimate dynasty, only a usurper king; they worship idols instead of the true God, and they lack priests or proper worship. To fight against Judah (10) is to fight against the Lord (12). The logical result is Jeroboam’s defeat (13-18).
Asa of Judah.
These three chapters about Asa’s reign update the details found in 1 Kings 15:9-24. In the Book of Kings, Asa’s character is unclear. The Chronicler clears up these inconsistencies by dividing the story into two parts. The first part (14 and the following chapters) focuses on religious reforms and ends with a great victory. Then, two sins happen: seeking help from a foreign nation (16:1-6), which shows disloyalty by not trusting the Lord; and persecuting a prophet who tells him to repent and seek God (16:7-10). As a result, ongoing wars and an illness follow, eventually leading to his death (16:11-14). By trusting only human cures, the king shows he hasn’t truly understood his illness and makes his sin worse. This makes his reign a clear example of the principle of retribution.