2 Chronicles 14:9-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:9-15

Here is, I. Disturbance given to the peace of Asa's kingdom by a formidable army of Ethiopians that invaded them, 2 Chron. 14:9, 10. Though still they sought God, yet this fear came upon them, that their faith in God might be tried, and that God might have an opportunity of doing great things for them. It was a vast number that the Ethiopians brought against him: 1,000,000 men; and now he found the benefit of having an army ready raised against such a time of need. That provision which we... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:9

And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian, with an host of thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots ,.... According to Josephus F2 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 12. sect. 1. , this army consisted of 900,000 foot, and 100,000 horsemen, and certain it is there were horsemen among them, 2 Chronicles 16:8 some say these were not the Ethiopians in Africa, beyond Egypt, being, as is said, too far off for such an army to travel, and it would be hard to say what should induce them to it;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:10

Then Asa went out against him ,.... Notwithstanding he brought so great an army with him: and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah ; where the Ethiopians were; he did not stay till they got further into his country, but marched against them when on the frontiers of it, and chose the valley to pitch in, as being more to the advantage of his smaller army; see Judges 1:17 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:11

And Asa cried unto the Lord his God ,.... Or prayed, as the Targum, with vehemence, being in distress; this he did before the battle began, at the head of his army, and for the encouragement of it: and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help ; nothing can hinder from helping, his power being superior to all others, and even infinite, and none besides him could: whether with many, or with them that have no power ; numbers make no difference with him, nor the condition they are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:12

So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah ,.... With consternation and terror; they were thrown into a panic: and the Ethiopians fled ; before them, just as Jeroboam and Israel had, as related in the preceding chapter, 2 Chronicles 13:15 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:13

And Asa, and the people that were with him, pursued them unto Gerar ,.... A city of the Philistines, Genesis 20:1 , and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves ; they were thrown into such a fright, and into so much confusion, that they could not put themselves in order, and rally again; or there fell such a vast number of them, that there were scarce any remaining alive, which seems to be the sense of the words used: for they were destroyed before... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 14:9

Zerah the Ethiopian - Probably of that Ethiopia which lay on the south of Egypt, near to Libya, and therefore the Libyans are joined with them, 2 Chronicles 16:8 . A thousand thousand - If this people had come from any great distance, they could not have had forage for such an immense army. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 14:11

Whether with many - The same sentiment as that uttered by Jonathan, 1 Samuel 14:6 , when he attacked the garrison of the Philistines. O Lord our God - we rest on thee - "Help us, O Lord our God; because we depend on thy Word, and in the name of thy Word we come against this great host." - Targum. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:1-15

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:1-15

The quiet often years. The former half of this chapter may be said to turn upon the welcome subject of the "quiet" (spoken of twice), the "no war" (spoken of once), and the "rest" (spoken of three times), which were now for ten years the portion of Judah. The tender youth and the pious promise of King Asa combined, no doubt, in the providence of God, with external circumstances, to secure that interval of quiet and repose from war from which many blessings were able to flow. We may... read more

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