2CH 14

2 Chronicles 14:10

WEB

Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

BSB

So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

KJV

Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

Matthew Henry

Verses 9–15

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, Ch2 14:9, Ch2 14:10. 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 thought needless may soon appear to be of great advantage.

II. The application Asa made to God on occasion of the threatening cloud which now hung over his head, Ch2 14:11. He that sought God in the day of his peace and prosperity could with holy boldness cry to God in the day of his trouble, and call him his God. His prayer is short, but has much in it. 1. He gives to God the glory of his infinite power and sovereignty: It is nothing with thee to help and save by many or few, by those that are mighty or by those that have no power. See Sa1 14:6. God works in his own strength, not in the strength of instruments (Psa 21:13), nay, it is his glory to help the weakest and to perfect strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. "We do not say, Lord, take our part, for we have a good army for thee to work by; but, take our part, for without thee we have no power." 2. He takes hold of their covenant-relation to God as theirs. O Lord, our God! and again, "Thou art our God, whom we have chosen and cleave to as ours, and who hast promised to be ours." 3. He pleads their dependence upon God, and the eye they had to him in this expedition. he was well prepared for it, yet trusted not to his preparations; but, "Lord, we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude, by warrant from thee, aiming at thy glory, and trusting to thy strength." 4. He interests God in their cause: "Let not man" (mortal man, so the word is) "prevail against thee. If he prevail against us, it will be said that he prevails against thee, because thou art our God, and we rest on thee and go forth in thy name, which thou hast encouraged us to do. The enemy is a mortal man; make it to appear what an unequal match he is for an immortal God. Lord, maintain thy own honour; hallowed by thy name."

III. The glorious victory God gave him over his enemies. 1. God defeated the enemy, and put their forces into disorder (Ch2 14:12): The Lord smote the Ethiopians, smote them with terror, and an unaccountable consternation, so that they fled, and knew neither why nor whither. 2. Asa and his soldiers took the advantage God gave them against the enemy. (1.) They destroyed them. They fell before the Lord (for who can stand before him?) and before his host, either an invisible host of angels that were employed to destroy them or the host of Israel, called God's host because owned by him. (2.) They took the plunder of their camp, carried away very much spoil from the slain and from the baggage. (3.) They smote the cities that were in league with them, to which they fled for shelter, and carried off the spoil of them (Ch2 14:14); and they were not able to make any resistance, for the fear of the Lord came upon them, that is, a fear which God struck them with to such a degree that they had no heart to withstand the conquerors. (4.) They fetched away the cattle out of the enemy's country, in vast numbers, Ch2 14:15. Thus the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

Cross-references: 2Chr 14:9 · 2Chr 14:10 · 2Chr 14:11 · 1Sam 14:6 · Ps 21:13 · 2Chr 14:12 · 2Chr 14:14 · 2Chr 14:15

Hebrew interlinear

H3318

יָצָאyâtsâʼ/yaw-tsaw'/

v — go, bring, out

Derivation: a primitive root;

to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.

KJV: × after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.

יָצָא

vb — go out

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

1. go or come out or forth

a. from (מִן) a place

b. go forth from (the presence of) a person

c. in technical senses

d. of flight, involving escape

e. depart

f. of inanimate things

g. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

h. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

2.

a. go forth to a place

b. go forward, proceed to or toward something

c. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

3. of combinations

Hiph.

1. cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

2. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

3. bring out animals

4. inanimate obj.

5. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

H609

אָסָאʼÂçâʼ/aw-saw'/

n-pr-m — Asa

Derivation: of uncertain derivation;

Asa, the name of a king and of a Levite

KJV: Asa.

אָסָא

n.pr.m — Asa

אָסָא n.pr.m. (perh. healer) king of Judah, son of Abijam and father of Jehoshaphat

H6440

פָּנִיםpânîym/paw-neem'/

n-m — face, before

Derivation: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from 6437);

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)

KJV: accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.

פָּנֶה

n.m — face

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

I.

1. face, faces

2.

a. presence, person

b. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

3. face of seraphim

4. face of animals

5. face (= surface) of ground

6. as adv.loc. before

7. for other phrases

II. with prepositions

H6186

עָרַךְʻârak/aw-rak'/

v — row, arrange, order

Derivation: a primitive root;

to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications)

KJV: put (set) (the battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem, estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle), ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax, value.

עָרַךְ

vb — arrange in order

עָרַךְ vb. arrange or set in order

Qal

1.

a. arrange in order, seven altars

b. set or lay in order, as wood

c. in common life, arrange a table

d. arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order

e. arrange weapons of army in order for battle

f. arrange words

g. state in order, set forth a legal case

2.

a. compare (as result of arranging in order)

b. intrans. be comparable

עָרַךְ

vb. denom — value

עָרַךְ vb. denom. Hiph. value (for taxation), tax

H4421

מִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh/mil-khaw-maw'/

n-f — battle, engagement, war, war-fare

Derivation: from 3898 (in the sense of fighting);

a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. war-fare)

KJV: battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).

מִלְחָמָה

n.f — battle

מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war

H1516

גַּיְאgayʼ/gah'-ee/

n — gorge, lofty

Derivation: or (shortened) גַּי; probably (by transmutation) from the same root as 1466 (abbreviated);

a gorge (from its lofty sides; hence, narrow, but not a gully or winter-torrent)

KJV: valley.

גַּיְא

n.m — valley

גַּיְא n.m. valley

H6859

צְפָתָהTsᵉphâthâh/tsef-aw'-thaw/

n-pr-loc — Tsephathah

Derivation: the same as 6857;

Tsephathah, a place in Palestine

KJV: Zephathah.

צְפַ֫תָה

n.pr.loc — Zephathah

צְפַ֫תָה n.pr.loc. in Judah; 2 Ch 14:9

H4762

מַרְאֵשָׁהMarʼêshâh/mar-ay-shaw'/

n-pr-loc — Mareshah

Derivation: or מַרֵשָׁה; formed like 4761; summit;

Mareshah, the name of two Israelites and of a place in Palestine

KJV: Mareshah.

מָרֵשָׁה

n.pr.loc — Mareshah

מָרֵשָׁה and מָרֵאשָׁה n.pr.loc. (etym. dub.) in (the Shephelah of) Judah

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