3 and he took away the altars of the strange gods and the high places, and broke the columns, and cut down the Asherahs;
4 and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah the God of their fathers, and to practise the law and the commandment.
5 And he removed out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-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 Jehovah had given him rest.
7 And he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while the land is yet before us; for we have sought Jehovah our God we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. And they built and prospered.
8 And Asa had an army that bore targets and spears: out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew the bow, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these, mighty men of valour.
9 And Zerah the Ethiopian came out against him with a host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.