Study Desk

For he said to Judah, "Let's build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.

So Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that they could not recover, for they were shattered before the LORD and before His army. And they carried away a very large amount of plunder.

They destroyed all the cities around Gerar, for the dread of the LORD had fallen on them; and they pillaged all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.

They also fatally struck those who owned livestock, and they led away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

"But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who resided with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

They sacrificed to the LORD on that day seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from the spoils they had brought.

They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;

Moreover, they made an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and with horns.

All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with it he fortified Geba and Mizpah.

Now, the acts of Asa from the first to the last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled with spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers' art; and they made a very great fire for him.

They taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the LORD with them; and they went throughout the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, "Should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for God will hand it over to the king."

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in their robes, and they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed!'"

When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" He said, "Go up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you!"