Bible Commentaries

2 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 14

Asa is made king; he destroyeth idolatry, 2 Chronicles 14:1-5. Having peace, he strengtheneth his kingdom with forts and armies, 2 Chronicles 14:6-8. In a strait, calling on God, he overthroweth Zerah, and spoileth the Ethiopians, 2 Chronicles 14:9-15.

i.e. There was no open war, either by Baasha or others; only there were secret grudges and private hostilities between his and Baasha’s subjects, 1 Kings 15:16.

Of this and the next verse, See Poole "1 Kings 15:11" See Poole "1 Kings 15:12"

By his royal edicts he required them to worship God, and him only, and to practise all which the laws of Moses required of them.

Yet before us, i.e. in our power, as that phrase is oft used. See Poole "Genesis 13:9".

Asa had an army; which, as it seems, he had now gathered together upon the information of Zerah’s design against him.

The Ethiopian; or, the Arabian, as the Hebrew word Cush is commonly used, as hath been noted before; these being much nearer to Asa than the Ethiopians, who also could not have come to Asa but through Egypt, which probably the king of Egypt would not permit him to do.

Mareshah; a city upon and within the borders of Judah, Joshua 15:44.

It is nothing with thee, i.e. there is no difference, nor no difficulty, with thee. In thy name; by thy commission, in confidence of thy assistance, and for the maintenance of thy honour, and service, and people.

Gerar; a city of the Philistines, who probably were confederate with them in this design.

They smote all the cities round about Gerar; partly because they had joined with Zerah in this war, and partly because the Ethiopians had sheltered a great part of the remains of the army in them.

The tents of cattle, i.e. the dwellers in tents, which were either a part of Zerah’s company, or joined with them, or had come along with them to furnish that great host with necessary provisions, which their custom of dwelling in tents made them more capable of doing.