Keraia
2 Chronicles 14

2 Chronicles 14:11

Asa Reigns in Judah · 2 Chronicles 14:1–15
Read 2 Chronicles 14

Translations

Modern
Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”
Traditional
And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
Literal
And Asa cried out to YHWH his God and said, “O YHWH, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with no power. Help us, O YHWH our God, for on You we rest, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O YHWH, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You.”
Latin
…et invocavit Dominum Deum, et ait: Domine, non est apud te ulla distantia, utrum in paucis auxilieris, an in pluribus. Adjuva nos, Domine Deus noster: in te enim, et in tuo nomine habentes fiduciam, venimus contra hanc multitudinem. Domine, Deus noster tu es: non prævaleat contra te homo.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”

Notes

2 Chronicles 14:7–14

  • Solomon prayed for the Lord to hear his people when they went into battle (2 Chronicles 6:34). In the battle against Zerah, God answered this prayer.

  • The term Cushite might refer to someone from southern Egypt (Nubia) or a Midianite area northeast of Aqabah (see Numbers 12:1; Habakkuk 3:7). However, several things suggest that Zerah was Egyptian:

    • The mention of Libya in 2 Chronicles 16:8

    • The battle's size (similar to Shishak's attack on Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12:3)

    • Mareshah's location in western Judah suggest Zerah

    He is otherwise unknown. He might have been a Nubian general sent by Osorkon I, the Libyan pharaoh who ruled Egypt between the tenth and fourteenth years of Asa, around 900 to 897 BC. Another view is that Shishak created a buffer state around Gerar, supported by Nubian mercenaries who invaded Judah. The account, however, only states that Asa and his armies chased the enemy south to Gerar and took a large amount of plunder, especially from the herdsmen living in tents around the cities.

Theme notes and profiles

Asa

Parallels

1 Kings 15:9–15

People

Asa: King of Judah, son of Abijah; father of Jehoshaphat

Glossary

Chronicles, Books of First and Second Genealogy

Topics

Afflictions and Adversities: Prayer In Answers To Prayer: Asa Battle: Prayer Before by Asa Ethiopia: Defeated by Asa Faith: Exemplified God: Fighting the Battles of Israel God: Power of God: Preserver: The Ethiopian Host Help Prayer: Answered: Asa, for Victory Over Zerah Prayer: Pleas offered In Protection of God Is: Often Afforded Through Means Inadequate in Themselves Zerah: King of Ethiopia