Abijahאֲבִיָּהlay downוַיִּשְׁכַּבwithעִםhis fathers,אֲבֹתָיוand they buriedוַיִּקְבְּרוּhimאֹתוֹin the cityבְּעִירof David;דָּוִידand Asaוַ אָסָאhis sonבְנוֹreignedיִּמְלֹךְin his place.תַּחְתָּיוIn his daysבְּיָמָיוthe landהָאָרֶץwas quietשָׁקְטָהtenעֶשֶׂרyears.שָׁנִים
Asaאָסָאdidוַיַּעַשׂwhat was goodהַטּוֹבand what was rightוְהַיָּשָׁרin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof YHWHיְהוָהhis Elohim.אֱלֹהָיו
He removedוַיָּסַרthe foreignהַנֵּכָרaltarsמִזְבְּחוֹתand the high places,וְהַבָּמוֹתbrokeוַיְשַׁבֵּרthe standing stones,הַמַּצֵּבוֹתand cut downוַיְגַדַּעthe Asherahs.הָאֲשֵׁרִים
He toldוַיֹּאמֶרJudahלִיהוּדָהto seekלִדְרוֹשׁYHWH,יְהוָהElohimאֱלֹהֵיof their fathers,אֲבוֹתֵיהֶםand to doוְלַעֲשׂוֹתthe lawהַתּוֹרָהand the commandment.וְהַמִּצְוָה
He removedוַיָּסַרfrom allמִכָּלthe citiesעָרֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהthe high placesהַבָּמוֹתandוְthe incense altars;הַחַמָּנִיםand the kingdomוַ הַמַּמְלָכָהwas quietתִּשְׁקֹטbefore him.לְפָנָיו
He builtוַיִּבֶןfortifiedמְצוּרָהcitiesעָרֵיin Judah,בִּיהוּדָהforכִּיthe landהָאָרֶץwas quiet,שָׁקְטָהand there was noוְאֵיןwarמִלְחָמָהagainst himעִמּוֹin thoseבַּ הָאֵלֶּהyears,שָּׁנִיםbecauseכִּיYHWHיְהוָהhad given him rest.הֵנִיחַ לוֹ
He saidוַיֹּאמֶרto Judah,לִיהוּדָה“Let us buildנִבְנֶהtheseהָאֵלֶּהcitiesהֶעָרִיםand surround themוְנָסֵבwith wallחוֹמָהand towers,וּמִגְדָּלִיםdoorsדְּלָתַיִםand bars;וּבְרִיחִיםthe landהָאָרֶץis stillעוֹדֶנּוּbefore us,לְפָנֵינוּbecauseכִּיwe have soughtדָרַשְׁנוּYHWHיְהוָהour Elohim;אֱלֹהֵינוּwe have sought him,דָּרַשְׁנוּand he has given us restוַיָּנַח לָנוּall around.”מִסָּבִיבSo they builtוַיִּבְנוּand prospered.וַיַּצְלִיחוּ
Asaאָסָאhadוַיְהִי לְa forceחַיִלcarryingנֹשֵׂאlarge shieldצִנָּהand spear:וָרֹמַחfrom Judah,מִיהוּדָהthreeשְׁלֹשׁhundredמֵאוֹתthousand;אֶלֶףand from Benjamin,וּמִבִּנְיָמִןcarryingנֹשְׂאֵיshieldמָגֵןand drawingוְדֹרְכֵיthe bow,קֶשֶׁתtwo hundredמָאתַיִםand eightyוּשְׁמוֹנִיםthousand.אָלֶףAllכָּלtheseאֵלֶּהwere mighty menגִּבּוֹרֵיof valor.חָיִל
Zerahזֶרַחthe Cushiteהַכּוּשִׁיcame outוַיֵּצֵאagainst themאֲלֵיהֶםwith a forceבְּחַיִלof a thousandאֶלֶףthousandsאֲלָפִיםand threeוּ שְׁלֹשׁhundredמֵאוֹתchariots,מַרְכָּבוֹתand cameוַיָּבֹאas far asעַדMareshah.מָרֵשָׁה
Asaאָסָאwent outוַיֵּצֵאbefore him,לְפָנָיוand they drew upוַיַּעַרְכוּbattleמִלְחָמָהin the valleyבְּגֵיאof ZephathahצְפַתָהnearלְMareshah.מָרֵשָׁה
Asaאָסָאcried outוַיִּקְרָאtoאֶלYHWHיְהוָהhis Elohimאֱלֹהָיוand said,וַיֹּאמַר“YHWH,יְהוָהthere is noneאֵיןlike youעִמְּךָto helpלַעְזוֹרbetweenבֵּיןthe mightyרַבandלְthe one withoutאֵיןstrength.כֹּחַHelp us,עָזְרֵנוּYHWHיְהוָהour Elohim,אֱלֹהֵינוּforכִּיon youעָלֶיךָwe rely,נִשְׁעַנּוּand in your nameוּבְשִׁמְךָwe have comeבָאנוּagainstעַלthisהַזֶּהmultitude.הֶהָמוֹןYHWH,יְהוָהyouאַתָּהare our Elohim;אֱלֹהֵינוּdo not letאַלmortal manאֱנוֹשׁprevailיַעְצֹרagainst you.”עִמְּךָ
YHWHיְהוָהstruckוַיִּגֹּףthe CushitesהַכּוּשִׁיםbeforeלִפְנֵיAsaאָסָאand beforeוְלִפְנֵיJudah,יְהוּדָהand the Cushitesהַכּוּשִׁיםfled.וַיָּנֻסוּ
Asaאָסָאand the peopleוְהָעָםwhoאֲשֶׁרwere with himעִמּוֹpursued themוַיִּרְדְּפֵםas far asעַד לִGerar;גְרָרand of the Cushitesמִכּוּשִׁיםthere fellוַיִּפֹּלuntilלְthey had noאֵין לָהֶםlife left,מִחְיָהforכִּיthey were brokenנִשְׁבְּרוּbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWHיְהוָהand beforeוְלִפְנֵיhis camp.מַחֲנֵהוּAnd they carried awayוַיִּשְׂאוּveryמְאֹדmuchהַרְבֵּהspoil.שָׁלָל
They struckוַיַּכּוּallכָּלthe citiesהֶעָרִיםaroundסְבִיבוֹתGerar,גְּרָרforכִּיthe dreadפַחַדof YHWHיְהוָהwasהָיָהon them;עֲלֵיהֶםand they plunderedוַיָּבֹזּוּallכָּלthe cities,הֶעָרִיםforכִּיthere wasהָיְתָהmuchרַבָּהplunderבִזָּהin them.בָהֶם
And alsoוְגַםthe tentsאָהֳלֵיof the herdsמִקְנֶהthey struck,הִכּוּand carried offוַיִּשְׁבּוּsheep and goatsצֹאןin abundanceלָרֹבand camels;וּגְמַלִּיםand they returnedוַיָּשֻׁבוּto Jerusalem.יְרוּשָׁלִָם