Now Zerah the Ethiopian went out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.
Parallel translations
- WEB Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million troops and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.
- KJV And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.
- BSB Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah.
- NKJV Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.
- NLT Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Zerah the Cushite invades with an overwhelming army and chariots. Judah faces a vastly superior enemy that only God can defeat.
Overview
An enormous Ethiopian (Cushite) force advances to Mareshah, dwarfing Asa's army. The Chronicler sets up a deliberate contrast between human odds and divine power. The scene tests whether Asa will rely on his forces or on the Lord he has been seeking.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 2 Chr 16:8Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.
- 2 Chr 11:8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
- 2 Chr 12:2–3In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh,
- Josh 15:44Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
- Isa 8:9–10Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!
- Rev 16:14for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty.
- Ezek 30:5Ethiopia, and Put, and Lud, and all the mixed people, and Cub, and the children of the land that is allied with them, shall fall with them by the sword.
- Mic 1:15I will yet bring to you, inhabitant of Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
- 2 Kgs 19:9When he heard it said of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “Behold, he has come out to fight against you, he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying,
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 14:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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