=1‒5= (compare 1 Kings xv. 9‒15).
THE RELIGIOUS POLICY OF ASA.
In Kings the reign of Asa is reviewed with entire approval, according
to Chronicles his conduct was marred only by the lack of faith
manifested in his reliance on the king of Syria (see xvi. 1‒10), and
in his recourse to physicians at the close of his reign (xvi. 12).
¹So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead: in his days
the land was quiet ten years. ²And Asa did that which was good
and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:
=1.= _ten years_] These _ten_ years of rest are naturally to be
assigned to the beginning of Asa’s reign; later on there was a rest
of _twenty_ years (compare xv. 10 with xv. 19). The number _ten_ here
makes a discrepancy with 1 Kings, for Baasha became king of Israel
in the _third_ year of Asa (1 Kings xv. 28, 33), and “there was war
between Asa and Baasha all their days” (1 Kings xv. verse 32). If,
however, we allow some latitude to the language both of 1 Kings and of
Chronicles, the discrepancy becomes unimportant.
³for he took away the strange altars, and the high places,
and brake down the pillars¹, and hewed down the Asherim; ⁴and
commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and
to do the law and the commandment.
¹ Or, _obelisks_.
=3.= _he took away_] In 1 Kings xv. 12, 13 he is said to have put
away the sodomites, and all the idols that his fathers had made; and
also “the abominable image” which Maacah, his mother, had made. These
remarks are here ignored by the Chronicler, probably because they
would be out of harmony with the comparatively pious character he has
ascribed to Asa’s predecessors, Rehoboam and Abijah. They are given,
however, in xv. 16, 17, where see note.
_the strange altars_] i.e. altars belonging to gods other than Jehovah.
_and the high places_] a direct contradiction of 1 Kings xv. 14, where
it is said “But the high places were not taken away: nevertheless the
heart of Asa was perfect with the LORD all his days.” This remarkable
contrast affords a vivid illustration of the different standpoints of
Kings and Chronicles In Kings the removal of the high-places is the
great reform of later days effected by Hezekiah (1 Kings xviii. 4, 22),
by Josiah (2 Kings xxiii. 8). To the Chronicler, who believed that
the law centralising the worship of Jehovah in Jerusalem was in force
from the Mosaic age, the abolition of the high-places was felt to be
a minimum of reform and must surely have been carried out by any king
with a claim to piety. See also the note on xv. 17.
_the pillars_] LXX. τὰς στήλας. The “pillar” or “obelisk,” Hebrew
_Maṣṣēbāh_, was a monolith standing by an altar as a symbol of the
god worshipped at the altar. In later days an image took the place of
the pillar, i.e. the mere symbol was succeeded by the likeness of the
god. (W. R. Smith, _Religion of the Semites²_, pp. 203 ff., and for
illustrations of those recently discovered at Gezer see Macalister,
_Bible Side-lights_, or Driver, _Modern Research as illustrating the
Bible_, p. 63.)
_and hewed down the Asherim_] An _Ashērah_ (plural _Ashērim_ and
_Ashēroth_) was a wooden pole planted beside an altar as the symbol
of a deity. It appears to have been a survival of tree-worship, as the
_Maṣṣēbāh_ was a survival of stone-worship. The _Ashērah_ of itself did
not represent any particular deity, but it could be carved to bear the
symbol of any special god or goddess, e.g. of Ashtarte. (W. R. Smith,
_Religion of the Semites_², pp. 186 ff.) Probably the term _Ashērah_
was used in reference to the living sacred trees, which are still
common in Palestine: see the present writer’s edition of the Mishna
tractate, _‘Aboda Zara_, pp. 60 f.
⁵Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high
places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
=5.= _the sun-images_] Compare xxxiv. 4; Isaiah xvii. 8, xxvii. 9.
The Hebrew word (“ḥamman”) is of uncertain meaning and the supposed
connection with _heat_ or the _sun_ is unsatisfactory. On the whole
the evidence points to the conclusion that the “ḥamman” was a stone
pillar associated with the altar, and much the same as the “Maṣṣēbāh,”
the difference perhaps being that the former was artificially shaped,
the latter was of natural stone (see article _Baal_ in Hastings’
_Dictionary of Religion and Ethics_, pp. 287, 288).
=6‒8.=
DEFENSIVE MEASURES OF ASA.
From xvi. 1‒6 = 1 Kings xv. 17‒22, it appears that there was a strong
and probably a reliable tradition ascribing to Asa activity in building
defensive townships in Judah. It is likely that the present verses with
their vague reference to strongly built cities with no mention of their
number or names are only an expansion of the more precise references
in xvi. 6. The Chronicler has assigned the narrative given in xvi. 1‒6
(the war with Baasha) to the close of Asa’s reign (for reasons noted
under xvi. 1), and he obviously _wanted_ something to occupy the ten
years of peace with which――according to his story――the reign of Asa
opened. This is conveniently found in a general allusion to building
and fortification.
⁶And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land was quiet,
and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him
rest. ⁷For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and
make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is
yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have
sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they
built and prospered. ⁸And Asa had an army that bare bucklers and
spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin,
that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore
thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.
=8.= _that bare bucklers and spears ... that bare shields and drew
bows_] LXX., δύναμις ὁπλοφόρων (= ὁπλιτῶν) αἰρόντων θυρεοὺς καὶ δόρατα
... πελτασταὶ καὶ τοξόται. The Chronicler divides Asa’s army into the
heavy-armed men belonging to Judah and the light-armed bowmen belonging
to Benjamin. Asa apparently had no chariots. “Bucklers” and “shields”
should be transposed as in ix. 15.
_of Judah three hundred thousand ... of Benjamin ... two hundred and
fourscore thousand_] The total is 580,000. Under Asa’s successor,
Jehoshaphat, the numbers are (xvii. 14‒18), Judah 780,000, Benjamin
380,000, making a total of 1,160,000, i.e. twice the total given above.
The moral which the Chronicler would enforce by these figures seems
to be that Judah was strong in the early days of Asa, while Asa showed
faith in God, and that it became still stronger under his really
religious successor, Jehoshaphat. Regarding the exaggeration of these
figures, see the notes on xi. 1, and xvii. 14.
=9‒15= (no parallel in Kings).
ASA’S VICTORY OVER ZERAH: THE BATTLE OF MARESHAH.
The present passage has much the same midrashic character as the
account of Abijah’s victory related in the previous chapter, and some
scholars consider that the story of the raid and defeat of Zerah has
no basis in fact. It is, however, more probable that it originates in
a genuine tradition of the repulse of some Egyptian, or rather Arabian
(see note, verse 9), inroad, not necessarily, however, in the time of
Asa: compare the Introduction § 7, p. l.
⁹And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an
army of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and he
came unto Mareshah.
=9.= _against them_] We should expect either _against him_ (i.e. Asa)
or _against Judah_. Perhaps this account has been torn out from some
older document without regard to the context, so that the reference of
_them_ is lost. Compare notes on verses 12, 13, 14.
_Zerah the Ethiopian_] Rather, =Zerah the Cushite= (“man of Cush”).
Cush (Genesis x. 7) was the ancestor of certain Arabian tribes,
including Saba, see 1 Chronicles i. 9; and Arabians and Cushites
(“Ethiopians” Authorized Version, also Revised Version) are mentioned
as neighbours (2 Chronicles xxi. 16). It is therefore highly probable
that the leader of the inroad was an Arabian (Sabean) and not an
Ethiopian. (Compare S. A. Cook in _Expository Times_ June, 1906, p.
541, against Petrie, _History of Egypt._) _Zerah_ perhaps represents
_Dhirrīh_ (_Zirrīh_), a title (meaning “the magnificent”) of several
of the oldest princes of Saba. The tradition may therefore be brought
into connection with the many indications in Chronicles of Arabian
incursions on the southern borders of Judah. Mareshah, where the battle
was fought (verse 9), was one of the ancient seats of the Calebites
from which they were driven northwards (compare 1 Chronicles ii.).
Those who prefer to regard Cushite as = Ethiopian――see 1 Chronicles
i. 8――and Zerah as an Egyptian king, have to suppose that “Ethiopian”
is applied to him loosely and somewhat ignorantly; and further, as
no king of Egypt is so named, that Zerah must denote Osorkon I or II,
or perhaps be the name of a general of Osorkon. From xvi. 8 (see the
note on _Lubim_) it would seem probable that the _Chronicler_ believed
Zerah’s host to be an Egyptian force.
_a thousand thousand_] An inroad of the “children of the East” was
formidable from sheer weight of numbers. We may gather from xvi. 8 that
the original assailants were joined by other hordes as they drew near
the border of Judah. The number _a thousand thousand_ is probably meant
to signify that the host was too great to number; it is, of course, not
to be taken literally.
_three hundred chariots_] The chariots, though comparatively few, are
mentioned, (1) perhaps because Asa himself had _none_, (2) perhaps also
because they represent an Egyptian contingent. This suggestion receives
support from xvi. 8, where the Lubim (compare xii. 3) are associated
with the Cushites in the invasion. The cowardly foreign policy of
Egypt may have led her on this occasion to defend her own borders from
the barbarian hordes by encouraging them to invade her neighbour’s
territories.
The reading _three hundred_ is supported by the LXX. and is probably
right. The reading of the Peshitṭa, “thirty thousand,” and the wording
of xvi. 8, “with exceeding many chariots and horsemen,” seem like a
retouching of the narrative to make the number of the chariots and
horsemen correspond with the number of the whole host.
_Mareshah_] See note on xi. 8.
¹⁰Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in
array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. ¹¹And Asa cried
unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, there is none¹ beside²
thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength:
help us, O LORD our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name
are we come against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God;
let not man prevail against thee.
¹ Or, _there is no difference with thee to help, whether the
mighty or him &c._
² Or, _like_.
=10.= _in the valley_] Probably the valley in which Beit-Jibrin now
stands, one of several valleys giving access from the Shephelah into
central Judah (G. A. Smith, _Historical Geography of the Holy Land_,
pp. 230‒233). In such a place a large force might easily be discomfited
by a few resolute men (compare 2 Samuel xvii. 9, 10).
_of Zephathah at Mareshah_] Render with LXX., =north of Mareshah=
(reading _Ṣaphonah_ for _Zephathah_). No valley or town called
“Zephathah” is known.
¹²So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah;
and the Ethiopians fled.
=12.= _the LORD smote_] Compare xiii. 15. The use of The Name,
_Jehovah_ (translated THE LORD), instead of the general word “God” here
and in verses 13, 14 is in favour of the view that the Chronicler took
this account from some earlier document, perhaps a midrashic history of
Judah (Introduction § 5, p. xxxvi).
_the Ethiopians_] Rather, =the Cushites=.
¹³And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto
Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many¹ that they could
not recover themselves; for they were destroyed² before the LORD,
and before his host; and they carried away very much booty.
¹ Or, _so that none remained alive_.
² Hebrew _broken_.
=13.= _Gerar_] Identified with _Jerār_, ruins three hours south of Gaza;
compare 1 Chronicles iv. 39 (read “Gerar,” LXX. Γέραρα),
_so many that they could not recover themselves_] Or perhaps, as margin,
=so that none remained alive=.
_very much booty_] The phrase used belongs to a style earlier than that
of the Chronicler. Compare note on verse 9 (_against them_).
¹⁴And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear
of the LORD¹ came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities;
for there was much spoil in them.
¹ Or, _a terror from the LORD_.
=14.= _the fear of the LORD_] The Chroniclers own phrase is “the fear
of God” (xx. 29).
_much spoil_] Again we miss a favourite expression of the Chronicler:
“_exceeding_ (lārōbh) much spoil.”
¹⁵They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep in
abundance and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
=15.= _the tents of cattle_] These words are so strange an expression
that it is probable the text is corrupt. If so, the original reading is
unknown, for the LXX. has the same reading as the Hebrew It adds a
proper name, evidently intended as the name of an Arabian tribe, but
this addition appears to be a gloss derived from a reading of the LXX.
in xxii. 1.