2 Chronicles 14:13 kjv
And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.
2 Chronicles 14:13 nkjv
And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the LORD and His army. And they carried away very much spoil.
2 Chronicles 14:13 niv
and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the LORD and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.
2 Chronicles 14:13 esv
Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive, for they were broken before the LORD and his army. The men of Judah carried away very much spoil.
2 Chronicles 14:13 nlt
Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar, and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. They were destroyed by the LORD and his army, and the army of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder.
2 Chronicles 14 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chr 14:11 | And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, "LORD, it is nothing... " | Asa's prayer before battle, trusting in God. |
| Psa 33:16-17 | No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. | God's sovereignty over military might. |
| Zech 4:6 | "...‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts." | Victory comes by divine Spirit, not human strength. |
| Exod 14:27-28 | So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; ... all the army of Pharaoh. | Divine destruction of a mighty opposing army. |
| Deut 20:4 | "For the LORD your God is He who goes with you... to fight for you..." | God fights on behalf of His people. |
| Josh 10:10 | So the LORD routed them before Israel... | God gives victory by routing the enemy. |
| Judg 7:22 | When Gideon’s three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade. | God uses unconventional means for decisive victory. |
| 1 Sam 17:45 | Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword... but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts..." | Victory in God's name over a superior foe. |
| 2 Sam 5:24 | "...when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance..." | God gives the signal and assurance of victory. |
| Psa 20:7 | Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. | Trust in God over military strength. |
| Psa 44:6-7 | For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us... | Salvation from God, not human weapons. |
| Psa 18:37-39 | I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them... You have given me the necks of my enemies... | God grants ability to pursue and overcome enemies. |
| Isa 30:15 | "...In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." | Strength found in resting in God. |
| 2 Chr 20:23-24 | For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir... Judah came to the lookout... dead bodies. | Another instance of God causing self-destruction of enemies. |
| Num 31:9-12 | And the children of Israel took the women... and their little ones, and all their livestock... all their goods as spoil. | Example of taking spoils after God-given victory. |
| Isa 19:1 | The burden against Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud... and the idols of Egypt will totter at His presence. | God's judgment causing collapse of powerful nations. |
| Jer 1:17 | Therefore prepare yourself and arise... Do not be dismayed... Lest I dismay you before them. | God's presence strengthening His servants against fear. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword... | The power of God's word in executing His will. |
| Eph 6:11-13 | Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. | Spiritual warfare, trusting God for victory. |
| Rev 19:15 | Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. | God's ultimate defeat of all opposing forces. |
| Rom 8:31 | If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's divine presence ensures victory. |
| Ps 76:5-6 | The stouthearted were plundered; They have fallen asleep; And all the men of might Have lost their hands. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, Both chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep. | God's powerful rebuke brings defeat upon enemy forces. |
| Ps 83:9-11 | Do to them as to Midian... Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna. | A prayer for God to crush enemies as He did in the past. |
| Isa 37:36 | Then the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand. | Direct angelic intervention in destroying enemies. |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud... will be stubble." | Future final destruction of God's enemies. |
2 Chronicles 14 verses
2 Chronicles 14 13 Meaning
This verse describes the overwhelming and decisive defeat of the vast Ethiopian army by Judah under King Asa. The scale of the rout was so immense that the Ethiopians were rendered completely unable to regroup or resist, a defeat specifically attributed not to Judah's military might alone, but to being utterly shattered directly "before the LORD and before His army." This highlights divine intervention as the true cause of victory.
2 Chronicles 14 13 Context
Chapter 14 opens with King Asa's reign, marked by a commitment to true worship, removing foreign altars, and seeking the LORD. This period of peace allowed Asa to fortify cities and build up his army. Verse 9 describes the formidable challenge Asa faced: an invasion by Zerah the Cushite (Ethiopian) with a million men and three hundred chariots. Despite Judah's significantly smaller army, Asa did not rely on military strategy alone. Prior to the battle (2 Chr 14:11), he cried out to the LORD, acknowledging Judah's powerlessness and God's supreme strength to help the helpless. The battle, therefore, serves as a powerful demonstration of God responding directly to faithful reliance, with verse 13 being the dramatic culmination of this divine intervention. It highlights the Chronicler's theme of divine retribution and reward, where obedience brings victory and prosperity.
2 Chronicles 14 13 Word analysis
Ethiopians (כּוּשִׁים - Cushim): Refers to the inhabitants of Cush, an ancient region generally south of Egypt, often associated with powerful and numerous armies. Their defeat here highlights the might of God over even the most formidable human forces of the time.
fell (נָגַף - nagaf): This verb means to strike down, smite, defeat, or plague. It implies a divinely initiated blow or a massive collapse. It's a strong word, emphasizing not just death, but a devastating impact.
recover (חָיָה - chayah): Meaning to live, revive, restore to life, or regain strength. The phrase "could not recover" indicates the absolute and irreparable nature of their defeat; they were so thoroughly decimated that any thought of regrouping, re-engaging, or survival was impossible.
shattered (שָׁבַר - shavar): To break, smash, tear, or destroy utterly. This powerful verb depicts a complete and violent demolition, a breaking into pieces. It vividly conveys the catastrophic destruction inflicted upon the Ethiopian army.
before the LORD (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה - lifnei YHWH): This crucial phrase points directly to God's active presence and immediate involvement in the battle. It is not merely that the defeat happened "in God's sight," but "by the power and direction of the LORD." This establishes divine agency as the primary cause of victory.
His army (מַחֲנֵהוּ - machanehu): This can refer to the army of Judah acting as "His" (God's) army, implying divine empowerment, or it could subtly suggest unseen divine forces (heavenly hosts) participating in the destruction, which aligns with God "fighting for" His people. Both interpretations underscore the supernatural dimension of the victory.
"and so many of the Ethiopians fell that they could not recover": This phrase emphasizes the overwhelming scale of the defeat, extending beyond a mere military loss to an existential collapse for the opposing force. It stresses the totality of the rout, underscoring the miraculous aspect of God's intervention.
"for they were shattered before the LORD and before His army": This clarifies the agency behind the devastation. The conjunction "for" explains why they could not recover. It explicitly removes human military prowess as the sole explanation and attributes the comprehensive breaking of the enemy to God's direct intervention, either through supernatural means or by empowering Judah's forces in a way that defied natural expectations. This serves as a powerful theological statement about God's faithfulness to those who rely on Him.
2 Chronicles 14 13 Bonus section
The victory against the Cushites was not merely a military triumph, but a spiritual and theological vindication of Asa's reforms and faith. The massive spoils taken afterwards, mentioned later in the verse ("And they carried away a great amount of spoil"), served as tangible evidence of God's blessing and a material reward for Judah's faithfulness. This complete defeat also contrasts sharply with later periods in Judah's history when kings relied on alliances or their own military, often leading to defeat or spiritual compromise. The narrative here is a didactic one: faith in God is the ultimate strategic advantage.
2 Chronicles 14 13 Commentary
2 Chronicles 14:13 describes a victory of unprecedented scale achieved through divine intervention, not human strength. Following Asa's prayer of utter dependence on the LORD (2 Chr 14:11), this verse portrays God's decisive response. The Ethiopians, though numerically superior to a staggering degree, were not merely defeated; they were "shattered," implying a complete demolition of their forces that rendered them utterly incapable of rallying or surviving. The victory was so absolute that it was a clear display of God's power. The phrase "before the LORD and before His army" explicitly attributes the devastating outcome directly to God's presence and action, either by supernatural means or through the divine empowerment of Asa's soldiers. This account profoundly illustrates that trust in the Most High God, even against overwhelming odds, secures deliverance and victory, demonstrating God’s unwavering support for those who obey and depend on Him.