I Kings 15:9-15
“And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.” (I Kings 15:9-10)
I Kings 14:1-2 states, “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.” Now Asa is declared to have the same mother. If he is actually the son of Abijam, Maachah is both his mother and his grandmother, a violation of Leviticus 20:11, calling for the death penalty.
Checking out the word translated son in this reference, we find that it actually means the one who carries on the family name in the broadest possible sense, and can be used for a son. a nephew, a grandson, or even a brother who took on his brother‘s family responsibility. It highlights the difficulties of translating from one language to another. Words do not always have an exact equivalent in another language, which may lead to misunderstanding, even in the best translations.
When Abijam died after only three years as king, it appears that none of his sons were old enough to assume the throne so Abijam’s younger brother, Asa was placed in that position to carry on his name and responsibilities. He would reign forty one years.
“And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.” (I Kings 15:11-13)
Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam had worshipped other Gods and built temples and altars to them. Asa turned back to God, destroying the idols and altars, and even removing his own mother from being queen when she refused to turn from her idolatry, and ending a homosexual movement. II Chronicles 14:1-8 describes the first ten years of his reign in greater detail.
“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.
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.
Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while 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.
And Asa had an army of men that bare targets 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.” (II Chronicles 14:1-8)
God blessed and Asa was able to fortify the cities and expand the economy, while developing an army of over a half million. He recognized their success was the result of following God.
Ethiopia had been steadily becoming a major power, conquering much of northern Africa, and wiping out a number of ethnic groups named in Genesis 10 during the Ethiopic Wars. They invaded Egypt and then moved into Judah with a million man army, twice a s many as Asa could field. II Chronicles 14:9-15 describes the invasion and battle.
“And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
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.
So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 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. And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.” (II Chronicles 14:11-15)
Knowing they were outnumbered, Asa placed his trust in God, asking him for help. They were victorious, breaking the Ethiopian power and driving them out. Ethiopian never recovered , and were eventually forced back into their own land. Judah captured the spoil they had taken in other conquests.
“But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.” (I Kings 15:14-15)
Despite his best efforts to turn Judah to God, Asa was never able to completely eliminate the results of Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam’s idolatry, although he spent his entire life serving God, and dedicated many of the things they had produced to God.
“And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.” (I Kings 15:9-10)
I Kings 14:1-2 states, “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.” Now Asa is declared to have the same mother. If he is actually the son of Abijam, Maachah is both his mother and his grandmother, a violation of Leviticus 20:11, calling for the death penalty.
Checking out the word translated son in this reference, we find that it actually means the one who carries on the family name in the broadest possible sense, and can be used for a son. a nephew, a grandson, or even a brother who took on his brother‘s family responsibility. It highlights the difficulties of translating from one language to another. Words do not always have an exact equivalent in another language, which may lead to misunderstanding, even in the best translations.
When Abijam died after only three years as king, it appears that none of his sons were old enough to assume the throne so Abijam’s younger brother, Asa was placed in that position to carry on his name and responsibilities. He would reign forty one years.
“And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.” (I Kings 15:11-13)
Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam had worshipped other Gods and built temples and altars to them. Asa turned back to God, destroying the idols and altars, and even removing his own mother from being queen when she refused to turn from her idolatry, and ending a homosexual movement. II Chronicles 14:1-8 describes the first ten years of his reign in greater detail.
“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.
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.
Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while 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.
And Asa had an army of men that bare targets 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.” (II Chronicles 14:1-8)
God blessed and Asa was able to fortify the cities and expand the economy, while developing an army of over a half million. He recognized their success was the result of following God.
Ethiopia had been steadily becoming a major power, conquering much of northern Africa, and wiping out a number of ethnic groups named in Genesis 10 during the Ethiopic Wars. They invaded Egypt and then moved into Judah with a million man army, twice a s many as Asa could field. II Chronicles 14:9-15 describes the invasion and battle.
“And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
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.
So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 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. And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.” (II Chronicles 14:11-15)
Knowing they were outnumbered, Asa placed his trust in God, asking him for help. They were victorious, breaking the Ethiopian power and driving them out. Ethiopian never recovered , and were eventually forced back into their own land. Judah captured the spoil they had taken in other conquests.
“But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.” (I Kings 15:14-15)
Despite his best efforts to turn Judah to God, Asa was never able to completely eliminate the results of Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam’s idolatry, although he spent his entire life serving God, and dedicated many of the things they had produced to God.
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