SEV Biblia, Chapter 14:9
¶ Y salió contra ellos Zera etíope con un ejército de mil millares, y trescientos carros; y vino hasta Maresa.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 14:9
Verse 9. Zerah the Ethiopian] Probably of that Ethiopia which lay on the south of Egypt, near to Libya, and therefore the Libyans are joined with them, chap. xvi. 8. A thousand thousand] If this people had come from any great distance, they could not have had forage for such an immense army.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian, with an host of thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots , etc.] According to Josephus f52 , this army consisted of 900,000 foot, and 100,000 horsemen, and certain it is there were horsemen among them, ( 2 Chronicles 16:8) some say these were not the Ethiopians in Africa, beyond Egypt, being, as is said, too far off for such an army to travel, and it would be hard to say what should induce them to it; and besides it is urged, the king of Egypt would never have suffered them to pass through his dominions, as they must to come to Judea; but that they were the Cushite Arabs, that inhabited Midian, part of Arabia Petraea, and Arabia Felix, near Judaea, (see Gill on “ Numbers 12:1”), but since this great host consisted of Lubim or Libyans, inhabitants of Africa, as well as of Ethiopians, ( Chronicles 16:8), these Ethiopians seem to be rather those in Africa, who were masters of Egypt and Libya, as well as Ethiopia, quickly after the death of Shishak, or Sesostris, (see 2 Chronicles 12:2,3), which accounts for the size of this army, and their passage through Egypt: that there were two sorts of Ethiopians, the western and eastern ones, the one that dwelt in Africa, the other in Asia, appears clearly from Homer f53 , Herodotus f54 , and Heliodorus f55 , the former of which seem here meant; nor need this army be thought incredible, especially since they were joined by the Lubim or Libyans, and assisted by the Philistines, as appears by what follows; besides, the two armies of Israel and Judah we read of in the preceding chapter, when put together, exceed this; see also ( Chronicles 17:14-18), so the armies of Tamerlane and Bajazet, that of the former being 1,600,000, and that of the latter 1,400,000 f56 : and came unto Mareshah ; a city in the tribe of Judah, on the borders of it, ( 2 Chronicles 11:8).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Asa's piety, He strengthens his kingdom.
--Asa aimed at pleasing God, and studied to approve himself to him Happy those that walk by this rule, not to do that which is right in their own eyes, or in the eye of the world, but which is so in God' sight. We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it give us rest; while we pursue the world, we meet with nothing but vexation Asa consulted with his people how to make a good use of the peace the enjoyed; and concluded with them that they must not be idle, no secure. A formidable army of Ethiopians invaded Asa's kingdom. Thi evil came upon them, that their faith in God might be tried. Asa' prayer is short, but it is the real language of faith and expectatio from God. When we go forth in God's name, we cannot but prosper, an all things work together for the good of those whom he favours __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויצא 3318 אליהם 413 זרח 2226 הכושׁי 3569 בחיל 2428 אלף 505 אלפים 505 ומרכבות 4818 שׁלשׁ 7969 מאות 3967 ויבא 935 עד 5704 מרשׁה׃ 4762
