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Selected Verse: 2 Chronicles 14:12 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
2Ch 14:12	Strong Concordance	So the LORD [03068] smote [05062] the Ethiopians [03569] before [06440] Asa [0609], and before [06440] Judah [03063]; and the Ethiopians [03569] fled [05127].
	King James	So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
The defeat of Zerah is one of the most remarkable events in the history of the Jews. On no other occasion did they meet in the field and overcome the forces of either of the two great monarchies between which they were placed. It was seldom that they ventured to resist, unless behind walls. Shishak, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, Nebuchadnezzar, were either unopposed or only opposed in this way. On the one other occasion on which they took the field - under Josiah against Necho - their boldness issued in a most disastrous defeat Ch2 35:20-24. Now, however, under Asa, they appear to have gained a complete victory over Egypt. The results which followed were nicest striking. The Southern power could not rally from the blow, and, for above three centuries made no further effort in this direction. Assyria, growing in strength, finally, under Sargon and Sennacherib, penetrated to Egypt itself. All fear of Egypt as an aggressive power ceased; and the Israelites learned instead to lean upon the Pharaohs for support (Kg2 17:4; Kg2 18:21; Isa 30:2-4, etc.). Friendly ties alone connected the two countries: and it was not until 609 B.C. that an Egyptian force again entered Palestine with a hostile intention.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

The defeat of Zerah is one of the most remarkable events in the history of the Jews. On no other occasion did they meet in the field and overcome the forces of either of the two great monarchies between which they were placed. It was seldom that they ventured to resist, unless behind walls. Shishak, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, Nebuchadnezzar, were either unopposed or only opposed in this way. On the one other occasion on which they took the field - under Josiah against Necho - their boldness issued in a most disastrous defeat Ch2 35:20-24. Now, however, under Asa, they appear to have gained a complete victory over Egypt. The results which followed were nicest striking. The Southern power could not rally from the blow, and, for above three centuries made no further effort in this direction. Assyria, growing in strength, finally, under Sargon and Sennacherib, penetrated to Egypt itself. All fear of Egypt as an aggressive power ceased; and the Israelites learned instead to lean upon the Pharaohs for support (Kg2 17:4; Kg2 18:21; Isa 30:2-4, etc.). Friendly ties alone connected the two countries: and it was not until 609 B.C. that an Egyptian force again entered Palestine with a hostile intention.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Smote - With terror, and an unaccountable consternation.

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² That walk [01980] to go down [03381] into Egypt [04714], and have not asked [07592] at my mouth [06310]; to strengthen [05810] themselves in the strength [04581] of Pharaoh [06547], and to trust [02620] in the shadow [06738] of Egypt [04714]!
³ Therefore shall the strength [04581] of Pharaoh [06547] be your shame [01322], and the trust [02622] in the shadow [06738] of Egypt [04714] your confusion [03639].
⁴ For his princes [08269] were at Zoan [06814], and his ambassadors [04397] came [05060] to Hanes [02609].

²¹ Now, behold, thou trustest [0982] upon the staff [04938] of this bruised [07533] reed [07070], even upon Egypt [04714], on which if a man [0376] lean [05564], it will go [0935] into his hand [03709], and pierce [05344] it: so is Pharaoh [06547] king [04428] of Egypt [04714] unto all that trust [0982] on him.

⁴ And the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] found [04672] conspiracy [07195] in Hoshea [01954]: for he had sent [07971] messengers [04397] to So [05471] king [04428] of Egypt [04714], and brought [05927] no present [04503] to the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], as he had done year [08141] by year [08141]: therefore the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] shut him up [06113], and bound [0631] him in prison [01004] [03608].

²⁰ After [0310] all this, when Josiah [02977] had prepared [03559] the temple [01004], Necho [05224] king [04428] of Egypt [04714] came up [05927] to fight [03898] against Carchemish [03751] by Euphrates [06578]: and Josiah [02977] went out [03318] against [07125] him.
²¹ But he sent [07971] ambassadors [04397] to him, saying [0559], What have I to do with thee, thou king [04428] of Judah [03063]? I come not against thee this day [03117], but against the house [01004] wherewith I have war [04421]: for God [0430] commanded [0559] me to make haste [0926]: forbear [02308] thee from meddling with God [0430], who is with me, that he destroy [07843] thee not.
²² Nevertheless Josiah [02977] would not turn [05437] his face [06440] from him, but disguised [02664] himself, that he might fight [03898] with him, and hearkened [08085] not unto the words [01697] of Necho [05224] from the mouth [06310] of God [0430], and came [0935] to fight [03898] in the valley [01237] of Megiddo [04023].
²³ And the archers [03384] shot [03384] at king [04428] Josiah [02977]; and the king [04428] said [0559] to his servants [05650], Have me away [05674]; for I am sore [03966] wounded [02470].
²⁴ His servants [05650] therefore took [05674] him out of that chariot [04818], and put [07392] him in the second [04932] chariot [07393] that he had; and they brought [03212] him to Jerusalem [03389], and he died [04191], and was buried [06912] in one of the sepulchres [06913] of his fathers [01]. And all Judah [03063] and Jerusalem [03389] mourned [056] for Josiah [02977].