opem ferre.” But in 1Sa 14:16 the wording is different, so that that passage cannot be a standard for us here. “In Thy name (i.e., trusting in Thy help) are we come against this multitude” (not “have we fallen upon this multitude”). וגו יעצר אל, “Let not a mortal retain strength with Thee” (עצר = כּח עצר, 2Ch 13:20; 1Ch 29:14), i.e., let not weak men accomplish anything with Thee, show Thy power or omnipotence over weak men.
Verse 11
God heard this prayer. Jahve drove the Cushites into flight before Asa, scil. by His mighty help.
Verse 12
Asa, with his people, pursued to Gerar, the old ancient Philistine city, whose ruins Rowlands has discovered in the Khirbet el Gerar, in the Wady Jorf el Gerar (the torrent of Gerar), three leagues south-south-east of Gaza (see on Gen 20:1). “And there fell of the Cushites, so that to them was not revival,” i.e., so many that they could not make a stand and again collect themselves, ut eis vivificatio i. e. copias restaurandi ratio non esset, as older commentators, in Annott. uberior. ad h. l., have already rightly interpreted it. The words are expressions for complete defeat. Berth. translates incorrectly: “until to them was nothing living;” for לאין does not stand for לאין עד, but ל serves to subordinate the clause, “so that no one,” where in the older language אין alone would have been sufficient, as in 2Ch 20:25; 1Ch 22:4, cf. Ew. §315, c; and מחיה denotes, not “a living thing,” but only “preservation of life, vivification, revival, maintenance.” For they were broken before Jahve and before His host. מחנהוּ, i.e., Asa's army is called Jahve's, because Jahve fought in and with it against the enemy. There is no reason to suppose, with some older commentators, that there is any reference to an angelic host or heavenly camp (Gen 32:2.). And they (Asa and his people) brought back very much booty.
Verse 13
2Ch 14:13 “They smote all the cities round about Gerar,” which, as we must conclude from this, had made common cause with the Cushites, being inhabited by Philistines; for the fear of Jahve had fallen upon them. יהוה פּחד יהוה . here, and in 2Ch 17:10; 2Ch 20:29, as in 1Sa 11:7, the fear of the omnipotence displayed by Jahve in the annihilation of the innumerable hostile army. In these cities Judah found much booty.
Verses 14-15
They also smote the tents of the herds of the wandering tribes of that district, and carried away many sheep and camels as booty.
Chap. 15
Verses 1-4
2Ch 15:1-4The prophet Azariah's exhortation to faithful cleaving to the Lord, and the solemn renewal of the covenant. - 2Ch 15:1-7.
