2 Chronicles 14:8

“And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand, etc.] These were armed with a large sort of shield, to protect them, and with spears, to push at an enemy when they came near them, and to close quarters with them: and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand; these had also a lesser sort of shields, to defend their bodies, and bows and arrows, to annoy an enemy at a distance: all these were mighty men of valour; able bodied men, valiant and courageous; perhaps Asa gathered these together, on hearing that the Ethiopians were preparing to attack him, as follows.”

“The men of Judah served as heavy-armed troops, while the Benjamites were light-armed. Their numbers accord well with those of 2 Chronicles 13:3. As the boundaries of Judah had been enlarged 2 Chronicles 13:19, and as for ten years at least there had been no war 2 Chronicles 14:1, the effective force had naturally increased. It was 400, 000; it is now 580, 000. return to 'Top of Page'”

“out of Judah: Ch2 11:1, Ch2 13:3, Ch2 17:14-19, Ch2 25:5 2 Chronicles 14:9”

“The victory over the Cushite Zerah. - Ch2 14:8. "And there went forth against them Zerah." אליהם for עליהם refers to Asa's warriors mentioned in Ch2 14:7. The number of the men in Judah capable of bearing arms is mentioned only to show that Asa set his hope of victory over the innumerable host of the Cushites not on the strength of his army, but on the all-powerful help of the Lord ( Ch2 14:10). The Cushite זרח is usually identified with the second king of the 22nd (Bubastitic) dynasty, Osorchon I; while Brugsch, hist. de l'Eg. i. p. 298, on the contrary, has raised objections, and holds Zerah to be an Ethiopian and not an Egyptian prince, who in the reign of Takeloth I, about 944 b.c.,…”