Did god destroy the ethiopians in 2 chronicles?

Answer 1

Answer No, God did not personally destroy them, instead He used Judah's army as His agent to do it: the end result was the same as if God had done it Himself anyway. Judah's capital city of Jerusalem was attacked by,( among others), the Ethiopian army:- 2Ch 12:2 And it came to pass, ... Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, ... (v.3) With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people werewithout number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

The king of Judah cried out to God for help as the situation was desperate, they trusted (relied) on the Lord for their deliverance, and the Ethiopian army was destroyed:- 2Ch 14:10-13 KJV Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. (v.11) 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, andin thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou artour God; let not man prevail against thee. (v.12) So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. (v.13) And Asa and the people that werewith 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.

In contrast, some time later, in another battle, the king of Syria escaped capture because Judah didn't rely on the Lord:- 2Ch 16:7-9 KJV And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. (v.8) Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. (v.9)... Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. In summary, God destroyed them by proxy.