<P> Abijah's son and successor, Asa of Judah, maintained peace for the first 35 years of his reign, during which time he revamped and reinforced the fortresses originally built by his grandfather, Rehoboam. 2 Chronicles states that at the Battle of Zephath, the Egyptian - backed chieftain Zerah the Ethiopian and his million men and 300 chariots was defeated by Asa's 580,000 men in the Valley of Zephath near Maresha . The Bible does not state whether Zerah was a pharaoh or a general of the army . The Ethiopians were pursued all the way to Gerar, in the coastal plain, where they stopped out of sheer exhaustion . The resulting peace kept Judah free from Egyptian incursions until the time of Josiah some centuries later . </P> <P> In his 36th year, Asa was confronted by Baasha of Israel, who built a fortress at Ramah on the border, less than ten miles from Jerusalem . The result was that the capital was under pressure and the military situation was precarious . Asa took gold and silver from the Temple and sent them to Ben - Hadad I, king of Aram - Damascus, in exchange for the Damascene king canceling his peace treaty with Baasha . Ben - Hadad attacked Ijon, Dan, and many important cities of the tribe of Naphtali, and Baasha was forced to withdraw from Ramah . Asa tore down the unfinished fortress and used its raw materials to fortify Geba and Mizpah in Benjamin on his side of the border . </P> <P> Asa's successor, Jehoshaphat, changed the policy towards Israel and instead pursued alliances and co-operation with the northern kingdom . The alliance with Ahab was based on marriage . This alliance led to disaster for the kingdom with the battle of Ramoth - Gilead . He then entered into an alliance with Ahaziah of Israel for the purpose of carrying on maritime commerce with Ophir . But the fleet that was then equipped at Ezion - Geber was immediately wrecked . A new fleet was fitted out without the cooperation of the king of Israel, and although it was successful, the trade was not prosecuted . He subsequently joined Jehoram of Israel in a war against the Moabites, who were under tribute to Israel . This war was successful, with the Moabites being subdued . However, on seeing Mesha's act of offering his own son in a human sacrifice on the walls of Kir - haresheth filled Jehoshaphat with horror and he withdrew and returned to his own land . </P> <P> Jehoshaphat's successor, Jehoram of Judah formed an alliance with Israel by marrying Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab . Despite this alliance with the stronger northern kingdom, Jehoram's rule of Judah was shaky . Edom revolted, and he was forced to acknowledge their independence . A raid by Philistines, Arabs and Ethiopians looted the king's house and carried off all of his family except for his youngest son, Ahaziah of Judah . </P>

When did the southern kingdom of judah fall