Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 14:8

"And Asa had an army that bare bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor." — 2 Chronicles 14:8 (ASV)

Targets and spears.—Shield (or buckler) and lance. The large shield is meant (see 2 Chronicles 9:15). The same phrase is used to describe the warriors of Judah (1 Chronicles 12:24).

That bare shields—i.e., the short or round shield (2 Chronicles 9:16).

Drew bows.—(1 Chronicles 8:40; 1 Chronicles 12:2). The Judeans were the hoplites, or heavy-armed; the Benjaminites the light-armed, or peltasts, as a Greek writer would have said.

Three hundred thousand ... two hundred and eighty thousand.—A total of 580,000 warriors (Compare Abijah’s 400,000, 2 Chronicles 13:3). The entire male population capable of bearing arms must be included in these high figures. Of course, such a thing as a standing army of this strength is not to be thought of.

The proportion of Benjamin relative to Judah appears much too high. It must, however, be remembered that Benjamin was always famous as a tribe of warriors (1 Chronicles 7:6–11).

(b) INVASION OF THE CUSHITE ZERAH, AND HIS SIGNAL OVERTHROW (2 Chronicles 14:9–15)—This Section has no parallel in Kings.