2 Chronicles 13

1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abijah reigned over Judah.

2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

He reigned for three years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother was Micaiah, the daughter of Uriel, from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor.

And when Abijah had undertaken the conflict, and he had with him four hundred thousand elect men, very fit for war, Jeroboam set up a battle line opposite him of eight hundred thousand men, who were also elect and very strong in warfare.

4 Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:

Then Abijah stood upon mount Zemaraim, which was in Ephraim, and he said: “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all of Israel.

5 Ought you not to know that the LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

Are you ignorant that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave David the kingship over Israel for all time, to him and to his sons, by a covenant of salt?

6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord.

But Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon, son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.

7 Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.

And there were gathered to him very vain men, and sons of Belial. And they prevailed against Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. For Rehoboam was inexperienced, and he had a fearful heart, and so he was unable to resist them.

8 “Now you intend to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David. You are a great multitude, and the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods are with you.

Now therefore, you say that you are able to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesses through the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and gold calves, which Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9 Have not you driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves according to the ways of the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of those who are no gods.

And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, as well as the Levites. And like all the peoples of the lands, you have made priests for yourselves. Anyone who is willing to come and perform the ritual by his hand, with a bull from the herd and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are not gods.

10 “But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests serving the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work.

But the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. And the priests who minister to the Lord are from the sons of Aaron. And the Levites are in their proper order.

11 They burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in order on the pure table, and care for the gold lamp stand with its lamps, to burn every evening; for we keep the instruction of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken him.

Also, they offer holocausts to the Lord, each and every day, morning and evening, and incense composed according to the precept of the law, and the bread of the presence on a very pure table. And there is with us the gold lampstand with its lamps, so that they may burn continually in the evening. For certainly, we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers; for you will not prosper.”

Therefore, God is the commander of our army, with his priests, who sound the trumpets that ring out against you. O sons of Israel, do not choose to fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers. For it is not expedient for you.”

13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them; so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

While he was speaking these things, Jeroboam set in motion an ambush behind them. And while they stood facing the enemy, without Judah realizing it, his army circled around.

14 When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

And looking back, Judah saw the war threatening in front and behind, and they cried out to the Lord. And the priests began to sound the trumpets.

15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout. As the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

And all the men of Judah shouted out. And behold, when they cried out, God terrified Jeroboam, and all of Israel who were standing in opposition to Abijah and Judah.

16 The children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.

And the sons of Israel fled from Judah, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

17 Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter, so five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell down slain.

Therefore, Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter. And five hundred thousand strong men of Israel fell wounded.

18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

And the sons of Israel were humiliated at that time. And the sons of Judah were very greatly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.

Then Abijah pursued the fleeing Jeroboam. And he seized cities from him: Bethel and her daughters, and Jeshanah with her daughters, and also Ephron and her daughters.

20 Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah. The LORD struck him, and he died.

And Jeroboam no longer had the strength to resist, in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him, and he died.

21 But Abijah grew mighty and took for himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

And so Abijah, having been strengthened in his authority, took fourteen wives. And he procreated twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

Now the rest of the words of Abijah, and his ways and works, have been written very diligently in the book of Iddo, the prophet.