2 Chronicles 13

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

In the eighteenth year of king Jerobo'am became Abiyah king 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.

Three years he reigned in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Michayahu the daughter of Uriel of Gib'ah. And there was war between Abiyah and Jerobo'am.

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 valour.

And Abiyah joined the battle with an army of valiant men of war, even of four hundred thousand chosen men: Jerobo'am also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valor.

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

And Abiyah stood up above mount Zemarayim, which is in the mountain of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, O Jerobo'am, and all 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?

Ought ye not to know that the Lord the God of Israel hath given the kingdom over Israel to David for eternity, yea, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salts?

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

But there rose up Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, 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 unto him idle men, worthless persons, and put themselves in violent resistance against Rehobo'am the son of Solomon: while Rehobo'am was young and tender hearted, and could not sustain himself before 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.

And now ye think to sustain yourselves before the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude; and with you are golden calves, which Jerobo'am hath made for you as gods.

9 Haven’t 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.

Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made yourselves priests like the people of the [various] lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams can become a priest to things that are no 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 as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, who minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron; and the Levites are at their [appointed] work;

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.

And they burn unto the Lord burnt-offerings every morning and every evening and incense of sweet spices; and the rows of the show-bread [do they place] upon the pure table; and there is the candlestick of gold with its lamps, to light the same every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, while ye have truly forsaken him.

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, don’t fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers; for you will not prosper.”

And, behold, with us at our head, is the [true] God, with his priests with trumpets for blowing the alarm, to sound an alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the Lord the God of your fathers; for ye will not prosper.

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

But Jerobo'am caused an ambush to come around behind them: so they themselves were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

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 when Judah turned round, behold, they had the battle before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests blew with 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 then gave the men of Judah a shout: and it came to pass, as the men of Judah shouted, that God struck down Jerobo'am and all Israel before Abiyah and Judah.

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

And the children of Israel fled from before Judah, and God gave them up 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.

And Abiyah and his people smote them with a great defeat, and there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

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.

Thus were the children of Israel humbled at that time: and the children of Judah became powerful, because they relied upon 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.

And Abiyah made pursuit after Jerobo'am, and captured cities from him, Bethel with its villages, and Jeshanah with its villages, and 'Ephrayin with its villages.

20 Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. The LORD struck him, and he died.

And Jerobo'am did not recover strength again in the days of Abiyahu: 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.

But Abiyahu became strong, and he took himself fourteen wives, and begat twenty and 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.

And the rest of the acts of Abiyah, and his ways, and his speeches, are written in the writing of the prophet 'Iddo.