13 Abijah became king of Judah after Jeroboam had been king of Israel for 18 years. 2 Abijah ruled in Jerusalem as king for three years. His mother's name was Micaiah. She was the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.
Abijah and Jeroboam fought a war against each other. 3 Abijah attacked with an army of 400,000 brave soldiers that he had chosen. Jeroboam prepared to fight against him with 800,000 strong brave soldiers that he had chosen.
4 Abijah went to stand on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim. He shouted, ‘Listen to me, Jeroboam and all you Israelites! 5 The Lord , Israel's God, has chosen David and his descendants to be kings of Israel for all time. You know that God has promised that must happen. 6 Nebat's son Jeroboam was a servant of David's son, King Solomon. But he turned against his master. 7 He took some wicked useless men to join his group. They made themselves strong against Solomon's son, Rehoboam. Rehoboam was young and he had not been king for very long. So he was not strong enough to stop them.
8 Now you want to fight against the Lord 's own kingdom that he has chosen David's descendants to rule over. You have a very large army. You bring with you the gold statues of young bulls that Jeroboam made for you as your gods. 9 But you chased away the Lord 's own priests, the descendants of Aaron. You chased away the Levites. Instead you chose your own priests, as the people in other nations do. Anyone can become a priest to serve your false gods. He only has to come with a sacrifice of a young bull and seven male sheep!
10 But we still serve the Lord as our God. We have not turned away from him. We have the descendants of Aaron to serve as our priests. The Levites help them in their work. 11 They offer burnt offerings and sweet incense to the Lord every morning and every evening. They put out the special bread on his table every day. They light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. So we are the people who are obeying the rules of the Lord our God. But you have turned away from him.
12 Listen to me! God himself is our leader. He is here to help us. His priests are ready to make a loud noise with their trumpets to start the battle against you. Israelite people, do not fight against the Lord , the God of your ancestors. You will not win the battle.’
13 But Jeroboam had sent some soldiers around behind Judah's army. Jeroboam was with the rest of his army, in front of Judah's army. The other soldiers were ready to attack from behind. 14 Judah's soldiers turned around. They saw that Jeroboam's soldiers were in front of them and behind them. So they called out to the Lord for help. The priests made a noise with their trumpets.
15 Judah's soldiers shouted very loudly. As King Abijah led Judah's soldiers into the battle, the Lord knocked down Jeroboam and all Israel's army. 16 Israel's soldiers ran away as Judah's army chased after them. God caused Judah's soldiers to win the fight. 17 Abijah and his army killed many of the Israel soldiers. 500,000 of Israel's best soldiers died. 18 Judah's soldiers trusted the Lord , the God of their ancestors, to help them. That was why they won the battle that day against Israel's army.
19 King Abijah chased King Jeroboam. He took these Israelite towns for himself: Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, as well as the villages around them.
20 After that, while Abijah was Judah's king, Jeroboam never became strong again. Finally, the Lord punished Jeroboam so that he died. 21 But Abijah became more powerful. He married 14 wives. He became the father of 22 sons and 16 daughters.
22 All the other things that happened while Abijah ruled as king are written in the book of the prophet Iddo. It includes the things that Abijah did and the things that he said.
13 Abijah became the new king of Judah. This was during the 18th year that Jeroboam son of Nebat ruled Israel. 2 Abijah ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was Maacah. She was the daughter of Uriel, from the town of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah’s army had 400,000 brave soldiers. Abijah led that army into battle. Jeroboam’s army had 800,000 brave soldiers. Jeroboam got ready to have a war with Abijah.
4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5 You should know that the Lord , the God of Israel, gave David and his sons the right to be king over Israel forever. God gave this right to David with an agreement of salt. [ a ] 6 But Jeroboam turned against his master. Jeroboam son of Nebat was one of the servants of David’s son Solomon. 7 Then worthless, evil men became friends with Jeroboam. Then Jeroboam and the bad men turned against Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. Rehoboam was young and did not have experience. So he could not stop Jeroboam and his bad friends.
8 “Now, you people have decided to defeat the Lord ’s kingdom—the kingdom that is ruled by David’s sons. You have so many people with you and you have the golden calves—the ‘gods’ that Jeroboam made for you. 9 You threw out the Lord ’s priests, the descendants of Aaron. And you threw out the Levites. Then you chose your own priests, as every other nation on earth does. And now, anyone who will bring a young bull and seven rams can become a priest to serve these ‘no-gods.’
10 “But as for us, the Lord is our God. We people of Judah have not refused to obey God. We have not left him. The priests who serve the Lord are Aaron’s sons, and the Levites help the priests in their work. 11 They offer burnt offerings and burn incense of spices to the Lord every morning and every evening. They put the bread in rows on the special table in the Temple. And they take care of the lamps on the golden lampstand so that it shines bright each and every evening. We very carefully serve the Lord our God, but you people have abandoned him. 12 God himself is with us. He is our ruler, and his priests are with us. God’s priests blow his trumpets to wake you up and make you excited about coming to him. Men of Israel, don’t fight against the Lord , God of your ancestors, because you will not succeed!”
13 But Jeroboam sent a group of soldiers to sneak behind Abijah’s army. Jeroboam’s army was in front of Abijah’s army. The hidden soldiers from Jeroboam’s army were behind Abijah’s army. 14 When the soldiers in Abijah’s army from Judah looked around, they saw Jeroboam’s army attacking both in front and in back. [ b ] The men of Judah shouted out to the Lord and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men in Abijah’s army shouted. When the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam’s army. Jeroboam’s whole army from Israel was defeated by Abijah’s army from Judah. 16 The men of Israel ran away from the men of Judah. God let the army from Judah defeat the army from Israel. 17 Abijah’s army greatly defeated the army of Israel, and 500,000 of the best men of Israel were killed. 18 So at that time the Israelites were defeated, and the people of Judah won. The army from Judah won because they depended on the Lord , the God of their ancestors.
19 Abijah’s army chased Jeroboam’s army, and they captured the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron from Jeroboam. They captured the towns and the small villages near them.
20 Jeroboam never became strong again while Abijah lived. The Lord killed Jeroboam, 21 but Abijah became strong. He married 14 women and was the father of 22 sons and 16 daughters. 22 Everything else Abijah did is written in the books of the prophet Iddo.
13 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.
4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
5 Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even 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, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord , the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord , are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
11 And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him.
12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.
13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord , and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so 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 upon the Lord God of their fathers.
19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof.
20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died.
21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.
13 ( A ) In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2 He reigned in Jerusalem for three years; and his mother’s name was [ a ] Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
( B ) Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah began the battle with an army of warriors, four hundred thousand chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men who were valiant warriors.
4 Then Abijah stood on Mount ( C ) Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5 Do you not know that ( D ) the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David [ b ] and his sons by ( E ) a covenant of salt? 6 Yet ( F ) Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his [ c ] master, 7 and worthless men gathered to him, wicked men, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when [ d ] ( G ) he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them.
8 “So now you intend to assert yourselves against the kingdom of the Lord [ e ] through the sons of David, [ f ] being a great multitude and having with you ( H ) the golden calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods. 9 ( I ) Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord , the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes ( J ) to consecrate himself with a bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of things that are ( K ) not gods. 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not abandoned Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the Lord as priests, and the Levites [ g ] attend to their work. 11 Every morning and evening ( L ) they [ h ] burn to the Lord burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and ( M ) the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we perform our duty to the Lord our God, but you have abandoned Him. 12 Now behold, God is with us at our head, and ( N ) His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the war cry against you. Sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”
13 But Jeroboam ( O ) had set an ambush to come from behind, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah turned around, behold, [ i ] they were attacked both from front and rear; so ( P ) they cried out to the Lord , and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, God [ j ] ( Q ) defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 When the sons of Israel fled from Judah, ( R ) God handed them over to them. 17 Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell slain. 18 The sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah [ k ] conquered ( S ) because they trusted in the Lord , the God of their fathers. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and [ l ] Ephron with its villages.
20 Jeroboam did not again recover strength in the days of Abijah; and the ( T ) Lord struck him and ( U ) he died.
21 But Abijah became powerful, and he took fourteen wives for himself, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in ( V ) the [ m ] treatise of ( W ) Iddo the prophet.
13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah, [ a ] ( B ) a daughter [ b ] of Uriel of Gibeah.
There was war between Abijah ( C ) and Jeroboam. ( D ) 3 Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.
4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, ( E ) in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel, ( F ) listen to me! 5 Don’t you know that the Lord , the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever ( G ) by a covenant of salt? ( H ) 6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled ( I ) against his master. 7 Some worthless scoundrels ( J ) gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive ( K ) and not strong enough to resist them.
8 “And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord , which is in the hands of David’s descendants. ( L ) You are indeed a vast army and have with you ( M ) the golden calves ( N ) that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9 But didn’t you drive out the priests ( O ) of the Lord , ( P ) the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull ( Q ) and seven rams ( R ) may become a priest of what are not gods. ( S )
10 “As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. 11 Every morning and evening ( T ) they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense ( U ) to the Lord . They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table ( V ) and light the lamps ( W ) on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him. 12 God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. ( X ) People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord , ( Y ) the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.” ( Z )
13 Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush ( AA ) was behind them. 14 Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out ( AB ) to the Lord . The priests blew their trumpets 15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel ( AC ) before Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered ( AD ) them into their hands. 17 Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men. 18 The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied ( AE ) on the Lord , the God of their ancestors.
19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages. 20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down and he died.
21 But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22 The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.
