2Chr 13
1
In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2
Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother`s name was Micaiah the daughter
of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3
And 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.
4
And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim,
and said, Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel:
5
Ought you not to know that YHWH, the 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, rose up, and
rebelled against his lord.
7
And there were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, that strengthened themselves
against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and
could not withstand them.
8
And now you think to withstand the kingdom of YHWH in the hand of the sons of David;
and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam
made you for gods.
9
Have you not driven out the priests of YHWH, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and
made you priests after the manner of the peoples of [other] lands? so that whoever
comes 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, YHWH is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and [we have] priests
ministering to YHWH, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work:
11
and they burn to YHWH every morning and every evening burnt-offerings and sweet incense:
the showbread also [set they] in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of
gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of YHWH
our God; but you have forsaken him.
12
And, behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm
to sound an alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight you not against YHWH, the
God of your fathers; for you 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 them; and they
cried to YHWH, 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 YHWH, the God of their fathers.
19
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns
thereof, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.
20
Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and YHWH smote
him, and he died.
21
But Abijah waxed mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and engendered 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 commentary of the prophet Iddo.