Print Page Options

亞比雅作猶大王(A)

13 耶羅波安王第十八年,亞比雅登基作猶大王。 他在耶路撒冷作王三年;他母親名叫米該亞(“米該亞”是“瑪迦”的另一種寫法;參王上15:2),是基比亞人烏列的女兒。亞比雅和耶羅波安常有爭戰。

南北之戰

有一次,亞比雅帶著精兵四十萬,都是英勇的戰士,準備開戰;耶羅波安也帶著八十萬精兵,都是英勇的戰士,列陣對抗亞比雅。

亞比雅起來站在以法蓮山地中的洗瑪臉山上,說:“耶羅波安和以色列眾民哪,你們要聽我的話。 耶和華以色列的 神曾經立了鹽約,要把以色列國永遠賜給大衛和他的子孫,你們不知道嗎? 可是大衛的兒子所羅門的僕人,尼八的兒子耶羅波安,卻起來背叛了他的主。 有些無賴匪徒結集跟從他,欺負所羅門的兒子羅波安;那時羅波安還年幼,心裡驚怯,所以不能抵擋他們。 現在你們有意要反抗大衛子孫手下的耶和華的國;你們人數眾多,你們那裡也有金牛犢,就是耶羅波安為你們所做,當作神的。 你們不是驅逐了耶和華的祭司,亞倫的子孫和利未人嗎?你們不是像世上萬民為自己立祭司嗎?無論甚麼人牽來一頭公牛犢和七隻公綿羊,自己授聖職,就可以作那本不是神的祭司。 10 至於我們,耶和華是我們的 神,我們並沒有離棄他;我們有事奉耶和華的祭司,都是亞倫的子孫,並且有利未人負責工作。 11 他們每日早晚向耶和華獻燔祭,焚燒芬芳的香;在清潔的桌子上擺上陳設餅;每天晚上燃點金燈臺的燈盞;我們謹守耶和華我們的 神的吩咐,你們卻離棄了他。

12 “看哪, 神和我們同在,率領我們;他的祭司拿著號筒向你們大聲吹響。以色列人哪,你們不可和耶和華你們列祖的 神作戰,因為你們必不能得勝。”

猶大人戰勝以色列人

13 耶羅波安卻派伏兵繞到猶大人的背後。這樣,猶大人前面有以色列人,他們背後也有伏兵。 14 猶大人轉身,看見自己前後受敵,就呼求耶和華,祭司也都吹號。 15 於是猶大人大聲吶喊;猶大人大聲吶喊的時候, 神就在亞比雅和猶大人面前,使耶羅波安和以色列眾人大敗而逃。 16 以色列人在猶大人面前逃跑; 神把他們交在猶大人手裡。 17 亞比雅和他的人民大大地擊殺以色列人;以色列人中倒斃的精兵共有五十萬。 18 那時,以色列人被擊敗了,猶大人獲得勝利,因為他們倚靠耶和華他們列祖的 神。 19 亞比雅追趕耶羅波安,奪取了他的幾座城,就是伯特利和屬於伯特利的鄉鎮,耶沙拿和屬於耶沙拿的鄉鎮,以法拉音和屬於以法拉音的鄉鎮。 20 亞比雅在世的日子,耶羅波安不再強盛。耶和華擊打他,他就死了。

21 亞比雅卻不斷強盛起來,娶了十四個妻妾,生了二十二個兒子,十六個女兒。 22 亞比雅其餘的事蹟和他的言行,都記在易多先知的傳記上。

Abijah's War with Jeroboam(A)

13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam of Israel, Abijah became king of Judah, and he ruled three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Micaiah daughter of Uriel, from the city of Gibeah.

War broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah raised an army of 400,000 soldiers, and Jeroboam opposed him with an army of 800,000.

The armies met in the hill country of Ephraim. King Abijah went up Mount Zemaraim and called out to Jeroboam and the Israelites: “Listen to me!” he said. “Don't you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, made an unbreakable covenant with David, giving him and his descendants kingship over Israel forever? Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against Solomon, his king. Later he gathered together a group of worthless scoundrels, and they forced their will on Rehoboam son of Solomon, who was too young and inexperienced to resist them. Now you propose to fight against the royal authority that the Lord gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army and have with you the gold bull-calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. You drove out the Lord's priests, the descendants of Aaron, and you drove out the Levites. In their place you appointed priests in the same way that other nations do. Anybody who comes along with a bull or seven sheep can get himself consecrated as a priest of those so-called gods of yours.

10 “But we still serve the Lord our God and have not abandoned him. Priests descended from Aaron perform their duties, and Levites assist them. 11 Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lampstand. We do what the Lord has commanded, but you have abandoned him. 12 God himself is our leader and his priests are here with trumpets, ready to blow them and call us to battle against you. People of Israel, don't fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors! You can't win!”

13 Meanwhile Jeroboam had sent some of his troops to ambush the Judean army from the rear, while the rest faced them from the front. 14 The Judeans looked around and saw that they were surrounded. They cried to the Lord for help, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 The Judeans gave a loud shout, and led by Abijah, they attacked; God defeated Jeroboam and the Israelite army. 16 The Israelites fled from the Judeans, and God let the Judeans overpower them. 17 Abijah and his army dealt the Israelites a crushing defeat—half a million of Israel's best soldiers were killed. 18 And so the people of Judah were victorious over Israel, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam's army and occupied some of his cities: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, and the villages near each of these cities. 20 Jeroboam never regained his power during Abijah's reign. Finally the Lord struck him down, and he died.

21 Abijah, however, grew more powerful. He had fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the history of Abijah, what he said and what he did, is written in The History of Iddo the Prophet.

Abijah Reigns in Judah(A)

13 In (B)the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over (C)Judah. He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was [a]Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah set the battle in order with an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand choice men. Jeroboam also drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand choice men, mighty men of valor.

Then Abijah stood on Mount (D)Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: Should you not know that the Lord God of Israel (E)gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, (F)by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and (G)rebelled against his lord. Then (H)worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was (I)young and inexperienced and could not withstand them. And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves which Jeroboam (J)made for you as gods. (K)Have you not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests, like the peoples of other lands, (L)so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of (M)things that are not gods? 10 But as for us, the Lord is our (N)God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties. 11 (O)And they burn to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense; they also set the (P)showbread in order on the pure gold table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps (Q)to burn every evening; for we keep the command of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him. 12 Now look, God Himself is with us as our (R)head, (S)and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!”

13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked around, to their surprise the battle line was at both front and rear; and they (T)cried out to the Lord, and the priests sounded the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened that God (U)struck 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 Then Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain. 18 Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, (V)because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers.

19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and (W)Ephrain[b] with its villages. 20 So Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and the Lord (X)struck him, and (Y)he died.

21 But Abijah grew mighty, married fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings are written in (Z)the [c]annals of the prophet Iddo.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 13:2 Maachah, 1 Kin. 15:2; 2 Chr. 11:20, 21
  2. 2 Chronicles 13:19 Or Ephron
  3. 2 Chronicles 13:22 Or commentary, Heb. midrash

Abijah King of Judah(A)

13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah, 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) 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.

Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim,(E) in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel,(F) listen to me! 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) Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled(I) against his master. 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.

“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. 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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 13:2 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 11:20 and 1 Kings 15:2); Hebrew Micaiah
  2. 2 Chronicles 13:2 Or granddaughter

Reinado de Abías(A)

13 En el año dieciocho del reinado de Jeroboán, Abías comenzó a reinar sobre Judá, y reinó en Jerusalén tres años. Su madre se llamaba Micaías, y era hija de Uriel de Gabaa. Y hubo guerra entre Abías y Jeroboán, así que Abías entró en combate con un ejército de cuatrocientos mil soldados valerosos y escogidos; Jeroboán, por su parte, se enfrentó a él con ochocientos mil soldados escogidos, fuertes y aguerridos. Abías subió al monte de Semarayin, que está en los montes de Efraín, y dijo:

«Escúchenme ustedes, Jeroboán y todos los israelitas: ¿Acaso no saben ustedes que, bajo un pacto de sal, el Señor y Dios de Israel le dio a David, a él y a sus hijos, el reinar para siempre sobre Israel? Pero Jeroboán hijo de Nabat se rebeló contra su señor, contra Salomón hijo de David, a pesar de que era su siervo. A él se unieron hombres vanos y perversos, y pudieron más que Roboán hijo de Salomón, porque Roboán era joven y apocado, y no les hizo frente.

»Pero ahora ustedes tratan de oponerse al reinado del Señor, que está en manos de los hijos de David, sólo porque son muchos y tienen esos becerros de oro que Jeroboán les la puesto como dioses. ¿Acaso no expulsaron ustedes a los hijos de Aarón, que son los sacerdotes del Señor, y a los levitas, e imitaron a los pueblos de otras tierras al nombrarse sacerdotes? ¡Ahora cualquiera puede venir a consagrarse con un becerro y siete carneros, y así convertirse en sacerdote de ídolos que no son dioses! 10 Para nosotros, nuestro Dios es el Señor, y jamás lo hemos dejado; y los sacerdotes que ministran delante del Señor son los hijos de Aarón, y los que están en la obra son levitas. 11 Son ellos los que queman los holocaustos cada mañana y cada tarde para honrar al Señor; son ellos los que queman el incienso aromático, y los que ponen los panes sobre la mesa limpia, y el candelero de oro con sus lámparas para que ardan cada tarde. Nosotros somos obedientes a la ordenanza del Señor nuestro Dios, pero ustedes lo han abandonado. 12 Tomen en cuenta que Dios es nuestro jefe, y que sus sacerdotes tocarán jubilosos contra ustedes sus trompetas. ¡Israelitas, no peleen contra el Señor, el Dios de sus padres, porque no saldrán victoriosos!»

13 Pero Jeroboán les tendió una emboscada para atacarlos por la espalda; así que los atacó de frente, pero la emboscada estaba a espaldas de Judá. 14 Y cuando los de Judá se dieron cuenta de que eran atacados por el frente y por la retaguardia, clamaron al Señor y los sacerdotes tocaron las trompetas; 15 entonces los de Judá gritaron con todas sus fuerzas y, en el momento en que gritaron, Dios desbarató a Jeroboán y a todos los israelitas, en favor de Abías y de Judá. 16 Entonces los israelitas huyeron delante de Judá, pero Dios los entregó en sus manos, 17 y Abías y su ejército hicieron una gran matanza entre ellos, y cayeron en batalla quinientos mil israelitas escogidos.

18 Fue así como en aquella ocasión los israelitas fueron derrotados, y los hijos de Judá vencieron, pues se apoyaron en el Señor, el Dios de sus padres. 19 Abías persiguió a Jeroboán, y se apoderó de las ciudades de Betel, Jesana y Efraín, todas ellas con sus aldeas. 20 Mientras Abías reinó, Jeroboán no volvió a tener ningún poder; al contrario, el Señor lo hirió y le quitó la vida. 21 En cambio, Abías se hizo más poderoso, y llegó a tener catorce mujeres, veintidós hijos y dieciséis hijas.

22 Los demás hechos de Abías, y lo que hizo y dijo, están escritos en los relatos del profeta Iddo.