2 Chronicles 13
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
13 In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.
2 Three years he reigned in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Michaia, the daughter of Uriel of Gabaa: and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam.
3 And when Abia had begun battle, and had with him four hundred thousand most valiant and chosen men, Jeroboam put his army in array against him, eight hundred thousand men, who were also chosen and most valiant for war.
4 And Abia stood upon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Israel:
5 Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
6 And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up: and rebelled against his lord.
7 And there were gathered to him vain men, and children of Belial: and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them.
8 And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.
9 And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: and you have made you priests, like all the nations of the earth: whosoever cometh and consecrateth his hand with a bullock of the herd, and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are no gods.
10 But the Lord is our God, whom we forsake not, and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are in their order.
11 And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the leaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.
12 Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.
13 While he spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda. who perceived it not, with his army.
14 And when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.
15 And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.
16 And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.
18 And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.
19 And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.
20 And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.
21 But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.
2 Chronicles 13
English Standard Version
Abijah Reigns in Judah
13 (A)In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, (B)Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was (C)Micaiah[a] the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
(D)Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam (E)drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors. 4 Then Abijah stood up on Mount (F)Zemaraim that is in (G)the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! 5 Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel (H)gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by (I)a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up (J)and rebelled against his lord, 7 and certain (K)worthless scoundrels[b] gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was (L)young and irresolute[c] and could not withstand them.
8 “And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you (M)the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 (N)Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes (O)for ordination[d] with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are (P)not gods. 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service. 11 They offer to the Lord (Q)every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense of sweet spices, set out (R)the showbread on the table of pure gold, (S)and care for the golden lampstand that its lamps may (T)burn every evening. For we (U)keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him. 12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests (V)with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, (W)do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”
13 Jeroboam had sent (X)an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops[e] were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. (Y)And they cried to the Lord, and the priests (Z)blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, (AA)God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The men of Israel fled before Judah, (AB)and God gave them into their hand. 17 Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. 18 Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, (AC)because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam (AD)and took cities from him, Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and (AE)Ephron[f] with its villages. 20 Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. (AF)And the Lord struck him down, (AG)and he died. 21 But Abijah grew mighty. And he took fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways and his sayings, are written in the (AH)story of the prophet (AI)Iddo.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 13:2 Spelled Maacah in 1 Kings 15:2
- 2 Chronicles 13:7 Hebrew worthless men, sons of Belial
- 2 Chronicles 13:7 Hebrew soft of heart
- 2 Chronicles 13:9 Hebrew to fill his hand
- 2 Chronicles 13:13 Hebrew they
- 2 Chronicles 13:19 Or Ephrain
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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
