2 Chronicles 13
New King James Version
Abijah Reigns in Judah(A)
13 In (B)the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over (C)Judah. 2 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. 3 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.
4 Then Abijah stood on Mount (D)Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5 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? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and (G)rebelled against his lord. 7 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. 8 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. 9 (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
- 2 Chronicles 13:2 Maachah, 1 Kin. 15:2; 2 Chr. 11:20, 21
- 2 Chronicles 13:19 Or Ephron
- 2 Chronicles 13:22 Or commentary, Heb. midrash
2 Chronicles 13
1599 Geneva Bible
13 1 Abijah maketh war against Jeroboam. 4 He showeth the occasion. 12 He trusteth in the Lord and overcometh Jeroboam. 21 Of his wives and children.
1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, began Abijah to reign over [a]Judah.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem: (his mother’s name also was [b]Michaiah the daughter of [c]Uriel of Gibeah) and there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 And Abijah set the battle in array with the 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 which were strong and valiant.
4 And Abijah stood up upon mount [d]Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, O Jeroboam, and all Israel, hear you me,
5 Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel hath given the kingdom over Israel to [e]David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant [f]of salt?
6 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon the son of David is risen up, and hath (A)rebelled against his lord:
7 And there are gathered to him [g]vain men and [h]wicked, and made themselves strong against Rehoboam the son of Solomon: for Rehoboam was [i]but a child and [j](B)tender hearted, and could not resist them.
8 Now therefore ye think that ye be able to resist against the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of the sons of David, and ye be a great multitude, and the golden calves are with you which Jeroboam made you for gods.
9 (C)Have ye not driven away the Priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and have made you Priests like the people of other countries? whosoever cometh to [k]consecrate with a [l]young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a Priest of them that are no gods.
10 But we belong unto the Lord our God, and have not forsaken him, and the Priests the sons of Aaron minister unto the Lord, and the Levites in their office.
11 And they burn unto the Lord every [m]morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense, and the bread is set in order upon the pure table, and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the watch of the Lord our God: but ye have forsaken him.
12 And behold, this God is [n]with us as a captain, and his Priests with the sounding trumpets to cry an alarm against you. O ye children of Israel, fight not against the Lord God of your fathers: for ye shall not prosper.
13 ¶ But Jeroboam caused an ambushment [o]to compass, and come behind them, when they were before Judah, and the ambushment behind them.
14 Then Judah looked, and behold, the battle was before and behind them, and they cried unto the Lord, and the Priests blew with the trumpets,
15 And the men of Judah gave a shout: and even as the men of Judah shouted, God [p]smote Jeroboam and also 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 a great slaughter of them, so that there fell down wounded of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 So the children of Israel were brought under at that time: and the children of Judah prevailed, [q]because they stayed upon the Lord God of their fathers.
19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, even Bethel and the [r]villages thereof, and Jeshanah with her villages, and Ephron with her villages.
20 And Jeroboam recovered no strength again in the days of Abijah, but the Lord plagued him, and he died.
21 So Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his manners and his sayings, are written in the story of the Prophet Iddo.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 13:1 He meaneth Judah and Benjamin.
- 2 Chronicles 13:2 Or, Maachah, 1 Kings 15:2.
- 2 Chronicles 13:2 Called also Abishalom, for Abishalom was her grandfather, 1 Kings 15:2.
- 2 Chronicles 13:4 Which was one of the tops of mount Ephraim.
- 2 Chronicles 13:5 And therefore whosoever doth usurp it or take it from that stock, transgresseth the ordinance of the Lord. Thus like an hypocrite he allegeth the word of God for his advantage.
- 2 Chronicles 13:5 That is, perpetual because that thing which is salted, is preserved from corruption: he meaneth also that it was made solemnly, and confirmed by offering of sacrifices, where as they used salt according as was ordained, Num. 18:19.
- 2 Chronicles 13:7 This word in the Chaldean tongue is Raca, which our Savior useth, Matt. 5:22.
- 2 Chronicles 13:7 Hebrew, children of Belial.
- 2 Chronicles 13:7 Meaning, in heart and courage.
- 2 Chronicles 13:7 Or, faint hearted.
- 2 Chronicles 13:9 Hebrew, fill his hand.
- 2 Chronicles 13:9 He showeth the nature of idolaters which take no trial of the vocation, life and doctrine of their ministers, but think the most vilest and greatest beasts sufficient to serve their turn.
- 2 Chronicles 13:11 As it was appointed in the Law, Exod. 29:39.
- 2 Chronicles 13:12 Because their cause was good and approved by the Lord, they doubted not of the success and victory.
- 2 Chronicles 13:13 Contemning the good counsel which came of the Spirit of God, he thought to have overcome by deceit.
- 2 Chronicles 13:15 Or, gave him the overthrow.
- 2 Chronicles 13:18 He showeth that the stay of all kingdoms, and assurance of victories depend upon our trust and confidence in the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 13:19 Hebrew, daughters.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
