Abijah Reigns over Judah

13 ^(A)In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. ² He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

^(B)Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. ³ And Abijah began the battle with a military force of mighty men, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam arranged them all for battle against him with 800,000 chosen men who were mighty men of valor.

God Smites Israel Before Judah

⁴ Then Abijah rose up 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)Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the rule over Israel forever to David ^[a]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 ^[b]master, ⁷ and worthless men gathered about him, vile men, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon; ^[c](G)he was young and timid and could not exert his strength before them.

⁸ “So now you ^[d]intend to exert your strength before the kingdom of Yahweh by the hand of the sons of David, ^[e]being a great multitude and having with you ^(H)the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. ^9 (I)Have you not driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes ^(J)to ordain himself with a bull from the herd and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are ^(K)no gods. ¹⁰ But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to Yahweh as priests, and the Levites are in their work. ¹¹ And every morning and evening ^(L)they ^[f]burn to Yahweh 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 keep the responsibility given by Yahweh our God, but you have forsaken Him. ¹² And behold, God is with us at our head and ^(N)His priests with the signal trumpets to raise the shout of war against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

¹³ But Jeroboam ^(O)had encircled an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. ¹⁴ So Judah turned around, and behold, ^[g]they were attacked both front and rear; so ^(P)they cried to Yahweh, and the priests blew the trumpets. ¹⁵ Then the men of Judah raised a shout of war, and when the men of Judah raised the shout of war, then it was that God ^(Q)smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. ¹⁶ So the sons of Israel fled before Judah, and ^(R)God gave them into their hand. ¹⁷ And Abijah and his people struck them down with a great slaughter, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain. ¹⁸ Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah were strong ^(S)because they leaned upon Yahweh, the God of their fathers. ¹⁹ And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its towns, Jeshanah with its towns, and ^[h]Ephron with its towns.