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Abijah and Civil War

13 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah reigned over Judah. He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. And the name of his mother was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.

Now there was war between Abijah and between Jeroboam. And Abijah joined in the battle with an army of four hundred thousand battle-hardened warriors,[a] chosen men, and Jeroboam put the battle in order against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, an army of mighty warriors.

Then Abijah stood up on top of Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! Do you not all know that Yahweh the God of Israel gave the kingdom to David over Israel forever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? But Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master, and worthless men, sons of wickedness,[b] were gathered about him and became hostile against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was a boy and gentle of heart and was not strong enough to stand before them. So now you yourselves are considering that you are strong before the kingdom of Yahweh which is in the hand the sons of David, since you yourselves are a great multitude and you have bull calves of gold that Jeroboam has made for idols. Did you not drive out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, the Levites? Have you not made for yourselves priests like all the peoples of the lands? All who come to be consecrated for priestly service[c] with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what is not a god. 10 But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests serving Yahweh are the sons of Aaron, the Levites, according to their service. 11 They offer burnt offerings to Yahweh every morning[d] and every evening,[e] sweet spices of incense, and the rows of bread upon the pure table. And the golden lampstand with its lamps they keep kindled every evening,[f] for we are keeping the requirement of Yahweh our God, but you yourselves have forsaken him. 12 And look, God is with us at the head, and his priests have the trumpets for sounding blasts against you, O sons of Israel. Do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your ancestors,[g] for you will not succeed.”

13 Then Jeroboam sent around an ambush to come behind them. So they were in front of Judah, but the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah turned, then behold, the battle against them was in front and behind, and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests blew on the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah shouted, and it happened that when the men of Judah were shouting, then God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the Israelites[h] fled from before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. 17 And Abijah and his people struck a great blow against them, and the dead from Israel that fell were five hundred thousand chosen men. 18 And the Israelites[i] were subdued at that time, and the people[j] of Judah were victorious, for they relied upon Yahweh the God of their ancestors.[k]

19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 13:3 Literally “mighty warriors of battle”
  2. 2 Chronicles 13:7 Literally “sons of Belial”
  3. 2 Chronicles 13:9 Literally “to fill his hand” (a Hebrew idiom for ordination)
  4. 2 Chronicles 13:11 Literally “in the morning, in the morning”
  5. 2 Chronicles 13:11 Literally “in the evening, in the evening”
  6. 2 Chronicles 13:11 Literally “in the evening, in the evening”
  7. 2 Chronicles 13:12 Or “fathers”
  8. 2 Chronicles 13:16 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  9. 2 Chronicles 13:18 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  10. 2 Chronicles 13:18 Or “sons”
  11. 2 Chronicles 13:18 Or “fathers”

Abijah Succeeds Rehoboam

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

(B)Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah began the battle with an army of warriors, four hundred thousand chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men who were valiant warriors.

Civil War

Then Abijah stood on Mount (C)Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: Do you not know that (D)the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David [b]and his sons by (E)a covenant of salt? Yet (F)Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his [c]master, and worthless men gathered to him, wicked men, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when [d](G)he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them.

“So now you intend to assert yourselves against the kingdom of the Lord [e]through the sons of David, [f]being a great multitude and having with you (H)the golden calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods. (I)Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes (J)to consecrate himself with a bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of things that are (K)not gods. 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not abandoned Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the Lord as priests, and the Levites [g]attend to their work. 11 Every morning and evening (L)they [h]burn to the Lord 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 perform our duty to the Lord our God, but you have abandoned Him. 12 Now behold, God is with us at our head, and (N)His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the war cry against you. Sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

13 But Jeroboam (O)had set an ambush to come from behind, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah turned around, behold, [i]they were attacked both from front and rear; so (P)they cried out to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, God [j](Q)defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 When the sons of Israel fled from Judah, (R)God handed them over to them. 17 Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell slain. 18 The sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah [k]conquered (S)because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and [l]Ephron with its villages.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 13:2 In 1 Kin 15:2, Maacah the daughter of Abishalom
  2. 2 Chronicles 13:5 Lit to him and to his sons
  3. 2 Chronicles 13:6 Or lord
  4. 2 Chronicles 13:7 Lit Rehoboam
  5. 2 Chronicles 13:8 Lit by the hand of
  6. 2 Chronicles 13:8 Lit and you are a
  7. 2 Chronicles 13:10 Lit in the work
  8. 2 Chronicles 13:11 Lit offer up in smoke
  9. 2 Chronicles 13:14 Lit the battle was in front and behind them
  10. 2 Chronicles 13:15 Lit struck
  11. 2 Chronicles 13:18 Lit were strong
  12. 2 Chronicles 13:19 Another reading is Ephrain