2 Chronicles 13

1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.

2He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3Abijah went into battle with an army of mighty warriors, four hundred thousand chosen men, and Jeroboam drew up his battle line against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty warriors.

4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!

5Do you not know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingship over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?

6Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.

7Worthless men, scoundrels, gathered around him and prevailed over Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and timid and could not stand firm against them.

8And now you think you can stand against the kingdom of Yahweh, which is in the hands of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9Have you not driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams becomes a priest of what are not gods.

10But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not abandoned him. We have priests ministering to Yahweh who are sons of Aaron, and Levites at their work.

11Every morning and every evening they offer burnt offerings and fragrant incense to Yahweh. They set out the rows of bread on the pure table and light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. For we keep the charge of Yahweh our God, but you have abandoned him.

12Look, God is with us at our head, and so are his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the alarm against you. Israelites, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”

13Meanwhile Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come at them from behind, so that his troops were in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them.

14When Judah turned, they saw that the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to Yahweh, and the priests blew the trumpets.

15Then the men of Judah raised the battle cry. As the men of Judah shouted, God struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16The Israelites fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hands.

17Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell slain.

18So the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

19Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured towns from him: Bethel and its villages, Jeshanah and its villages, and Ephron and its villages.

20Jeroboam did not regain his strength during the days of Abijah. Yahweh struck him, and he died.

21But Abijah grew strong. He married fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways and his words, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.