Old Testament · 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 13

Abijah Reigns in Judah

(1 Kings 15:1–8)

1In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abijah reigned over Judah. 2Three years he reigned in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and between Jeroboam. 3And Abijah engaged the battle with an army of mighty men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men^a; and Jeroboam arrayed against him battle with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty of valor.

Civil War against Jeroboam

4And Abijah stood up on mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said: "Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel! 5Is it not for you to know that the LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons, by a covenant^b of salt? 6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. 7And there gathered to him empty men, sons of worthlessness, and they strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was a youth and tender of heart, and did not strengthen himself before them.

8And now you say to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are calves of gold which Jeroboam made for you for gods. 9Have 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 the lands? Everyone who comes to fill his hand with a bullock, a son of the herd, and seven rams, becomes a priest to no-gods.

10But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and priests ministering to the LORD are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in the work; 11and they burn to the LORD burnt offerings in the morning, in the morning, and in the evening, in the evening, and incense of spices, and the arrangement of bread upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold and its lamps to burn in the evening, in the evening; for we keep the charge^c of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken Him.

12And behold, with us at the head is God, and His priests, and the trumpets of the alarm to sound an alarm against you. Sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper."

13But Jeroboam brought around the ambush to come from behind them; and they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14And Judah turned, and behold, the battle was to them in front and behind; and they cried out to the LORD, and the priests were sounding with the trumpets. 15And the men of Judah shouted; and it came to pass, when the men of Judah shouted, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16And the sons of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. 17And Abijah and his people struck among them a great striking; and there fell slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18And the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah prevailed, because they leaned upon the LORD, the God of their fathers.

19And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and captured from him cities: Bethel and its daughters, and Jeshanah and its daughters, and Ephrain and its daughters.

20And Jeroboam did not retain strength again in the days of Abijah; and the LORD smote him, and he died.

21And Abijah strengthened himself, and took for himself fourteen wives^d, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22And the rest of the words of Abijah, and his ways, and his words, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

Asa Reigns in Judah

(1 Kings 15:9–15)

23And Abijah lay with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.