2 Chronicles 13 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Abijah Reigns in Judah

1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. (1Ki 15:1; 2Ch 12:16) 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah^[1] the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. (1Ki 15:7; 2Ch 11:20) 3 Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors. (Jud 20:22; 1Sa 17:2; 2Ch 14:10) 4 Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! (Jos 18:22; Jos 24:33) 5 Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? (Nu 18:19; 2Sa 7:12; 2Sa 7:16) 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord, (1Ki 11:26; 1Ki 12:19) 7 and certain worthless scoundrels^[2] gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute^[3] and could not withstand them. (Jud 9:4; 1Ki 14:21; 2Ch 12:13) 8 “And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods. (1Ki 12:28) 9 Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination^[4] with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are not gods. (2Ch 11:14; 2Ch 29:31; Jer 5:7) 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service. 11 They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense of sweet spices, set out the showbread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand that its lamps may burn every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him. (Ex 25:31; Ex 27:20; Le 24:2; Le 24:5; Nu 1:53; 2Ch 2:4)

Ex 25:31Ex 27:20Le 24:2Le 24:5Nu 1:532Ch 2:4

12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.” (Nu 10:9; Ac 5:39) 13 Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops^[5] were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. (Jos 8:9) 14 And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. (2Ch 13:12; 2Ch 14:11) 15 Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. (2Ch 14:12) 16 The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. (2Ch 16:8) 17 Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. 18 Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers. (2Ch 14:11; 2Ch 16:7) 19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him, Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron^[6] with its villages. (Jos 15:9; 2Ch 15:8; 2Ch 17:2) 20 Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down, and he died. (1Sa 25:38; 1Ki 14:20) 21 But Abijah grew mighty. And he took fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo. (2Ch 9:29; 2Ch 12:15; 2Ch 24:27)

2Ch 9:292Ch 12:152Ch 24:27

New International Version

from Biblica

Abijah king of Judah

1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was Maakah,^[1] a daughter^[2] of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. (1Ki 15:2) 3 Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops. 4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, ‘Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5 Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants for ever by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled against his master. 7 Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them. 8 ‘And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9 But didn’t you drive out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. 10 ‘As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. 11 Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him. 12 God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.’ 13 Now Jeroboam had sent troops round to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them. 14 Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the Lord. The priests blew their trumpets 15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands. 17 Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men. 18 The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages. 20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down and he died. 21 But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.

King James Version

1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother' name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an 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, being mighty men of valour. 4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. 7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. 8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. 10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: 11 And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him. 12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. 13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote 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 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. 20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died. 21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. 22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

New International Reader’s Version

from Biblica

Abijah king of Judah

1 Abijah became king of Judah. It was in the 18th year of Jeroboam’s rule over Israel. 2 Abijah ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was Maakah. She was a daughter of Uriel. Uriel was from Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 capable fighting men. Jeroboam lined up his soldiers against them. He had 800,000 able troops. 4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim. It’s in the hill country of Ephraim. Abijah said, ‘Jeroboam and all you Israelites, listen to me! 5 The LORD is the God of Israel. Don’t you know that he has placed David and his sons after him on Israel’s throne for ever? The LORD made a covenant of salt with David. The salt means the covenant will last for all time to come. 6 Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, was an official of David’s son Solomon. But he refused to obey his master. 7 Some worthless and evil men gathered around him. They opposed Solomon’s son Rehoboam. At that time Rehoboam was young. He couldn’t make up his mind. He wasn’t strong enough to stand up against those men. 8 ‘Now you plan to stand up against the kingdom of the LORD. His kingdom is in the hands of men in David’s family line. It’s true that you have a huge army. You have the statues of the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9 But you drove out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron. You also drove out the Levites. You appointed your own priests. That’s what the people of other nations do. Anyone can come and set himself apart. All he has to do is sacrifice a young bull and seven rams. Then he becomes a priest of gods that aren’t really gods at all! 10 ‘But the LORD is our God. We haven’t deserted him. The priests who serve the LORD belong to the family line of Aaron. The Levites help them. 11 Every morning and evening the priests bring burnt offerings and sweet-smelling incense to the LORD. They set out the holy bread on the table. That table is “clean”. They light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We always do what the LORD our God requires in his law. But you have deserted him. 12 God is with us. He’s our leader. His priests will blow their trumpets. They will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, don’t fight against the LORD. He’s the God of your people who lived long ago. You can’t possibly succeed.’ 13 Jeroboam had sent some troops behind Judah’s battle lines. He told them to hide and wait there. He and his men stayed in front of Judah’s lines. 14 Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked from the front and from the back. Then they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets. 15 The men of Judah shouted the battle cry. When they did, God drove Jeroboam and all the Israelites away from Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites ran away from them. God handed Israel over to Judah. 17 Abijah and his troops wounded and killed large numbers of them. In fact, 500,000 of Israel’s capable men lay dead or wounded. 18 So at that time the Israelites were brought under Judah’s control. The people of Judah won the battle over them. That’s because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their people. 19 Abijah chased Jeroboam. He captured from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron. He also captured the villages around them. 20 Jeroboam didn’t get his power back during the time of Abijah. In fact, the LORD struck Jeroboam down, and he died. 21 But Abijah grew stronger. He married 14 wives. He had 22 sons and 16 daughters. 22 The other events of Abijah’s rule are written down. The things he did and said are written in the notes of Iddo the prophet.