2 Chronicles 13
Abijah’s Reign
13:1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.
13:2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem.1 His mother was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.2
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
13:3 Abijah launched the attack with 400,000 well-trained warriors,3 while Jeroboam deployed against him 800,000 well-trained warriors.4
13:4 Abijah ascended Mount Zemaraim, in the Ephraimite hill country, and said: “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!
13:5 Don’t you realize that the Lord> God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement?5
13:6 Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.
13:7 Lawless good-for-nothing men6 gathered around him and conspired7 against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man8 and could not resist them.
13:8 Now you are declaring that you will resist the Lord>’s rule through the Davidic dynasty.9 You have a huge army,10 and bring with you the gold calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.
13:9 But you banished11 the Lord>’s priests, Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites, and appointed your own priests just as the surrounding nations do! Anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of these fake gods!12
13:10 But as for us, the Lord> is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron’s descendants serve as the Lord>’s priests and the Levites assist them with the work.13
13:11 They offer burnt sacrifices to the Lord> every morning and every evening, along with fragrant incense. They arrange the Bread of the Presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly14 we are observing the Lord> our God’s regulations, but you have rejected him.
13:12 Now look, God is with us as our leader. His priests are ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you.15 You Israelites, don’t fight against the Lord> God of your ancestors,16 for you will not win!”
13:13 Now Jeroboam had sent some men to ambush the Judahite army from behind.17 The main army was in front of the Judahite army;18 the ambushers were behind it.
13:14 The men of Judah turned around and realized they were being attacked from the front and the rear.19 So they cried out for help to the Lord>. The priests blew their trumpets,
13:15 and the men of Judah gave20 the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, the Lord> struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
13:16 The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army,21 and God handed them over to the men of Judah.22
13:17 Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them;23 500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead.24
13:18 That day25 the Israelites were defeated; the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord> God of their ancestors.
13:19 Abijah chased Jeroboam; he seized from him these cities: Bethel26 and its surrounding towns, Jeshanah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron and its surrounding towns.
13:20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the reign of Abijah.27 The Lord> struck him down and he died.
13:21 Abijah’s power grew; he had28 fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
13:22 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including his deeds and sayings,29 are recorded in the writings of the prophet Iddo.
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