2 Chronicles 13

1 In the eighteenth year of king Jerobo'am became Abiyah king over Judah.

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.

2 Three years he reigned in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Michayahu the daughter of Uriel of Gib'ah. And there was war between Abiyah and Jerobo'am.

Three years he reigned in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Michaia, the daughter of Uriel of Gabaa: and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam.

3 And Abiyah joined the battle with an army of valiant men of war, even of four hundred thousand chosen men: Jerobo'am also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valor.

And when Abia had begun battle, and had with him four hundred thousand most valiant and chosen men, Jeroboam put his army in array against him, eight hundred thousand men, who were also chosen and most valiant for war.

4 And Abiyah stood up above mount Zemarayim, which is in the mountain of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, O Jerobo'am, and all Israel;

And Abia stood upon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Israel:

5 Ought ye not to know that the Lord the God of Israel hath given the kingdom over Israel to David for eternity, yea, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salts?

Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

6 But there rose up Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, and rebelled against his lord.

And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up: and rebelled against his lord.

7 And there were gathered unto him idle men, worthless persons, and put themselves in violent resistance against Rehobo'am the son of Solomon: while Rehobo'am was young and tender hearted, and could not sustain himself before them.

And there were gathered to him vain men, and children of Belial: and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them.

8 And now ye think to sustain yourselves before the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude; and with you are golden calves, which Jerobo'am hath made for you as gods.

And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath 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 yourselves priests like the people of the [various] lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams can become a priest to things that are no gods?

And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: and you have made you priests, like all the nations of the earth: whosoever cometh and consecrateth his hand with a bullock of the herd, and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are no gods.

10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, who minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron; and the Levites are at their [appointed] work;

But the Lord is our God, whom we forsake not, and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are in their order.

11 And they burn unto the Lord burnt-offerings every morning and every evening and incense of sweet spices; and the rows of the show-bread [do they place] upon the pure table; and there is the candlestick of gold with its lamps, to light the same every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, while ye have truly forsaken him.

And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the leaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

12 And, behold, with us at our head, is the [true] God, with his priests with trumpets for blowing the alarm, to sound an alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the Lord the God of your fathers; for ye will not prosper.

Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.

13 But Jerobo'am caused an ambush to come around behind them: so they themselves were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

While he spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda. who perceived it not, with his army.

14 And when Judah turned round, behold, they had the battle before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests blew with the trumpets.

And when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.

15 And then gave the men of Judah a shout: and it came to pass, as the men of Judah shouted, that God struck down Jerobo'am and all Israel before Abiyah and Judah.

And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.

16 And the children of Israel fled from before Judah, and God gave them up into their hand.

And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

17 And Abiyah and his people smote them with a great defeat, and there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.

18 Thus were the children of Israel humbled at that time: and the children of Judah became powerful, because they relied upon the Lord the God of their fathers.

And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.

19 And Abiyah made pursuit after Jerobo'am, and captured cities from him, Bethel with its villages, and Jeshanah with its villages, and 'Ephrayin with its villages.

And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.

20 And Jerobo'am did not recover strength again in the days of Abiyahu: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

21 But Abiyahu became strong, and he took himself fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

22 And the rest of the acts of Abiyah, and his ways, and his speeches, are written in the writing of the prophet 'Iddo.

And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.