2 Chronicles 13

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

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, began Abijah to reign over Judah:

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, reigned he in Jerusalem, and, the name of his mother, was Maacah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah, —and there was, war, between Abijah 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 Abijah began the war with a force of heroes of war, four hundred thousand chosen men, —and, Jeroboam, set in array against him to battle, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, heroes of valour.

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 Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of 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?

Is it not yours to know, that, Yahweh God of Israel gave the kingdom to David, over Israel, unto times age-abiding, —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.

Yet hath Jeroboam son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, risen 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 are gathered unto him vain men, sons of the Abandoned One, who emboldened themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon, -when, Rehoboam, was young and tender of heart, and had not strengthened himself to meet 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.

Now, therefore, ye, are thinking to strengthen yourselves against the kingdom of Yahweh, in the hand of the sons of David, —and, ye, are a great multitude, and, with you, are calves of gold, 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?

Have ye not driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, —and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of the countries? Whosoever cometh to install himself with a young bullock, and seven rams, then becometh he a priest unto the, 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, as for us, Yahweh, is our God, and we have not forsaken him, —and, the priests who are waiting upon Yahweh, are sons of Aaron, with Levites in the work;

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 are making a perfume unto Yahweh, with ascending-sacrifices morning by morning, and evening by evening and an incense of sweet spices, and are putting in order bread upon the pure table, and the lampstand of gold with the lamps thereof, for lighting up evening by evening, for, observant, are we of the charge of Yahweh our God, —whereas, ye, have forsaken him.

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.

And lo! with us as Head, is God himself, and his priests, and the trumpets of alarm, to sound an alarm against you, —O sons of Israel! do not fight against Yahweh God of your fathers, for ye shall not prosper.

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

But, Jeroboam, sent round an ambush, to come up from behind them, —so they were before Judah and, the ambush, did come up from behind them.

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 Judah turned and lo! as for them, the battle was before and behind, then made they outcry unto Yahweh, —and, the priests, kept on blowing 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.

Then the men of Judah gave a shout, —and it came to pass, when the men of Judah shouted, then, God himself, smote Jeroboam and all Israel, before Abijah and Judah.

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

And the sons of Israel fled from before Judah, —and God 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 Abijah and his people smote among them with a great smiting, —and there fell down slain, of Israel, five hundred thousand chosen 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.

Thus were the sons of Israel subdued at that time, —and the sons of Judah prevailed, because they leaned upon Yahweh 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 Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and captured from him, cities, even Bethel, with the villages thereof, and Jeshanah, with the villages thereof, —and Ephron, with the villages thereof;

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

neither was Jeroboam strong any more, in the days of Abijah, —and Yahweh smote him that he died.

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

And Abijah strengthened himself, and took him, fourteen wives, —and begat twenty-two 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 story of Abijah, both his ways and his words, —are written, in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.