2 Chronicles 13

1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah reigns over Judah;

Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

2 he has reigned three years in Jerusalem (and the name of his mother [is] Michaiah daughter of Uriel, from Gibeah), and there has been war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 And Abijah directs the war with a force of mighty men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men, and Jeroboam has set in array [for] battle with him, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty men of valor.

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 rises up on the hill of Zemaraim that [is] in the hill-country of Ephraim, and says, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel!

And Abijah stood upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;

5 Is it not for you to know that YHWH, God of Israel, has given the kingdom over Israel to David for all time, to him and to his sons—a covenant of salt?

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 And Jeroboam, son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, rises up and rebels against his lord!

Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, hath risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.

7 And vain men are gathered to him, sons of worthlessness, and they strengthen themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon, and Rehoboam was a youth, and tender of heart, and has not strengthened himself against them.

And there are gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, and they have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

8 And now you are saying to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of YHWH in the hand of the sons of David, and you [are] a numerous multitude, and calves of gold [are] with you that Jeroboam has made for you for gods.

And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

9 Have you not cast out the priests of YHWH, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests for yourselves like the peoples of the lands? Everyone who has come to fill his hand with a bullock, a son of the herd, and seven rams, even he has been a priest for [those which are] not gods!

Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have appointed priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

10 As for us, YHWH [is] our God, and we have not forsaken Him, and priests are ministering to YHWH, sons of Aaron and the Levites, in the work,

But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, who minister to the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:

11 and are making incense to YHWH, burnt-offerings morning by morning, and evening by evening, and incense of spices, and the arrangement of bread [is] on the pure table, and the lampstand of gold, and its lamps, to burn evening by evening, for we are keeping the charge of our God YHWH, and you have forsaken Him.

And they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread also they set in order upon the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.

12 And behold, with us—at [our] head—[is] God, and His priests and trumpets of shouting to shout against you; O sons of Israel, do not fight with YHWH, God of your fathers, for you do not prosper.”

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 And Jeroboam has brought around the ambush to come in from behind them, and they are before Judah, and the ambush [is] behind them.

But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

14 And Judah turns, and behold, the battle [is] against them, before and behind, and they cry to YHWH, and the priests are blowing with trumpets,

And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried to the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

15 and the men of Judah shout; and it comes to pass, at the shouting of the men of Judah, that God has struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

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 sons of Israel flee from the face of Judah, and God gives them into their hand,

And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.

17 and Abijah and his people strike among them a great striking, and five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fall wounded.

And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

18 And the sons of Israel are humbled at that time, and the sons of Judah are strong, for they have leaned on YHWH, God of their fathers.

Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.

19 And Abijah pursues after Jeroboam and captures cities from him: Beth-El and its small towns, and Jeshanah and its small towns, and Ephraim and its small towns.

And Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephrain with its towns.

20 And Jeroboam has not retained power anymore in the days of Abijah, and YHWH strikes him, and he dies.

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

21 And Abijah strengthens himself, and takes fourteen wives for himself, and begets twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters;

But Abijah became mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

22 and the rest of the matters of Abijah, and his ways, and his words, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.