2 Chronicles 13

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

Abijah became king of Judah in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam.

2 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.

He reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother's name was Micaiah, daughter of Uriel—she was from Gibeah. Abijah and Jeroboam were at war.

3 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.

Abijah went out to fight with an army of 400,000 brave warriors, while Jeroboam opposed him with his army of 800,000 chosen warriors of great strength.

4 And Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, —and said, Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!

Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all of Israel!

5 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?

Don't you understand that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a binding agreement?

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

Yet Jeroboam, son of Nebat, just a servant of Solomon, son of David, had the audacity to rebel against his master.

7 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.

Then some good-for-nothing evil men gathered round him and defied Rehoboam, son of Solomon, when he was young and inexperienced, and couldn't confront them.

8 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.

Now do you really think you can oppose the kingdom of the Lord, held by David's descendants? You may be a large horde, and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9 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.

But didn't you drive out the priests of the Lord, Aaron's descendants, and the Levites, and make priests for yourselves just like people in other nations do? Now anyone who wants to can come and dedicate himself, sacrificing a young bull and seven rams, and he can become a priest of things that really are not gods.

10 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;

But for us, the Lord is our God! We have not abandoned him. We have priests serving the Lord who are descendants of Aaron, and we have Levites who help them in their ministry.

11 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.

Morning and evening they present burnt offerings and burn fragrant incense to the Lord. They place the rows of showbread on the purified table, and light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are doing what the Lord our God told us to do, while you have abandoned him.

12 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.

God is leading us! His priests blow their trumpets to go into battle against you. People of Israel, don't fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you won't win!”

13 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.

But Jeroboam had sent troops around to attack from the rear, so that while he and the main force was in front of Judah, the ambush was behind them.

14 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.

Judah turned around and realized that they were having to fight front and rear. They cried out to the Lord for help. Then the priests blew their trumpets,

15 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.

and the men of Judah gave a loud shout. When they shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel in front of Abijah and Judah.

16 And the sons of Israel fled from before Judah, —and God delivered them into their hand.

The Israelites ran away from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah, defeated.

17 And Abijah and his people smote among them with a great smiting, —and there fell down slain, of Israel, five hundred thousand chosen men.

Abijah and his men hit them hard, and 500,000 of Israel's best warriors were killed.

18 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.

So the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their forefathers.

19 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;

Abijah chased Jeroboam and captured some towns from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.

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

Jereboam never regained his power during Abijah's reign. Eventually the Lord struck him down and he died.

21 And Abijah strengthened himself, and took him, fourteen wives, —and begat twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.

But Abijah grew stronger and stronger. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 And, the rest of the story of Abijah, both his ways and his words, —are written, in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

The rest of what Abijah did—what he said and what he accomplished—is recorded in the history written by Iddo the Prophet.