2 Chronicles 13

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

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

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 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 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.

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

And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which [is] in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all 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?

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

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

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.

And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand 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.

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

Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other] lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, [the same] may be a priest of [them that are] no 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 as for us, the LORD [is] our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, [are] the sons of Aaron, and the Levites [wait] upon [their] business:

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.

And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also [set they in order] upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken 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.

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 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 caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment [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.

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

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 fled from before Judah, —and God delivered 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 smote among them with a great smiting, —and there fell down slain, of Israel, five hundred thousand chosen men.

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

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.

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

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;

And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.

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

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

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

But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and 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.

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