2 Chronicles 13

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

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.

2 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.

He was king in Jerusalem for three years; his mother's name was Maacah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 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 valor.

And Abijah went out to the fight with an army of men of war, four hundred thousand of his best men; and Jeroboam put his forces in line against him, eight hundred thousand of his best men of war.

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

And Abijah took up his position on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill-country of Ephraim, and said, Give ear to me, O Jeroboam and all Israel:

5 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?

Is it not clear to you that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave the rule over Israel to David and to his sons for ever, by an agreement made with salt?

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

But Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon, the son of David, took up arms against his lord.

7 And there are gathered to him vain men, the children of Belial, and [they] have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.

And certain foolish and good-for-nothing men were joined with him, and made themselves strong against Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when he was young and untested and not able to keep them back.

8 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.

And now it is your purpose to put yourselves against the authority which the Lord has put into the hands of the sons of David, and you are a very great number, and you have with you the gold oxen which Jeroboam made to be your gods.

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

And after driving out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, have you not made priests for yourselves as the people of other lands do? so that anyone who comes to make himself priest by offering an ox or seven sheep, may be 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 to the LORD, [are] the sons of Aaron, and the Levites [wait] upon [their] business:

But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not been turned away from him; we have priests who do the work of the Lord, even the sons of Aaron and the Levites in their places;

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

By whom burned offerings and perfumes are sent up in smoke before the Lord every morning and every evening; and they put out the holy bread on its table and the gold support for the lights with its lights burning every evening; for we keep the orders given to us by the Lord our God, but you have gone away from him.

12 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 will not prosper.

And now God is with us at our head, and his priests with their loud horns sounding against you. O children of Israel, do not make war on the Lord, the God of your fathers, for it will not go well for you.

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

But Jeroboam had put some of his men to make a surprise attack on them from the back, so some were facing Judah and others were stationed secretly at their back.

14 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.

And Judah, turning their faces, saw that they were being attacked in front and at the back; and they gave a cry for help to the Lord, while the priests were sounding their horns.

15 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.

And the men of Judah gave a loud cry; and at their cry, God put fear into Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

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

And the children of Israel went in flight before Judah, and God gave them up into their hands.

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

And Abijah and his people put them to death with great destruction: five hundred thousand of the best of Israel were put to the sword.

18 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.

So at that time the children of Israel were overcome, and the children of Judah got the better of them, because they put their faith in the Lord, the God of their fathers.

19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.

And Abijah went after Jeroboam and took some of his towns, Beth-el with its small towns and Jeshanah with its small towns and Ephron with its small towns.

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

And Jeroboam did not get back his power again in the life-time of Abijah; and the Lord sent death on him.

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

But Abijah became great, and had fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

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

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