2 Chronicles 13

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

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

2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

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 Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were 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 Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam 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 you not to know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

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 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, 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 Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand 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 “Now you intend to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David. You are a great multitude, and the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods are with you.

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 Haven’t you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves according to the ways of the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of those who 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, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests serving Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their 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 They burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in order on the pure table, and care for the gold lamp stand with its lamps, to burn every evening; for we keep the instruction of Yahweh our God, but you have 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 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don’t fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you 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 Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them; so they 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 When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded 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 Then the men of Judah gave a shout. As the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah 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 The children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.

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

17 Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter, so five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell down slain.

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 the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, 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 Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron 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 Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. Yahweh 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 Abijah grew mighty and took for himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

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

22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings are written in the commentary 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.