[1] In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over
Judah. [2] Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother`s name was
Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. 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. [4] Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country
of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, 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? [6] Yet
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose
up, and rebelled against his lord. [7] There were gathered to him worthless
men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of
Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not
withstand them. [8] Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the
hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are
with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods. [9] Haven`t
you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,
and made you priests after the manner of the peoples of [other] lands? so
that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams,
the same may be a priest of [those who are] no gods. [10] But as for us,
Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and [we have] priests
ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work:
[11] and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt
offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also [set they] in order on the
pure table; and the lampstand of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every
evening: for we keep the charge of Yahweh our God; but you 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
you fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you 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. [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. [15] Then the men of
Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened, that God
struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. [16] The children
of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand. [17]
Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter: so 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.
[19] Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with
the towns of it, and Jeshanah with the towns of it, and Ephron with the
towns of it. [20] Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days
of Abijah: and Yahweh struck him, and he died. [21] But Abijah grew mighty,
and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two
sons, and sixteen daughters. [22] The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his
ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.
