CHAPTER 13
and he reigned
in Jerusalem
three
years.
His mother’s
name
was Micaiah
daughter
of Uriel;
she was from
Gibeah.
And there was
war
between
Abijah
and Jeroboam.
Abijah
went
into battle
with an army
of 400,000
choice
men,
while Jeroboam
drew up in formation
against him
with his army
of 800,000
choice
men.
Then Abijah
stood
on
Mount
Zemaraim,
which
is in the hill country
of Ephraim,
and said,
“Hear me,
O Jeroboam
and all
Israel!
Do you not
know
that
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
has given
the kingship
of
Israel
to David
and his descendants
forever
by a covenant
of salt?
Yet Jeroboam
son
of Nebat,
a servant
of Solomon
son
of David,
rose up
and rebelled
against
his master.
Then worthless
and wicked
men
gathered
around him
to resist
Rehoboam
son
of Solomon
when he
was
young,
inexperienced,
and unable
to resist
them.
And now
you
think
you can resist
the kingdom
of the LORD,
which is in the hands
of David’s
descendants.
You
are indeed a vast
army,
and you have with you
the golden
calves
that
Jeroboam
made
for you
as gods.
But did you not
drive out
the priests
of the LORD,
the descendants
of Aaron,
and the Levites,
and make
priests
for yourselves
as do the peoples
of other lands?
Now whoever
comes
to consecrate
himself
with a young bull
and seven
rams
can become
a priest
of things that are not
gods.
But as for us,
the LORD
is our God.
We have not
forsaken Him;
the priests
ministering
to the LORD
are descendants
of Aaron,
and the Levites
attend to their duties.
Every morning
and every evening
they present
burnt offerings
and fragrant
incense
to the LORD.
They set out the rows
of showbread
on
the ceremonially clean
table,
and every evening
they light
the lamps
of the gold
lampstand.
We
are carrying out
the requirements
of the LORD
our God,
while you
have forsaken
Him.
Now behold,
God Himself is
with us
as our head,
and His priests
with their trumpets
sound
the battle call
against you.
O children
of Israel,
do not
fight
against
the LORD,
the God
of your fathers,
for
you will not
succeed.”
Now Jeroboam
had sent an ambush
around
to advance
from the rear,
so that while he was
in front
of Judah,
the ambush
was behind them.
When Judah
turned
and discovered
that the battle
was before
and behind them,
they cried out
to the LORD.
Then the priests
blew
the trumpets,
and the men
of Judah
raised the battle cry.
And when they
raised the cry,
God
routed
Jeroboam
and all
Israel
before
Abijah
and Judah.
Then Abijah
and his people
struck
them
with a mighty
blow,
and 500,000
choice
men
of Israel
fell
slain.
Thus the Israelites
were subdued
at that
time,
and the men
of Judah
prevailed
because
they relied
on
the LORD,
the God
of their fathers.
Abijah
pursued
Jeroboam
and captured
some cities
from him:
Bethel,
Jeshanah,
and Ephron,
along with their villages.
Jeroboam
did not
again
recover
his power
during the days
of Abijah,
and the LORD
struck him down
and he died.
But Abijah
grew strong,
married
fourteen
wives,
and became the father
of twenty-two
sons
and sixteen
daughters.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Abijah,
along with his ways
and his sayings,
they are written
in the Treatise
of the Prophet
Iddo.