13:001

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah

13:002

Three years reigned he in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam

13:003

And 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 valour

13:004

And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, and said: 'Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel

13:005

ought ye not to know that HaShem, the G-d of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt

13:006

Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord

13:007

And there were gathered unto him vain men, base fellows that strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and faint-hearted, and could not withstand them

13:008

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

13:009

Have ye not driven out the priests of HaShem, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the peoples of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same becometh a priest of them that are no gods

13:010

But as for us, HaShem is our G-d, and we have not forsaken Him; and we have priests ministering unto HaShem, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work

13:011

and they burn unto HaShem every morning and every evening burnt-offerings and sweet incense; the showbread 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 HaShem our G-d; but ye have forsaken Him

13:012

And, behold, G-d is with us at our head, and His priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against HaShem, the G-d of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

13:013

But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them; so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them

13:014

And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried unto HaShem, and the priests sounded with the trumpets

13:015

Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that G-d smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah

13:016

And the children of Israel fled before Judah; and G-d delivered them into their hand

13:017

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

13:018

Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon HaShem, the G-d of their fathers

13:019

And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof

13:020

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and HaShem smote him, and he died

13:021

But Abijah waxed mighty, and took unto himself fourteen wives, and begot twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters

13:022

And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo

13:023

So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead; in his days the land was quiet ten years