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Abijah Reigns in Judah
In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.
In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.
Abijah’s War with Jeroboam
Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.
Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.
Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors.
Judah, led by King Abijah, fielded 400,000 select warriors, while Jeroboam mustered 800,000 select troops from Israel.
Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!
When the army of Judah arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim and shouted to Jeroboam and all Israel: “Listen to me!
Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord,
Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a mere servant of David’s son Solomon, rebelled against his master.
Then a whole gang of scoundrels joined him, defying Solomon’s son Rehoboam when he was young and inexperienced and could not stand up to them.
“And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods.
“Do you really think you can stand against the kingdom of the LORD that is led by the descendants of David? You may have a vast army, and you have those gold calves that Jeroboam made as your gods.
But you have chased away the priests of the LORD (the descendants of Aaron) and the Levites, and you have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours!
But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service.
“But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve the LORD as priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work.
They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense of sweet spices, set out the showbread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand that its lamps may burn every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him.
They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD every morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him.
Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”
So you see, God is with us. He is our leader. His priests blow their trumpets and lead us into battle against you. O people of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed!”
Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them.
And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets.
When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the LORD for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets,
Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah.
The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.
The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat.
Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men.
Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel’s select troops were killed that day.
Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers.
So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
Abijah and his army pursued Jeroboam’s troops and captured some of his towns, including Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages.
Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down, and he died.
So Jeroboam of Israel never regained his power during Abijah’s lifetime, and finally the LORD struck him down and he died.
But Abijah grew mighty. And he took fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
Meanwhile, Abijah of Judah grew more and more powerful. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.