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13:1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.
13:2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 13:3 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 valor. 13:4 And Abijah stood up on mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel: 13:5 Don't you+ 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? 13:6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the slave of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord. 13:7 And there were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. 13:8 And 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. 13:9 Haven't you+ driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves 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 that are] no gods. 13:10 But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we haven't forsaken him; and [we have] priests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work: 13:11 and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt-offerings and sweet incense: the showbread also [they set] in order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of Yahweh our God; but you+ have forsaken him. 13:12 And, look, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you+. O sons of Israel, don't fight+ against Yahweh, the God of your+ fathers; for you+ will not prosper. 13:13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 13:14 And when Judah looked back, and saw that the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 13:15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 13:16 And the sons of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand. 13:17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 13:18 Thus the sons of Israel were brought under at that time, and the sons of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 13:19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns. 13:20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and Yahweh struck him, and he died. 13:21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and begot twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. 13:22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo. |
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