2 Chronicles 13

MSTC(i) 1 The eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah, 2 and he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 And Abijah made a battle with an Host of fighting men of four hundred thousand chosen men. And Jeroboam put in array to fight against him, with eight hundred thousand picked men and strong. 4 And Abijah stood up upon Zemaraim a hill in mount Ephraim and said, "Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel! 5 Becometh it not you to know how the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom of Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons, with a salted covenant. 6 But Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon the son of David, rebelled against his lord. 7 And there gathered to him lewd men and unthrifties, and prevailed against Rehoboam the son of Solomon: for Rehoboam was young and tender hearted and not strong enough for them. 8 And now ye think to prevail against the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because ye be a great multitude and have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 And have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests like the nations of other lands? Even whosoever cometh and filleth his hand with an ox and seven rams, the same is made priest to them that are no Gods. 10 But with us is the LORD our God whom we have not forsaken, and the priests of the sons of Aaron ministering unto the LORD, and the Levites in office: 11 burning unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet cense: and the shewbread put in order upon a pure table: and the candlestick of gold with the lamps of the same, to be lighted every evening. For we keep the watch of the LORD our God: but ye have forsaken him. 12 Moreover, see: God is with us in the forward; and his priests, and the roaring trumpets to cry alarm against you. Ye children of Israel, fight not with the LORD God of your fathers: for it will not prosper with you." 13 But for all that, Jeroboam sent men privily above to come behind upon them: and so they were before Judah, and the layers in wait were behind them. 14 And when Judah turned and saw the battle behind and before, they cried unto the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets 15 and the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into the hands of Judah. 17 And Abijah and his people slew a great slaughter of them: so that there were stricken down dead of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18 And so the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed: because they leaned unto the LORD God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah followed after Jeroboam and won certain cities from him: Bethel with the towns belonging thereto, and Jeshanah with the towns that belonged thereto, and Ephron with her towns. 20 And Jeroboam recovered not strength again in the days of Abijah. And at the last, the LORD plagued him, that he died. 21 And Abijah waxed mighty, and took him fourteen wives, and begat twenty two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the acts of Abijah and his ways and his doings are written in the story of the Prophet Iddo.