1 I n the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.

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

2 H e reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 A bijah set the battle in order with an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand choice men. Jeroboam also drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand choice men, mighty men of valor.

And Abijah began the war with an army of men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty men of valour.

4 T hen Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:

And Abijah stood up on the top of mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, Jeroboam, and all Israel!

5 S hould you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?

Ought ye not to know that Jehovah the God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, to him and to his sons a covenant of salt?

6 Y et Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.

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

7 T hen worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced and could not withstand them.

And vain men, sons of Belial, gathered to him and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, and Rehoboam was young and faint-hearted, and did not shew himself strong against them.

8 A nd now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods.

And now ye think to shew yourselves strong against the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude, and ye have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods.

9 H ave you not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests, like the peoples of other lands, so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of things that are not gods?

Have ye not cast out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests as the peoples of the lands? whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, he becomes a priest of what is not God.

10 B ut as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.

But as for us, Jehovah is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests that serve Jehovah are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are at their work:

11 A nd they burn to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense; they also set the showbread in order on the pure gold table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening; for we keep the command of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him.

and they burn to Jehovah every morning and every evening burnt-offerings and sweet incense; the loaves also are set in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with its lamps to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of Jehovah our God; but ye have forsaken him.

12 N ow look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!”

And behold, we have God with us at our head, and his priests, and the loud-sounding trumpets to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, do not fight with Jehovah the God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

13 B ut Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them; and they were before Judah, and the ambush behind them.

14 A nd when Judah looked around, to their surprise the battle line was at both front and rear; and they cried out to the Lord, and the priests sounded the trumpets.

And Judah looked back, and behold, they had the battle in front and behind; and they cried to Jehovah, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

15 T hen the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

And the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 A nd the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.

And the children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand.

17 T hen Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain.

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

18 T hus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers.

And the children of Israel were humbled at that time, and the children of Judah were strengthened, because they relied upon Jehovah the God of their fathers.

19 A nd Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephrain with its villages.

And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its dependent villages, and Jeshanah with its dependent villages, and Ephron with its dependent villages.

20 S o Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and the Lord struck him, and he died.

And Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and Jehovah smote him, and he died.

21 B ut Abijah grew mighty, married fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

But Abijah strengthened himself, and took fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 N ow the rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings are written in the annals of the prophet Iddo.

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