1 A bijah became the king of Judah in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam.

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

2 H e ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah 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 Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 A bijah began the battle with an army of powerful soldiers, 400, 000 chosen men. Jeroboam came ready for battle against him with 800, 000 chosen men who were powerful soldiers.

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.

4 T hen Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!

Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:

5 D o you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by an agreement of salt?

Ought you not to 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?

6 B ut Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, went against his lord the king.

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

7 A nd men of no worth gathered around him. They were bad men who were too strong for Rehoboam the son of Solomon. Rehoboam was young and weak and could not stand against them.

There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.

8 S o now you plan to stand against the power of the Lord through the sons of David. You think you can because you have many people and the gold calves Jeroboam made you for gods.

“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.

9 H ave you not driven out the religious leaders of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites? And have you not made religious leaders for yourselves like the people of other lands? Whoever comes to make himself holy with a young bull and seven rams becomes a religious leader of false gods.

Haven’t you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves after the ways 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 who are no gods.

10 B ut as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not left Him. The sons of Aaron are working for the Lord as religious leaders. And the Levites are doing their work.

“But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and we have priests serving Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work:

11 E very morning they give burnt gifts and burn special perfume to the Lord. The holy bread is set on the clean table. And the gold lamp-stand with its lamps is ready to light every evening. For we do the work of the Lord our God. But you have left Him.

and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in order on the pure table; and the lamp stand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the instruction of Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken him.

12 N ow see, God is with us at our head. His religious leaders are ready to blow the horns, to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers. For you cannot win.”

Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don’t fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.”

13 B ut Jeroboam had sent soldiers to come from behind. So Israel was in front of Judah, and soldiers were behind them also.

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

14 W hen Judah looked, they saw that the battle was both in front of them and behind them. So they cried to the Lord, and the religious leaders blew the horns.

When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

15 T hen the men of Judah sounded a war cry. And when they sounded the war cry, God began destroying Jeroboam and all Israel around Abijah and Judah.

Then the men of Judah gave a shout. As the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 T he men of Israel ran away from Judah. God gave them into their hand.

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

17 A bijah and his people killed many of them. There were 500, 000 chosen men of Israel killed.

Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

18 S o the sons of Israel were set back at that time. The sons of Judah were strong because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers.

Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

19 A bijah went after Jeroboam. He took from him the cities of Bethel with its towns, Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.

Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.

20 J eroboam did not become strong again in the days of Abijah. And the Lord destroyed him, and he died.

Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. Yahweh struck him, and he died.

21 B ut Abijah became very strong. He married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.

22 N ow the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words, are written in the story of Iddo the man of God.

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