1 I n the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam -- Abijah reigneth over Judah;

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.

2 t hree years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, (and the name of his mother Michaiah daughter of Uriel, from Gibeah,) and war hath been between Abijah and Jeroboam.

He 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.

3 A nd Abijah directeth the war with a force of mighty men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men, and Jeroboam hath set in array with him battle, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty of valour.

Abijah 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.

4 A nd Abijah riseth up on the hill of Zemaraim that in the hill-country of Ephraim, and saith, `Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel!

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

5 I s it not for you to know that Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given the kingdom to David over Israel to the age, to him and to his sons -- a covenant of salt?

Should 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?

6 a nd rise up doth Jeroboam, son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, and rebelleth against his lord!

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

7 ` And there are gathered unto him vain men, sons of worthlessness, and they strengthen themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon, and Rehoboam was a youth, and tender of heart, and hath not strengthened himself against them.

Then 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.

8 ` And now, ye are saying to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David, and ye a numerous multitude, and with you calves of gold that Jeroboam hath made to you for gods.

And 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.

9 ` Have ye not cast out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make to you priests like the peoples of the lands? every one who hath come to fill his hand with a bullock, a son of the herd, and seven rams, even he hath been a priest to No-gods!

Have 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?

10 ` As for us, Jehovah our God, and we have not forsaken Him, and priests are ministering to Jehovah, sons of Aaron and the Levites, in the work,

But 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.

11 a nd are making perfume to Jehovah, burnt-offerings morning by morning, and evening by evening, and perfume of spices, and the arrangement of bread on the pure table, and the candlestick of gold, and its lamps, to burn evening by evening, for we are keeping the charge of Jehovah our God, and ye -- ye have forsaken Him.

And 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.

12 ` And lo, with us -- at head -- God, and His priests and trumpets of shouting to shout against you; O sons of Israel, do not fight with Jehovah, God of your fathers, for ye do not prosper.'

Now 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!”

13 A nd Jeroboam hath brought round the ambush to come in from behind them, and they are before Judah, and the ambush behind them.

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

14 A nd Judah turneth, and lo, against them the battle, before and behind, and they cry to Jehovah, and the priests are blowing with trumpets,

And 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.

15 a nd the men of Judah shout -- and it cometh to pass, at the shouting of the men of Judah, that God hath smitten Jeroboam, and all Israel, before Abijah and Judah.

Then 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.

16 A nd the sons of Israel flee from the face of Judah, and God giveth them into their hand,

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

17 a nd Abijah and his people smite among them a great smiting, and there fall wounded of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

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

18 A nd the sons of Israel are humbled at that time, and the sons of Judah are strong, for they have leant on Jehovah, God of their fathers.

Thus 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.

19 A nd Abijah pursueth after Jeroboam, and captureth from him cities, Beth-El and its small towns, and Jeshanah and its small towns, and Ephraim and its small towns.

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

20 A nd Jeroboam hath not retained power any more in the days of Abijah, and Jehovah smiteth him, and he dieth.

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

21 A nd Abijah strengtheneth himself, and taketh to him fourteen wives, and begetteth twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters,

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

22 a nd the rest of the matters of Abijah, and his ways, and his words, are written in the `Inquiry' of the prophet Iddo.

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