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

Abijah became the king of Judah in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam.

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 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.

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 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.

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 in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to 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?

Do 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?

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

But Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, went against his lord the king.

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.

And 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.

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.

So 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.

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 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.

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. We have not left Him. The sons of Aaron are working for the Lord as religious leaders. And the Levites are doing their work.

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.

Every 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.

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 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.”

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

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,

When 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.

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

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

The men of Israel ran away from Judah. God gave 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.

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

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.

So 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.

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.

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

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

Jeroboam did not become strong again in the days of Abijah. And the Lord destroyed 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 became very strong. He married fourteen wives, and became the father of 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, and his ways and his words, are written in the story of Iddo the man of God.