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2 Chronicles 13
Expanded Bible
2 Chronicles 13
Expanded Bible
Abijah King of Judah(A)
13 Abijah became the king of Judah during the eighteenth year Jeroboam was king of Israel. 2 Abijah ·ruled [reigned] in Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Maacah daughter of Uriel from the town of Gibeah.
And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah led an army of four hundred thousand ·capable [skilled; valiant] soldiers into battle, and Jeroboam prepared to fight him with eight hundred thousand ·capable [skilled; valiant] soldiers.
4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the mountains of Ephraim and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5 ·You should know [L Do you not know/realize…?] that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave David and his sons the right to ·rule [reign over] Israel forever by an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] of salt [Lev. 2:13; Num. 18:19]. 6 But Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of the ·officers [officials] of Solomon, David’s son, ·turned [rebelled] against his master. 7 Then ·worthless [L empty], ·evil men [scoundrels] joined Jeroboam against Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. He was young and ·didn’t know what to do [inexperienced; indecisive], so he could not ·stop [resist; stand up to] them.
8 “Now you ·people are making plans against [propose to resist/stand against] the Lord’s kingdom, which belongs to David’s sons. ·There are many of you [You are a vast army], and you have the gold calves Jeroboam made for you as gods. 9 ·You have [Have you not…?] thrown out the Levites and the Lord’s priests, Aaron’s sons. You have ·chosen [appointed] your own priests [C rather than God appointing them] as people in other ·countries [lands; nations] do. Anyone who comes with a young bull and seven ·male sheep [rams] can become a priest of idols that are not gods [C that is, they buy or bribe their way into the priesthood].
10 “But as for us, the Lord is our God; we have not ·left [abandoned; forsaken] him. The priests who serve the Lord are Aaron’s ·sons [descendants], and the Levites ·help [assist; attend] them. 11 They ·offered [sacrificed] burnt offerings and ·sweet-smelling [fragrant] incense to the Lord every morning and evening. They put the ·bread [T showbread] on the ·special [holy; ritually clean] table [C in the Temple]. And they light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We obey the command of the Lord our God, but you have ·left [abandoned; forsaken] him. 12 God himself is with us as our ·ruler [head]. His priests blow the trumpet to ·call us to war [sound the alarm] against you. Men of Israel, don’t fight against the Lord, the God of your ·ancestors [fathers], because you won’t succeed.”
13 But Jeroboam had sent some troops to ·sneak behind Judah’s army [ambush from behind]. So while Jeroboam was ·in front of [confronting] Judah’s army, ·Jeroboam’s soldiers [the ambushers] were behind them. 14 When the soldiers of Judah turned around, they saw Jeroboam’s army attacking both in front and back. So they cried out to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah ·gave [shouted out] a battle cry. When they shouted, God ·caused Jeroboam and the army of Israel to run away from [routed/defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before] Abijah and the army of Judah. 16 When the army of Israel ·ran away from the men of [fled before] Judah, God handed them over to Judah. 17 Abijah’s army ·struck [inflicted a great slaughter on] Israel so that five hundred thousand of Israel’s ·best [select] men were killed. 18 So at that time the people of Israel were ·defeated [subdued]. And the people of Judah ·won [conquered; prevailed], because they ·depended on [trusted] the Lord, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers].
19 Abijah’s army chased Jeroboam’s army and captured from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, and the small villages near them. 20 Jeroboam never ·became strong [regained his power] again while Abijah was alive. The Lord struck Jeroboam, and he died.
21 But Abijah ·became strong [grew more powerful]. He married fourteen women and was the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 ·Everything else Abijah did [The rest of the events/acts/history of Abijah]—what he said and what he did—is recorded in the ·writings [commentary; treatise] of the prophet Iddo.
2 Chronicles 13
New International Version
2 Chronicles 13
New International Version
Abijah King of Judah(A)
13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah,[a](B) a daughter[b] of Uriel of Gibeah.
There was war between Abijah(C) and Jeroboam.(D) 3 Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.
4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim,(E) in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel,(F) listen to me! 5 Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever(G) by a covenant of salt?(H) 6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled(I) against his master. 7 Some worthless scoundrels(J) gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive(K) and not strong enough to resist them.
8 “And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David’s descendants.(L) You are indeed a vast army and have with you(M) the golden calves(N) that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9 But didn’t you drive out the priests(O) of the Lord,(P) the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull(Q) and seven rams(R) may become a priest of what are not gods.(S)
10 “As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. 11 Every morning and evening(T) they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense(U) to the Lord. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table(V) and light the lamps(W) on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him. 12 God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you.(X) People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord,(Y) the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”(Z)
13 Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush(AA) was behind them. 14 Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out(AB) to the Lord. The priests blew their trumpets 15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel(AC) before Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered(AD) them into their hands. 17 Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men. 18 The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied(AE) on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages. 20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down and he died.
21 But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22 The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 13:2 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 11:20 and 1 Kings 15:2); Hebrew Micaiah
- 2 Chronicles 13:2 Or granddaughter
2 Chronicles 13
King James Version
2 Chronicles 13
King James Version
13 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.
4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
5 Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
11 And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him.
12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.
13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
15 Then 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 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.
19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof.
20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died.
21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.
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