2 Chronicles 13

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

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam's rule, Abijah took the throne of Judah with a hopeful heart.

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.

For three years, he ruled Jerusalem, his mother Michaiah, Uriel of Gibeah's daughter, by his side. Yet, a fierce conflict raged between Abijah and Jeroboam.

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.

Abijah courageously prepared his strong army of four hundred thousand chosen warriors for battle. In response, Jeroboam, with a fierce determination, rallied his own force of eight hundred thousand brave and mighty men, ready to face the challenge.

And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;

Abijah bravely stood tall on Mount Zemaraim, in the heart of Mount Ephraim. He called out with a powerful voice, "Listen to me, Jeroboam, and all of Israel!"

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?

Don't you realize that the Lord, the God of Israel, entrusted the rule of Israel to David and his descendants forever, through a sacred and unbreakable promise?

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

Jeroboam, once a loyal servant to Solomon, David's son, has shockingly risen in defiance against his master.

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.

A group of worthless men, followers of Belial, rallied against Rehoboam, Solomon's son. Rehoboam, still young and inexperienced, was unable to stand up to them.

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.

You believe you can challenge God's kingdom, now in the hands of David's descendants. You are many, and you have your golden calves, crafted by Jeroboam as your gods.

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.

Haven't you dismissed God's chosen priests, Aaron's descendants, and the Levites, only to appoint your own priests, imitating other nations? Now, anyone who brings a young bull and seven rams can become a priest, even if they serve false gods.

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:

We remain faithful to our God, the LORD. Our priests, descendants of Aaron, serve Him, and the Levites diligently fulfill their duties.

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.

Every dawn and dusk, they devotedly offered sacrifices and fragrant incense to the Lord. They meticulously arranged the sacred bread on the pure table, and lit the golden candlestick's lamps each evening. They faithfully upheld God's commands. Yet, you have abandoned Him.

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.

Feel it in your hearts, God is our leader, guiding us with His priests who sound the alarm with their trumpets. Oh descendants of Israel, don't oppose the Lord, your ancestors' God; it won't lead to success.

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

Jeroboam cunningly set a trap behind them. So, they found themselves sandwiched - Judah in front and the trap behind.

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.

When Judah glanced over his shoulder, he saw danger both ahead and behind. Overwhelmed, they called out to God for help, while the priests filled the air with the urgent call of trumpets.

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.

The men of Judah roared in unison, their voices echoing with fervor. As their shouts filled the air, God, in his mighty power, struck down Jeroboam and all of Israel, laying them low before Abijah and Judah.

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

The Israelites, in fear, ran from Judah. God, in His wisdom, handed them over to Judah's mercy.

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

Abijah and his followers, in a fierce battle, defeated Israel, tragically killing half a million of their finest warriors.

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.

So at that time the Israelites were defeated and brought low, while the Judahites won, for they placed their trust in the God their ancestors worshipped.

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.

Abijah, filled with determination, chased Jeroboam, claiming his cities one by one - Bethel, Jeshanah, Ephraim, and their surrounding towns.

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

Jeroboam never regained his power during Abijah's reign. God punished him, leading to his death.

But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

Abijah grew strong and powerful, taking fourteen women as his wives. He was blessed with twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

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

The remaining deeds, paths, and words of Abijah are chronicled with emotion and insight in the narrative of Prophet Iddo.