1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.2He reigned three years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Micaiah daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. War broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.3Abijah mustered for battle four hundred thousand chosen men, mighty warriors of valor, while Jeroboam mustered for battle against him eight hundred thousand chosen mighty men of valor.4Abijah rose from Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel."5Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons, by a covenant of salt?6Jeroboam son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.7Worthless men gathered around him and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon. Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted and could not withstand them.8And now you intend to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of the LORD that is in the hand of the sons of David. You are a great multitude, and with you are the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.9Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of the lands—anyone who comes to fill his hand with a young bull, a son of the herd, and seven rams becomes a priest to what is not God?10But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. Priests ministering to the LORD are the sons of Aaron and the Levites in the work.11They offer to the LORD burnt offerings morning by morning and evening by evening, and incense of spices, and the row of bread upon the pure table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps to burn evening by evening, for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken him.12Behold, with us at the head is God with his priests and the trumpets of the shout to sound the alarm against you, O sons of Israel. Do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not prosper.13Jeroboam had turned the ambush to come from behind them, so that they were before Judah while the ambush was behind them.14Judah turned, and behold, the battle was before them and behind. They cried out to the LORD, and the priests sounded the trumpets.15Then the men of Judah raised the battle cry. When the men of Judah raised the battle cry, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.16The sons of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.17Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter, and five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell slain.18Thus the sons of Israel were humbled at that time, while the sons of Judah grew strong because they leaned upon the LORD, the God of their fathers.19Abijah pursued after Jeroboam and captured from him cities: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.20Jeroboam no longer had strength in the days of Abijah. The LORD struck him, and he died.21Abijah strengthened himself. He took fourteen wives for himself and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.22The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his words are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.
Chapter 14
1Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. His son Asa reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.