2 Chronicles 13:1-14
Abijah Succeeds Rehoboam
1 (A)In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.(B)Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 Abijah began the battle with an army of valiant warriors, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with 800,000 chosen men who were valiant warriors.
Civil War
4 Then Abijah stood on Mount (C)Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel:
5 Do you not know that (D)the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David (a)and his sons by (E)a covenant of salt?
6 Yet (F)Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his (b)master,
7 and worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when (c)(G)he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them.
8 “So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the Lord (d)through the sons of David, (e)being a great multitude and having with you (H)the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you.
9 (I)Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes (J)to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are (K)no gods.
10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the Lord as priests, and the Levites (f)attend to their work.
11 Every morning and evening (L)they (g)burn to the Lord burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and (M)the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him.
12 Now behold, God is with us at our head and (N)His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”
13 But Jeroboam (O)had set an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them.
14 When Judah turned around, behold, (h)they were attacked both front and rear; so (P)they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets.
Footnotes:
a.
2 Chronicles 13:5: ['Lit ', to him and to his sons]
b.
2 Chronicles 13:6: ['Or ', lord]
c.
2 Chronicles 13:7: ['Lit ', Rehoboam]
d.
2 Chronicles 13:8: ['Lit ', in the hands of]
e.
2 Chronicles 13:8: ['Lit ', and you are a]
f.
2 Chronicles 13:10: ['Lit ', in the work]
g.
2 Chronicles 13:11: ['Lit ', offer up in smoke]
h.
2 Chronicles 13:14: ['Lit ', the battle was before and behind them]