Abijah Becomes King
Study note
Abijah became king of Judah in the 18th year of Jeroboam's reign over the northern kingdom. War broke out between the two kingdoms. Abijah gathered an army of 400,000 warriors, while Jeroboam assembled 800,000 — double the size of Judah's army.
1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam's rule, Abijah became king of Judah. Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2 He ruled for three years from Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah, and she was the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Abijah and Jeroboam were at war with each other. 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 Abijah led an army of 400,000 brave soldiers into battle. Jeroboam lined up against him with 800,000 strong fighting men. 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's Speech Before Battle
Study note
Standing on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim, Abijah addressed Jeroboam and the northern army. He argued that God had given the kingdom to David and his descendants forever through a covenant of salt — an unbreakable agreement. He accused Jeroboam of rebelling against his master and setting up golden calves as gods. He pointed out that Judah still had the true priests, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, while the north had fired them and appointed anyone who could pay to be a priest.
4 Abijah stood on top of Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim. He called out, "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!" And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
5 "Surely you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave David and his family the right to rule Israel forever. This was an unbreakable promise, sealed like a covenant of salt." 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 "But Jeroboam son of Nebat was just a servant of David's son Solomon. He rose up and turned against his master." Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
7 "A bunch of worthless men gathered around Jeroboam. They stood against Rehoboam son of Solomon. He was still young and did not know how to handle them." 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 "Now you think you can stand up to the Lord's kingdom that David's descendants rule? You have a big army, and you have those golden calves that Jeroboam made for you to worship as gods." 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 you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
9 "You chased away the Lord's real priests, Aaron's descendants, and the Levites too! Then you made up your own priests, just like other nations do. Anyone who shows up with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of your fake 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.
10 "But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not left him. The priests who serve the Lord are true descendants of Aaron, and the Levites help them." 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 "Every morning and evening, they offer burnt offerings and sweet-smelling incense to the Lord. They arrange the special bread on the clean table and light the gold lampstand each evening. We are following what the Lord our God requires, but you have walked away from him." 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 "God himself is our leader! His priests stand ready with their trumpets to sound the charge against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors. You cannot win!" 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.
God Gives Judah the Victory
Study note
While Abijah was speaking, Jeroboam sent troops to ambush Judah from behind. When the men of Judah realized they were surrounded, they cried out to the Lord and the priests blew the trumpets. The men of Judah raised a war cry, and God struck down the northern army. Jeroboam lost 500,000 men that day. The writer emphasizes that Judah won because they relied on the Lord.
13 But Jeroboam had secretly sent soldiers to hide behind Judah's army. So his main force was in front of Judah, and the hidden troops were behind them. But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
14 When the men of Judah looked around and saw enemies both in front and behind them, they cried out to the Lord for help. The priests blew their trumpets. 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 let out a loud war cry. As they shouted, God struck down Jeroboam and all of Israel before Abijah and Judah. 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 The Israelites ran from the battle, and God gave Judah the victory over them. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 Abijah and his army defeated them badly. Five hundred thousand of Israel's best soldiers were killed that day. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 The people of Israel lost that battle. The people of Judah won because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 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.
Abijah's Growing Power
Study note
Abijah captured several cities from Jeroboam, including Bethel, where one of Jeroboam's golden calves was set up. Jeroboam never regained his strength during Abijah's lifetime, and the Lord eventually struck Jeroboam down. Meanwhile, Abijah grew powerful, married fourteen wives, and had 22 sons and 16 daughters.
19 Abijah chased Jeroboam. He took Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron. He also took the towns around them. And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.
20 Jeroboam never became powerful again during the rest of Abijah's life. Eventually the Lord struck him down, and he died. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.
21 Meanwhile, Abijah grew strong. He married fourteen wives and had 22 sons and 16 daughters. But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 The rest of Abijah's story, including all he did and said, is written down in the records of the prophet Iddo. And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.