In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2Three years he reigned in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valour. 4Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5Ought you not to know that YAHWEH1, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to Dawud2 forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, the servant of Sulayman3 son of Dawud, rose up, and rebelled against his lord. 7There were gathered to him worthless men, scoundrels, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam son of Sulayman, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.
8“Now you think to withstand the kingdom of YAHWEH in the hand of the sons of Dawud; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9Haven’t you driven out the priests of YAHWEH, the sons of Harun4, and the Levites5, and made for yourselves priests after the manner of the peoples of other lands? So that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest of those who are no gods.
10“But as for us, YAHWEH is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and we have priests ministering to YAHWEH, the sons of Harun, and the Levites in their work: 11and they burn to YAHWEH every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also set they in order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of YAHWEH our God; but you have forsaken him. 12Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Bani-Israel, don’t fight against YAHWEH, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.”
13But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to YAHWEH, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, God6 struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16Bani-Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand. 17Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18Thus Bani-Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on YAHWEH, the God of their fathers. 19Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.
20Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and YAHWEH struck him, and he died. 21But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters. 22The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the record of the prophet Iddo.
- 13:5 YAHWEH, God’s personal Name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15: ‘God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”’ ↩︎
- 13:5 Dawud, this Arabic name is derived from David (Hebrew) and means “Beloved.” ↩︎
- 13:6 Sulayman, this Arabic name and the name Solomon are both derived from the Hebrew name Shlomo which means “peace.” ↩︎
- 13:9 Harun, this Arabic name and the English name Aaron, are both derived from the Hebrew name Aharon, possibly meaning “exalted” or “high mountain.” ↩︎
- 13:9 Levites, the descendants of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Prophet Yaqub (Jacob), from whose family line came all the priests who served in the Holy House of God, the Temple at Jerusalem. ↩︎
- 13:15 God, English translation of elohim. Elohim (Hebrew) is related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎