Now in the eighteenth{H8083}{H6240} year{H8141} of king{H4428} Jeroboam{H3379} began Abijah{H29} to reign{H4427}{(H8799)} over Judah{H3063}.

He reigned{H4427}{(H8804)} three{H7969} years{H8141} in Jerusalem{H3389}. His mother's{H517} name{H8034} also was Michaiah{H4322} the daughter{H1323} of Uriel{H222} of Gibeah{H1390}. And there was war{H4421} between Abijah{H29} and Jeroboam{H3379}.

And Abijah{H29} set{H631} the battle{H4421} in array{H631}{(H8799)} with an army{H2428} of valiant men{H1368} of war{H4421}, even four{H702} hundred{H3967} thousand{H505} chosen{H977}{(H8803)} men{H376}: Jeroboam{H3379} also set the battle{H4421} in array{H6186}{(H8804)} against him with eight{H8083} hundred{H3967} thousand{H505} chosen{H977}{(H8803)} men{H376}, being mighty men{H1368} of valour{H2428}.

And Abijah{H29} stood up{H6965}{(H8799)} upon mount{H2022} Zemaraim{H6787}, which is in mount{H2022} Ephraim{H669}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Hear{H8085}{(H8798)} me, thou Jeroboam{H3379}, and all Israel{H3478};

Ought ye not to know{H3045}{(H8800)} that the LORD{H3068} God{H430} of Israel{H3478} gave{H5414}{(H8804)} the kingdom{H4467} over Israel{H3478} to David{H1732} for ever{H5769}, even to him and to his sons{H1121} by a covenant{H1285} of salt{H4417}?

Yet Jeroboam{H3379} the son{H1121} of Nebat{H5028}, the servant{H5650} of Solomon{H8010} the son{H1121} of David{H1732}, is risen up{H6965}{(H8799)}, and hath rebelled{H4775}{(H8799)} against his lord{H113}.

And there are gathered{H6908}{(H8735)} unto him vain{H7386} men{H582}, the children{H1121} of Belial{H1100}, and have strengthened{H553}{(H8691)} themselves against Rehoboam{H7346} the son{H1121} of Solomon{H8010}, when Rehoboam{H7346} was young{H5288} and tenderhearted{H7390}{H3824}, and could not withstand{H2388}{(H8694)} them{H6440}.

And now ye think{H559}{(H8802)} to withstand{H2388}{(H8692)} the kingdom{H6440}{H4467} of the LORD{H3068} in the hand{H3027} of the sons{H1121} of David{H1732}; and ye be a great{H7227} multitude{H1995}, and there are with you golden{H2091} calves{H5695}, which Jeroboam{H3379} made{H6213}{(H8804)} you for gods{H430}.

Have ye not cast out{H5080}{(H8689)} the priests{H3548} of the LORD{H3068}, the sons{H1121} of Aaron{H175}, and the Levites{H3881}, and have made{H6213}{(H8799)} you priests{H3548} after the manner of the nations{H5971} of other lands{H776}? so that whosoever cometh{H935}{(H8802)} to consecrate{H4390}{(H8763)}{H3027} himself with a young{H1121}{H1241} bullock{H6499} and seven{H7651} rams{H352}, the same may be a priest{H3548} of them that are no{H3808} gods{H430}.

But as for us, the LORD{H3068} is our God{H430}, and we have not forsaken{H5800}{(H8804)} him; and the priests{H3548}, which minister{H8334}{(H8764)} unto the LORD{H3068}, are the sons{H1121} of Aaron{H175}, and the Levites{H3881} wait upon their business{H4399}:

And they burn{H6999}{(H8688)} unto the LORD{H3068} every morning{H1242} and every evening{H6153} burnt sacrifices{H5930} and sweet{H5561} incense{H7004}: the shewbread{H3899}{H4635} also set they in order upon the pure{H2889} table{H7979}; and the candlestick{H4501} of gold{H2091} with the lamps{H5216} thereof, to burn{H1197}{(H8763)} every evening{H6153}: for we keep{H8104}{(H8802)} the charge{H4931} of the LORD{H3068} our God{H430}; but ye have forsaken{H5800}{(H8804)} him.

And, behold, God{H430} himself is with us for our captain{H7218}, and his priests{H3548} with sounding{H8643} trumpets{H2689} to cry alarm{H7321}{(H8687)} against you. O children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}, fight{H3898}{(H8735)} ye not against the LORD{H3068} God{H430} of your fathers{H1}; for ye shall not prosper{H6743}{(H8686)}.

But Jeroboam{H3379} caused an ambushment{H3993} to come{H935}{(H8800)} about{H5437}{(H8689)} behind{H310} them: so they were before{H6440} Judah{H3063}, and the ambushment{H3993} was behind{H310} them.

And when Judah{H3063} looked back{H6437}{(H8799)}, behold, the battle{H4421} was before{H6440} and behind{H268}: and they cried{H6817}{(H8799)} unto the LORD{H3068}, and the priests{H3548} sounded{H2690}{(H8688)}{(H8675)}{H2690}{(H8764)} with the trumpets{H2689}.

Then the men{H376} of Judah{H3063} gave a shout{H7321}{(H8686)}: and as the men{H376} of Judah{H3063} shouted{H7321}{(H8687)}, it came to pass, that God{H430} smote{H5062}{(H8804)} Jeroboam{H3379} and all Israel{H3478} before{H6440} Abijah{H29} and Judah{H3063}.

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} fled{H5127}{(H8799)} before{H6440} Judah{H3063}: and God{H430} delivered{H5414}{(H8799)} them into their hand{H3027}.

And Abijah{H29} and his people{H5971} slew{H5221}{(H8686)} them with a great{H7227} slaughter{H4347}: so there fell down{H5307}{(H8799)} slain{H2491} of Israel{H3478} five{H2568} hundred{H3967} thousand{H505} chosen{H977}{(H8803)} men{H376}.

Thus the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} were brought{H3665}{(H8735)} under at that time{H6256}, and the children{H1121} of Judah{H3063} prevailed{H553}{(H8799)}, because they relied{H8172}{(H8738)} upon the LORD{H3068} God{H430} of their fathers{H1}.

And Abijah{H29} pursued{H7291}{(H8799)} after{H310} Jeroboam{H3379}, and took{H3920}{(H8799)} cities{H5892} from him, Bethel{H1008} with the towns{H1323} thereof, and Jeshanah{H3466} with the towns{H1323} thereof, and Ephrain{H6085} with the towns{H1323} thereof.

Neither did Jeroboam{H3379} recover{H6113}{(H8804)} strength{H3581} again in the days{H3117} of Abijah{H29}: and the LORD{H3068} struck{H5062}{(H8799)} him, and he died{H4191}{(H8799)}.

But Abijah{H29} waxed mighty{H2388}{(H8691)}, and married{H5375}{(H8799)} fourteen{H702}{H6240} wives{H802}, and begat{H3205}{(H8686)} twenty{H6242} and two{H8147} sons{H1121}, and sixteen{H8337}{H6240} daughters{H1323}.

And the rest{H3499} of the acts{H1697} of Abijah{H29}, and his ways{H1870}, and his sayings{H1697}, are written{H3789}{(H8803)} in the story{H4097} of the prophet{H5030} Iddo{H5714}.