1 NOW in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2 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 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.
4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
5 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 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
7 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 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 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 forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
11 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 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.
13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
14 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 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 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 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.
19 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 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died.
21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

1Nowe in the eighteenth yeere of king Ieroboam, began Abiiah to reigne ouer Iudah.

2He reigned three yeres in Ierusalem: (his mothers name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibea:) and there was warre between Abiiah and Ieroboam.

3And Abiiah set the battel in aray with an army of valiant men of warre, euen foure hundred thousand chosen men: Ieroboam also set the battell in aray against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mightie men of valour.

4 And Abiiah stood vp vpon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and sayde, Heare mee thou Ieroboam, and all Israel:

5Ought you not to know, that the Lord God of Israel gaue the kingdome ouer Israel to Dauid for euer, euen to him and to his sonnes by a couenant of salt?

6Yet Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, the seruant of Solomon the sonne of Dauid, is risen vp, and hath rebelled against his Lord.

7And there are gathered vnto him vaine men the children of Belial, and haue strengthened themselues against Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young, & tender hearted, and could not withstand them.

8And now ye thinke to withstand the kingdome of the Lord, in the hand of the sonnes of Dauid, and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calues, which Ieroboam made you for gods.

9Haue yee not cast out the Priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron, and the Leuites, and haue made you priests after the maner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoeuer commeth to consecrate himselfe with a young bullocke and seuen rammes, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

10But as for vs, the Lord is our God, and wee haue not forsaken him, and the Priests which minister vnto the Lord, are the sonnes of Aaron, and the Leuites waite vpon their businesse.

11And they burne vnto the Lord euery morning, and euery euening, burnt sacrifices and sweete incense: the shew-bread also set they in order vpon the pure table, and the Candlesticke of golde with the lampes therof, to burne euery euening: for we keepe the charge of the Lord our God, but yee haue forsaken him.

12And behold, God himselfe is with vs for our captaine, and his Priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarme against you: O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper.

13 But Ieroboam caused an ambushment to come about behinde them: so they were before Iudah, and the ambushment was behind them.

14And when Iudah looked backe, behold, the battel was before and behind; and they cried vnto the Lord, and the Priests sounded with the trumpets.

15Then the men of Iudah gaue a shout: and as the men of Iudah shouted, it came to passe that God smote Ieroboam and all Israel, before Abiiah and Iudah.

16And the children of Israel fled before Iudah: and God deliuered them into their hand.

17And Abiiah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fel downe slaine of Israel, fiue hundred thousand chosen men.

18Thus the children of Israel were brought vnder at that time, and the children of Iudah preuailed, because they relied vpon the Lord God of their fathers.

19And Abiiah pursued after Ieroboam, & tooke cities from him, Beth-el with the townes thereof, and Ieshanah with the townes thereof, and Ephrain with the townes thereof.

20Neither did Ieroboam recouer strength againe in the dayes of Abiiah: and the Lord strooke him, & he died.

21 But Abiiah waxed mighty, and married fourteene wiues, and begate twentie and two sonnes, and sixteene daughters.

22And the rest of the acts of Abiiah, and his waies, and his sayings, are written in the story of the Prophet Iddo.

II == 1st Sam 31:1 ; Isa 37:4

 

 

 

III == 1st Sam 7:1-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

V == Josh 13:3 ; 1st jSam 6:21 ; 7:1 ; 2nd Sam 6:1

VI == Josh 15:9 , 60 ; 1st Sam 4:4 ; 2nd Sam 6:2

VII == Num 4:15 ; 1st Sam 7:1 ; 1st Chr 15:2 , 13

 

 

 

VIII == 2nd Sam 6:5

 

 

IX == 2nd Sam 6:6

 

 

 

 

X == Lev 10:2 ; Num 4:15 ; 1st Chr 15:13 , 15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == Gen 30:27 ; 2nd Sam 6:11 ; 1st Chr 26:5

 

 

1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah;

2 he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 Abijah joined battle with a force of four hundred thousand picked warriors, while Jeroboam lined up against him in battle with eight hundred thousand picked and valiant warriors.

4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemariam, which is in the highlands of Ephraim, and said: "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!

5 Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingdom of Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons, by a covenant made in salt?

6 Yet Jeroboam, son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon, son of David, has stood up and rebelled against his lord!

7 Worthless men, scoundrels, joined him and overcame Rehoboam, son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and unthinking, and no match for them.

8 But now, do you think you are a match for the kingdom of the LORD commanded by the sons of David, simply because you are a huge multitude and have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods?

9 "Have you not expelled the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of foreign lands? Everyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams becomes a priest of no-gods.

10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests ministering to the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites also have their offices.

11 They burn holocausts to the LORD and fragrant incense morning after morning and evening after evening; they display the showbread on the pure table, and the lamps of the golden lampstand burn evening after evening; for we observe our duties to the LORD, our God, but you have abandoned him.

12 See, God is with us, at our head, and his priests are here with trumpets to sound the attack against you. Do not battle against the LORD, the God of your fathers, O Israelites, for you will not succeed!"

13 But Jeroboam had an ambush go around them to come at them from the rear; so that while his army faced Judah, his ambush lay behind them.

14 When Judah turned and saw that they had to battle on both fronts, they cried out to the LORD and the priests sounded the trumpets.

15 Then the men of Judah shouted; and when they did so, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.

17 Abijah and his people inflicted a severe defeat upon them; five hundred thousand picked men of Israel fell slain.

18 The Israelites were subdued on that occasion and the Judahites were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him: Bethel and its dependencies, Jeshanah and its dependencies, and Ephron and its dependencies.

20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah; the LORD struck him down and he died,

21 while Abijah continued to grow stronger. He took to himself fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 The rest of Abijah's acts, his deeds and his words, are written in the midrash of the prophet Iddo.

23 Abijah rested with his ancestors; they buried him in the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king. During his time, ten years of peace began in the land.

V 1-19 Jeroboam reigned over Israel 18 years when Abijah followed Rehoboam over Judah. For family information read 2 Chr. 11:18-23. Maacah, the granddaughter of David’s son Absalom, was Rehoboam’s favorite among 18 wives and 60 concubines, so he prepared her son, Abijah to be king. Rehoboam had 28 sons and 60 daughters and  provided for all his sons as leaders in fortified cities and sought wives for them. Abijah sinned like Rehoboam had done much of the time, but God set up his son after him and established Jerusalem for David’s sake, in spite of David’s sin regarding Uriah, 2 Sam. 11. There continued to be war with Jeroboam through the three years of Abijah. For more on Abijah, read 2 Chr. 13:1-19. When his 400,000 men were faced with Jeroboam’s 800,000, he took a stand for the Lord. He rebuked Jeroboam for taking advantage of Rehoboam when he was young, for the golden calves, for ousting the priests and setting up common men as priests and perverting commanded worship. Furthermore, Judah was trusting God for it’s captain. When Abijah realized Jeroboam had set an ambush, all Judah called upon God, gave a shout and God delivered them and they killed 500,000 of the enemy soldiers. So Judah prevailed and captured many of the cities of Israel because they had relied on God.   Read 2 Chr. 13: 21 22 for record that Abijah had 14 wives, 22 sons and 16 daughters.

V 20-23 In 2 Chr. 13, Jeroboam raised a huge army against Judah, but they trusted the Lord, so Jeroboam’s army lost 500,000 chosen men. He did not regain strength again and died, 2 Chr. He reigned 22 years, followed by son Nadab.