2 Chronik 13

1In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.

2Three years he reigned in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Michaia, the daughter of Uriel of Gabaa: and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam.

3And when Abia had begun battle, and had with him four hundred thousand most valiant and chosen men, Jeroboam put his army in array against him, eight hundred thousand men, who were also chosen and most valiant for war.

4And Abia stood upon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Israel:

5Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

6And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up: and rebelled against his lord.

7And there were gathered to him vain men, and children of Belial: and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them.

8And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.

9And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: and you have made you priests, like all the nations of the earth: whosoever cometh and consecrateth his hand with a bullock of the herd, and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are no gods.

10But the Lord is our God, whom we forsake not, and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are in their order.

11And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the leaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

12Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.

13While he spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda. who perceived it not, with his army.

14And when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.

15And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.

16And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

17And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.

18And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.

19And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.

20And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

21But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

22And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.

1Anno octavodecimo regis Jeroboam, regnavit Abia super Judam.

2Tribus annis regnavit in Jerusalem, nomenque matris ejus Michaia filia Uriel de Gabaa: et erat bellum inter Abiam et Jeroboam.

3Cumque iniisset Abia certamen, et haberet bellicosissimos viros, et electorum quadringenta millia: Jeroboam instruxit econtra aciem octingenta millia virorum, qui et ipsi electi erant, et ad bella fortissimi.

4Stetit ergo Abia super montem Semeron, qui erat in Ephraim, et ait: Audi, Jeroboam, et omnis Israël.

5Num ignoratis quod Dominus Deus Israël dederit regnum David super Israël in sempiternum, ipsi et filiis ejus in pactum salis?

6Et surrexit Jeroboam filius Nabat, servus Salomonis filii David, et rebellavit contra dominum suum.

7Congregatique sunt ad eum viri vanissimi, et filii Belial, et prævaluerunt contra Roboam filium Salomonis: porro Roboam erat rudis, et corde pavido, nec potuit resistere eis.

8Nunc ergo vos dicitis quod resistere possitis regno Domini, quod possidet per filios David, habetisque grandem populi multitudinem, atque vitulos aureos quos fecit vobis Jeroboam in deos.

9Et ejecistis sacerdotes Domini, filios Aaron, atque Levitas, et fecistis vobis sacerdotes sicut omnes populi terrarum: quicumque venerit, et initiaverit manum suam in tauro de bobus, et in arietibus septem, fit sacerdos eorum qui non sunt dii.

10Noster autem Dominus, Deus est, quem non relinquimus, sacerdotesque ministrant Domino, de filiis Aaron, et Levitæ sunt in ordine suo:

11holocausta quoque offerunt Domino per singulos dies mane et vespere, et thymiama juxta legis præcepta confectum, et proponuntur panes in mensa mundissima, estque apud nos candelabrum aureum, et lucernæ ejus, ut accendantur semper ad vesperam: nos quippe custodimus præcepta Domini Dei nostri, quem vos reliquistis.

12Ergo in exercitu nostro dux Deus est, et sacerdotes ejus, qui clangunt tubis, et resonant contra vos: filii Israël, nolite pugnare contra Dominum Deum patrum vestrorum, quia non vobis expedit.

13Hæc illo loquente, Jeroboam retro moliebatur insidias. Cumque ex adverso hostium staret, ignorantem Judam suo ambiebat exercitu.

14Respiciensque Judas, vidit instare bellum ex adverso et post tergum, et clamavit ad Dominum, ac sacerdotes tubis canere cœperunt.

15Omnesque viri Juda vociferati sunt: et ecce illis clamantibus, perterruit Deus Jeroboam, et omnem Israël qui stabat ex adverso Abia et Juda.

16Fugeruntque filii Israël Judam, et tradidit eos Deus in manu eorum.

17Percussit ergo eos Abia et populus ejus plaga magna: et corruerunt vulnerati ex Israël quingenta millia virorum fortium.

18Humiliatique sunt filii Israël in tempore illo, et vehementissime confortati filii Juda, eo quod sperassent in Domino Deo patrum suorum.

19Persecutus est autem Abia fugientem Jeroboam, et cepit civitates ejus, Bethel et filias ejus, et Jesana cum filiabus suis, Ephron quoque et filias ejus:

20nec valuit ultra resistere Jeroboam in diebus Abia: quem percussit Dominus, et mortuus est.

21Igitur Abia, confortato imperio suo, accepit uxores quatuordecim: procreavitque viginti duos filios, et sedecim filias.

22Reliqua autem sermonum Abia, viarumque et operum ejus, scripta sunt diligentissime in libro Addo prophetæ.

1In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abijah reigned over Judah.

2He reigned for three years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother was Micaiah, the daughter of Uriel, from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3And when Abijah had undertaken the conflict, and he had with him four hundred thousand elect men, very fit for war, Jeroboam set up a battle line opposite him of eight hundred thousand men, who were also elect and very strong in warfare.

4Then Abijah stood upon mount Zemaraim, which was in Ephraim, and he said: “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all of Israel.

5Are you ignorant that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave David the kingship over Israel for all time, to him and to his sons, by a covenant of salt?

6But Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon, son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.

7And there were gathered to him very vain men, and sons of Belial. And they prevailed against Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. For Rehoboam was inexperienced, and he had a fearful heart, and so he was unable to resist them.

8Now therefore, you say that you are able to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesses through the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and gold calves, which Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, as well as the Levites. And like all the peoples of the lands, you have made priests for yourselves. Anyone who is willing to come and perform the ritual by his hand, with a bull from the herd and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are not gods.

10But the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. And the priests who minister to the Lord are from the sons of Aaron. And the Levites are in their proper order.

11Also, they offer holocausts to the Lord, each and every day, morning and evening, and incense composed according to the precept of the law, and the bread of the presence on a very pure table. And there is with us the gold lampstand with its lamps, so that they may burn continually in the evening. For certainly, we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

12Therefore, God is the commander of our army, with his priests, who sound the trumpets that ring out against you. O sons of Israel, do not choose to fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers. For it is not expedient for you.”

13While he was speaking these things, Jeroboam set in motion an ambush behind them. And while they stood facing the enemy, without Judah realizing it, his army circled around.

14And looking back, Judah saw the war threatening in front and behind, and they cried out to the Lord. And the priests began to sound the trumpets.

15And all the men of Judah shouted out. And behold, when they cried out, God terrified Jeroboam, and all of Israel who were standing in opposition to Abijah and Judah.

16And the sons of Israel fled from Judah, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

17Therefore, Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter. And five hundred thousand strong men of Israel fell wounded.

18And the sons of Israel were humiliated at that time. And the sons of Judah were very greatly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers.

19Then Abijah pursued the fleeing Jeroboam. And he seized cities from him: Bethel and her daughters, and Jeshanah with her daughters, and also Ephron and her daughters.

20And Jeroboam no longer had the strength to resist, in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him, and he died.

21And so Abijah, having been strengthened in his authority, took fourteen wives. And he procreated twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22Now the rest of the words of Abijah, and his ways and works, have been written very diligently in the book of Iddo, the prophet.