2 Chronicles 13:8
New International Version
“And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.

New Living Translation
“Do you really think you can stand against the kingdom of the LORD that is led by the descendants of David? You may have a vast army, and you have those gold calves that Jeroboam made as your gods.

English Standard Version
“And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods.

Berean Standard Bible
And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods.

New American Standard Bible
“So now you intend to assert yourselves against the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods.

NASB 1995
“So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you.

NASB 1977
“So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you.

Legacy Standard Bible
“So now you intend to exert your strength before the kingdom of Yahweh by the hand of the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you.

Amplified Bible
“And now you intend to assert yourselves against the kingdom of the LORD which is in the hands of the sons of David, since you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves (idols) which Jeroboam made for you as gods.

Christian Standard Bible
“And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the LORD’s kingdom, which is in the hand of one of David’s sons. You are a vast number and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the LORD’s kingdom, which is in the hand of one of David’s sons. You are a vast number and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

American Standard Version
And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Contemporary English Version
Now you and your powerful army think you can stand up to the kingdom that the LORD has given to David's descendants. The only gods you have are those gold statues of calves that Jeroboam made for you.

English Revised Version
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 the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Do you now intend to challenge the LORD's kingdom, which has been placed in the hands of David's descendants? You are a large crowd, and you have the gold calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.

Good News Translation
Now you propose to fight against the royal authority that the LORD gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army and have with you the gold bull-calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.

International Standard Version
"So now you think you'll be able to withstand the LORD's kingdom as controlled by David's descendants, just because you have a large crown and have brought with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

Majority Standard Bible
And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David?s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

NET Bible
Now you are declaring that you will resist the LORD's rule through the Davidic dynasty. You have a huge army, and bring with you the gold calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

New Heart English Bible
"Now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the descendants of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Webster's Bible Translation
And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

World English Bible
“Now you intend to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David. You are a great multitude, and the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods are with you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And now you are saying to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of YHWH in the hand of the sons of David, and you [are] a numerous multitude, and calves of gold [are] with you that Jeroboam has made for you for gods.

Young's Literal Translation
And now, ye are saying to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David, and ye are a numerous multitude, and with you calves of gold that Jeroboam hath made to you for gods.

Smith's Literal Translation
And now ye saying to be strengthened before the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David; and ye a great multitude, and with you calves of gold which Jeroboam made for you for gods.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now 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.

New American Bible
But now, do you think you are a match for the kingdom of the LORD led by the descendants of David, simply because you are a huge multitude and have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods?

New Revised Standard Version
“And now you think that you can withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made as gods for you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And even now what can you say? You went away and renounced the kingdom of the house of David and went and served dead gods. And I reign over a single tribe, but you over many tribes, and there are with you golden calves which Jeroboam the son of Nebat made for you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Also now what do you say? You went and you put away from yourselves the kingdom of the house of David and you went and you served dead gods, and I am standing over one tribe in the kingdom, and you are many tribes, and a calf of gold is among you that Yorbaam son of Nebat made for you.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And now ye profess to resist the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude, and with you are golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Civil War Against Jeroboam
7Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them. 8And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. 9But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.…

Cross References
1 Kings 12:26-33
Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David. / If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, their hearts will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” / After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” ...

1 Kings 11:31-33
and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give you ten tribes. / But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. / For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.

1 Kings 14:30
There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days.

1 Kings 15:6
And there was war between the houses of Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Abijam’s life.

1 Kings 15:16
Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their days.

2 Chronicles 10:16-19
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So all the Israelites went home, / but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah. / Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem. ...

2 Chronicles 11:13-17
Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam. / For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD. / And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made. ...

2 Chronicles 12:1
After Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he and all Israel with him forsook the Law of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 12:15
Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer concerning the genealogies? There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days.

2 Chronicles 15:9
And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

Matthew 12:25
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Mark 3:24-25
If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. / If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand.

Luke 11:17
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.

John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Acts 20:30
Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.


Treasury of Scripture

And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

the kingdom

2 Chronicles 9:8
Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

Psalm 2:1-6
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? …

Isaiah 7:6,7
Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: …

a great multitude

2 Chronicles 14:9-11
And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah…

2 Chronicles 20:6,12
And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? …

Psalm 33:16
There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

with you golden

2 Chronicles 11:15
And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

1 Kings 12:28
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

1 Kings 14:9
But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:

Jump to Previous
Army Authority Calves David David's Descendants Gods Gold Golden Great Hand Hands Indeed Intend Jeroboam Jerobo'am Kingdom Multitude Oxen Plan Purpose Resist Shew Strong Think Vast Withstand Yourselves
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Army Authority Calves David David's Descendants Gods Gold Golden Great Hand Hands Indeed Intend Jeroboam Jerobo'am Kingdom Multitude Oxen Plan Purpose Resist Shew Strong Think Vast Withstand Yourselves
2 Chronicles 13
1. Abijah succeeding makes war against Jeroboam
4. he declares the right of his cause
13. Trusting in God, he overcomes Jeroboam
21. The wives and children of Abijah














And now you are saying
This phrase introduces a challenge or a confrontation. In the context of 2 Chronicles 13, King Abijah of Judah is addressing Jeroboam and the northern kingdom of Israel. The Hebrew root for "saying" (אָמַר, 'amar) often implies not just speaking but declaring or asserting something with confidence. Abijah is highlighting the audacity of Israel's claim against the divinely established order.

you can resist
The word "resist" suggests opposition or defiance. In Hebrew, the concept of resistance here is tied to standing against or opposing something. Historically, this reflects the division of the united monarchy after Solomon's reign, where the northern tribes resisted the Davidic line, which was ordained by God to rule over Israel.

the kingdom of the LORD
This phrase underscores the divine authority and legitimacy of the Davidic dynasty. The "kingdom of the LORD" is not merely a political entity but a theocratic institution established by God. The Hebrew word for "kingdom" (מַמְלָכָה, mamlakah) emphasizes sovereignty and dominion, reminding the audience that the true kingship belongs to God, who has chosen David's line to rule.

which is in the hands of the descendants of David
The "descendants of David" refers to the Davidic dynasty, which God promised would endure forever (2 Samuel 7:16). The phrase "in the hands of" suggests stewardship and responsibility. The Davidic kings were seen as God's appointed rulers, and their authority was a direct extension of God's covenant with David.

You are indeed a vast army
This acknowledges the military strength of Jeroboam's forces. The Hebrew term for "vast" (רַב, rav) conveys the idea of greatness in number and might. Despite their numerical superiority, Abijah points out that their strength is futile against the divine will.

and you have with you the golden calves
The "golden calves" were idols set up by Jeroboam to prevent the northern tribes from worshiping in Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:28-30). This act of idolatry was a direct violation of the first two commandments and a significant factor in the spiritual decline of Israel. The calves symbolize a departure from true worship and reliance on man-made objects rather than God.

that Jeroboam made to be your gods
This phrase highlights the artificial and illegitimate nature of the northern kingdom's worship. Jeroboam's creation of these idols was a political move to consolidate his power, but it led the people into sin. The Hebrew word for "made" (עָשָׂה, asah) implies fabrication or creation, contrasting the living God with these lifeless images. This serves as a reminder of the dangers of idolatry and the importance of remaining faithful to God's commandments.

(8) And now ye think.--Literally, say, i.e., in your hearts (2Chronicles 2:1).

To withstand the kingdom.--Literally, to show yourselves strong before the kingdom, as in last verse.

In (through) the hand of the sons of David.--The meaning is, the kingdom which Jehovah holds by the instrumentality of the house of David, as His earthly representatives. (Comp. Vulg., "regno Domini quod possidet per filios David." (See 1Chronicles 29:23).

And there are with you golden calves.--And therefore you believe yourselves assured of Divine aid, in addition to the strength of numbers. But your trust is delusive, for Jeroboam made the objects of your fond idolatry (see Isaiah 44:9-17); and you have superseded the only lawful worship of Jehovah (2Chronicles 13:9). . . .

Verses 8, 9. - The five succeeding thrusts of these two verses, prefaced by the somewhat self-conscious but, nevertheless, validly pleaded orthodoxy of his own position, are well delivered by Abijah. Jeroboam is scathed

(1) for his confidence in a great multitude;

(2) for his golden calves for gods;

(3) for what amounted necessarily to the excommunication and repudiation of the priests of the Lord, time- and nation-honoured; . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And now
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

you
אַתֶּ֣ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

think
אֹֽמְרִ֗ים (’ō·mə·rîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

you can resist
לְהִתְחַזֵּק֙ (lə·hiṯ·ḥaz·zêq)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

the kingdom
מַמְלֶ֣כֶת (mam·le·ḵeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4467: Kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

which is in the hands
בְּיַ֖ד (bə·yaḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of David’s
דָוִ֑יד (ḏā·wîḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

descendants.
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

You
וְאַתֶּם֙ (wə·’at·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are indeed a vast
רָ֔ב (rāḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

army,
הָמ֣וֹן (hā·mō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1995: A noise, tumult, crowd, disquietude, wealth

and you have with you
וְעִמָּכֶם֙ (wə·‘im·mā·ḵem)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

the golden
זָהָ֔ב (zā·hāḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2091: Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky

calves
עֶגְלֵ֣י (‘eḡ·lê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5695: A, calf, one nearly grown

that
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Jeroboam
יָרָבְעָ֖ם (yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3379: Jeroboam -- 'the people increase', the name of two Israelites kings

made
עָשָׂ֥ה (‘ā·śāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

for you
לָכֶ֛ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

as gods.
לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (lê·lō·hîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 13:8 Now you think to withstand the kingdom (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
2 Chronicles 13:7
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