| Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1In the eighteenth year of Israel's King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah, | 1In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. |
| 2and he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. | 2He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. |
| 3Abijah set his army of warriors in order with four hundred thousand fit young men. Jeroboam arranged his mighty army of eight hundred thousand fit young men in battle formation against him. | 3Abijah launched the attack with 400,000 well-trained warriors, while Jeroboam deployed against him 800,000 well-trained warriors. |
| 4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, hear me. | 4Abijah ascended Mount Zemaraim, in the Ephraimite hill country, and said: "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel! |
| 5Don't you know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? | 5Don't you realize that the LORD God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement? |
| 6But Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. | 6Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. |
| 7Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself against them. | 7Lawless good-for-nothing men gathered around him and conspired against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man and could not resist them. |
| 8"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. | 8Now 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. |
| 9Didn't you banish the priests of the LORD, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. | 9But you banished the LORD's priests, Aaron's descendants, and the Levites, and appointed your own priests just as the surrounding nations do! Anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of these fake gods! |
| 10"But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not abandoned him; the priests ministering to the LORD are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites serve at their tasks. | 10But as for us, the LORD is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron's descendants serve as the LORD's priests and the Levites assist them with the work. |
| 11They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the LORD every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the Bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have abandoned him. | 11They offer burnt sacrifices to the LORD every morning and every evening, along with fragrant incense. They arrange the Bread of the Presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly we are observing the LORD our God's regulations, but you have rejected him. |
| 12Look, God and his priests are with us at our head. The trumpets are ready to sound the charge against you. Israelites, don't fight against the LORD God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed." | 12Now look, God is with us as our leader. His priests are ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you. You Israelites, don't fight against the LORD God of your ancestors, for you will not win!" |
| 13Now Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to advance from behind them. So they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. | 13Now Jeroboam had sent some men to ambush the Judahite army from behind. The main army was in front of the Judahite army; the ambushers were behind it. |
| 14Judah turned and discovered that the battle was in front of them and behind them, so they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets, | 14The men of Judah turned around and realized they were being attacked from the front and the rear. So they cried out for help to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets, |
| 15and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. When the men of Judah raised the battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. | 15and the men of Judah gave the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, the LORD struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. |
| 16So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God handed them over to them. | 16The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army, and God handed them over to the men of Judah. |
| 17Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and five hundred thousand fit young men of Israel were killed. | 17Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them; 500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead. |
| 18The Israelites were subdued at that time. The Judahites succeeded because they depended on the LORD, the God of their ancestors. | 18That day the Israelites were defeated; the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD God of their ancestors. |
| 19Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages. | 19Abijah chased Jeroboam; he seized from him these cities: Bethel and its surrounding towns, Jeshanah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron and its surrounding towns. |
| 20Jeroboam no longer retained his power during Abijah's reign; ultimately, the LORD struck him and he died. | 20Jeroboam did not regain power during the reign of Abijah. The LORD struck him down and he died. |
| 21However, Abijah grew strong, acquired fourteen wives, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. | 21Abijah's power grew; he had fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. |
| 22The rest of the events of Abijah's reign, along with his ways and his sayings, are written in the Writing of the Prophet Iddo. | 22The rest of the events of Abijah's reign, including his deeds and sayings, are recorded in the writings of the prophet Iddo. |
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