2 Chronicles 13:8-22 ▼

8 “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.

9 Have you not driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a bull from the herd and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods.

10 But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to Yahweh as priests, and the Levites are in their work.

11 And every morning and evening they burn to Yahweh burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the responsibility given by Yahweh our God, but you have forsaken Him.

12 And behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to raise the shout of war against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

13 But Jeroboam had encircled an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them.

14 So Judah turned around, and behold, they were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to Yahweh, and the priests blew the trumpets.

15 Then the men of Judah raised a shout of war, and when the men of Judah raised the shout of war, then it was that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 So the sons of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.

17 And Abijah and his people struck them down with a great slaughter, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.

18 Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah were strong because they leaned upon Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its towns, Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.

20 Now Jeroboam did not again recover power in the days of Abijah; and Yahweh smote him and he died.

21 But Abijah became stronger; and he took fourteen wives to himself, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in the treatise of the prophet Iddo.