2 Chronicles 13

Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

1Jeroboam was king of Israel. In his eighteenth year, Abijah became king of Judah.

2He 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.

2Abijah ruled three years in the city of Jerusalem. His mother was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from the town of Gibeah. Abijah and Jeroboam were at war with each other.

3And 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.

3Abijah lined up his army for battle. He had 400,000 brave, picked soldiers. Jeroboam lined up against him with 800,000 strong, picked soldiers.

4And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;

4Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hills of Ephraim. He called out, "Listen to me, Jeroboam, and all of Israel!

5Ought 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?

5Don't you know this? The LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom of Israel to David. He gave it to David and his sons forever, by a promise that would never break.

NoteThe KJV says "a covenant of salt." Salt kept food from spoiling, so people used it as a picture of a promise that lasts and does not go bad.

6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.

6But Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, turned against King Solomon, whom he had served. Solomon was David's son, and Jeroboam refused to obey him.

7And 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.

7Useless, wicked men gathered around Jeroboam. Together they stood against Rehoboam, Solomon's son. Rehoboam was young and unsure of himself. He could not stop them.

NoteThe KJV calls these men "children of Belial." That is an old way of saying worthless or wicked men. It does not mean they were anyone's children.

8And 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.

8Now you think you can beat the LORD's kingdom, which David's family rules. Yes, there are many of you. And you brought the gold calf statues Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9Have 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.

9You chased away the LORD's priests, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites who helped them. Then you picked your own priests, the way other countries do. Anyone who brings a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods at all.

10But 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:

10But the LORD is our God, and we have not left him. Our priests are the sons of Aaron, and they serve the LORD. The Levites do the work God gave them.

11And 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.

11Every morning and every evening our priests burn gifts to the LORD. They burn sweet-smelling incense too. They set out the special bread in rows on the clean table. Every evening they light the lamps on the gold lampstand. We do what the LORD our God told us to do. But you have left him.

NoteThe "shewbread" was special bread kept in God's house. Twelve loaves were set out on a table before God each week.

12And, 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.

12Look, God himself is with us. He is our leader. His priests are here with trumpets to sound the call against you. People of Israel, do not fight the LORD, the God of your fathers. You will not win."

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

13But Jeroboam had sent some soldiers around to hide behind Judah's army. So his men were in front of Judah, and the hidden men were behind them.

14And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

14Judah looked back and saw enemies in front and behind. They cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets.

15Then 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.

15Then the men of Judah gave a loud shout. As they shouted, God struck down Jeroboam and all Israel. They fell before Abijah and Judah.

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

16The men of Israel ran away from Judah. God handed them over to Judah.

17And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

17Abijah and his men beat them badly. Five hundred thousand picked men of Israel died.

18Thus 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.

18So Israel was beaten that day, and Judah won. Judah won because they trusted the LORD, the God of their fathers.

19And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.

19Abijah chased Jeroboam and took cities from him. He took Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephrain, along with their small towns.

20Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

20Jeroboam never got his power back while Abijah lived. The LORD struck him, and he died.

21But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

21But Abijah grew strong. He married fourteen wives. He had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

22The other things Abijah did and said were written down. They are in the book of the prophet Iddo, a man who told people what God said.