13In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.H8083H6240H8141H4428H3379H29H4427H30632He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.H4427H7969H8141H3389H517H8034H4322H1323H222H1390H4421H29H33793Abijah engaged in battle, having an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand picked men; and Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with eight hundred thousand picked mighty warriors.H29H631H4421H631H2428H1368H4421H702H3967H505H977H376H3379H4421H6186H8083H3967H505H977H376H1368H24284Then Abijah stood on the slope of Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!H29H6965H2022H6787H2022H669H559H8085H3379H34785Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?H3045H3068H430H3478H5414H4467H3478H1732H5769H1121H1285H44176Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord;H3379H1121H5028H5650H8010H1121H1732H6965H4775H1137and certain worthless scoundrels gathered around him and defied Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them.H6908H7386H582H1121H1100H553H7346H1121H8010H7346H5288H7390H3824H2388H64408"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.H559H2388H6440H4467H3068H3027H1121H1732H7227H1995H2091H5695H3379H6213H4309Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the descendants of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to be consecrated with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are no gods.H5080H3548H3068H1121H175H3881H6213H3548H5971H776H935H4390H3027H1121H1241H6499H7651H352H3548H3808H43010But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. We have priests ministering to the LORD who are descendants of Aaron, and Levites for their service.H3068H430H5800H3548H8334H3068H1121H175H3881H439911They offer to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and fragrant incense, set out the rows of bread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand so that its lamps may burn every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him.H6999H3068H1242H6153H5930H5561H7004H3899H4635H2889H7979H4501H2091H5216H1197H6153H8104H4931H3068H430H580012See, God is with us at our head, and his priests have their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O Israelites, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors; for you cannot succeed."H430H7218H3548H8643H2689H7321H1121H3478H3898H3068H430H1H674313Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come on them from behind; thus his troops were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.H3379H3993H935H5437H310H6440H3063H3993H31014When Judah turned, the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets.H3063H6437H4421H6440H268H6817H3068H3548H2690H2690H268915Then the people of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the people of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.H376H3063H7321H376H3063H7321H430H5062H3379H3478H6440H29H306316The Israelites fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hands.H1121H3478H5127H6440H3063H430H5414H302717Abijah and his army defeated them with great slaughter; five hundred thousand picked men of Israel fell slain.H29H5971H5221H7227H4347H5307H2491H3478H2568H3967H505H977H37618Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their ancestors.H1121H3478H3665H6256H1121H3063H553H8172H3068H430H119Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron with its villages.H29H7291H310H3379H3920H5892H1008H1323H3466H1323H6085H132320Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah; the LORD struck him down, and he died.H3379H6113H3581H3117H29H3068H5062H419121But Abijah grew strong. He took fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.H29H2388H5375H702H6240H802H3205H6242H8147H1121H8337H6240H132322The rest of the acts of Abijah, his behavior and his deeds, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.H3499H1697H29H1870H1697H3789H4097H5030H5714
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