| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. | 1Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. |
| 2He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. | 2He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Then war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam. |
| 3Abijah launched the attack with 400,000 well-trained warriors, while Jeroboam deployed against him 800,000 well-trained warriors. | 3Judah, led by King Abijah, fielded 400,000 select warriors, while Jeroboam mustered 800,000 select troops from Israel. |
| 4Abijah ascended Mount Zemaraim, in the Ephraimite hill country, and said: "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel! | 4When the army of Judah arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim and shouted to Jeroboam and all Israel: “Listen to me! |
| 5Don't you realize that the LORD God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement? | 5Don’t you realize that the LORD, the God of Israel, made a lasting covenant with David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever? |
| 6Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. | 6Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a mere servant of David’s son Solomon, rebelled against his master. |
| 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. | 7Then a whole gang of scoundrels joined him, defying Solomon’s son Rehoboam when he was young and inexperienced and could not stand up to them. |
| 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. | 8“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. |
| 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! | 9But you have chased away the priests of the LORD (the descendants of Aaron) and the Levites, and you have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours! |
| 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. | 10“But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve the LORD as priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work. |
| 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. | 11They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD every morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him. |
| 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!" | 12So you see, God is with us. He is our leader. His priests blow their trumpets and lead us into battle against you. O people of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed!” |
| 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. | 13Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them. |
| 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, | 14When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the LORD for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, |
| 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. | 15and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah. |
| 16The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army, and God handed them over to the men of Judah. | 16The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat. |
| 17Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them; 500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead. | 17Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel’s select troops were killed that day. |
| 18That day the Israelites were defeated; the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD God of their ancestors. | 18So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their ancestors. |
| 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. | 19Abijah and his army pursued Jeroboam’s troops and captured some of his towns, including Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages. |
| 20Jeroboam did not regain power during the reign of Abijah. The LORD struck him down and he died. | 20So Jeroboam of Israel never regained his power during Abijah’s lifetime, and finally the LORD struck him down and he died. |
| 21Abijah's power grew; he had fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. | 21Meanwhile, Abijah of Judah grew more and more powerful. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. |
| 22The rest of the events of Abijah's reign, including his deeds and sayings, are recorded in the writings of the prophet Iddo. | 22The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including his words and deeds, are recorded in The Commentary of Iddo the Prophet. |
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