| New King James Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. | 1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. |
| 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. | 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. |
| 3Abijah set the battle in order with an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand choice men. Jeroboam also drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand choice men, mighty men of valor. | 3Abijah began the battle with an army of valiant warriors, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with 800,000 chosen men who were valiant warriors. |
| 4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: | 4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: |
| 5Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt? | 5"Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? |
| 6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. | 6"Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master, |
| 7Then worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced and could not withstand them. | 7and worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them. |
| 8And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods. | 8"So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. |
| 9Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests, like the peoples of other lands, so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of things that are not gods? | 9"Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods. |
| 10But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the LORD are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties. | 10"But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the LORD as priests, and the Levites attend to their work. |
| 11And they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense; they also set the showbread in order on the pure gold table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening; for we keep the command of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him. | 11"Every morning and evening they burn to the LORD 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 charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him. |
| 12Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!” | 12"Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not succeed." |
| 13But Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. | 13But Jeroboam had set an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. |
| 14And when Judah looked around, to their surprise the battle line was at both front and rear; and they cried out to the LORD, and the priests sounded the trumpets. | 14When Judah turned around, behold, they were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. |
| 15Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. | 15Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it was that God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. |
| 16And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand. | 16When the sons of Israel fled before Judah, God gave them into their hand. |
| 17Then Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain. | 17Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain. |
| 18Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their fathers. | 18Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah conquered because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers. |
| 19And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephrain with its villages. | 19Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron with its villages. |
| 20So Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and the LORD struck him, and he died. | 20Jeroboam did not again recover strength in the days of Abijah; and the LORD struck him and he died. |
| 21But Abijah grew mighty, married fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. | 21But Abijah became powerful; and took fourteen wives to himself, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. |
| 22Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings are written in the annals of the prophet Iddo. | 22Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in the treatise of the prophet Iddo. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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