Abijah Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 15:1–8)
1 AKJV Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. BSB BSB: In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king of Judah,
2 AKJV He 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. BSB BSB: and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 AKJV And 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 valor. BSB BSB: Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in formation against him with 800,000 chosen and mighty men of valor.
Civil War against Jeroboam 4 AKJV And Abijah stood up on mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, you Jeroboam, and all Israel; BSB BSB: Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!
5 AKJV Ought you 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? BSB BSB: Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?
6 AKJV Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and has rebelled against his lord. BSB BSB: Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.
7 AKJV And there are gathered to 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. BSB BSB: Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
8 AKJV And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. BSB BSB: And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.
9 AKJV Have you 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 whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. BSB BSB: But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.
10 AKJV But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister to the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait on their business: BSB BSB: But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not forsaken Him; the priests who minister to the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.
11 AKJV And they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the show bread also set they in order on 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 you have forsaken him. BSB BSB: Every morning and every evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the rows of showbread on the ceremonially clean table, and every evening they light the lamps of the gold lampstand. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have forsaken Him.
12 AKJV And, 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 you not against the LORD God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper. BSB BSB: Now behold, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with their trumpets sound the battle call against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”
13 AKJV But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them. BSB BSB: Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to ambush from the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah, the ambush was behind them.
14 AKJV And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried to the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. BSB BSB: When Judah turned and discovered that the battle was both before and behind them, they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets,
15 AKJV Then 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. BSB BSB: and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16 AKJV And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. BSB BSB: So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.
17 AKJV And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. BSB BSB: Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.
18 AKJV Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their fathers. BSB BSB: Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.
19 AKJV And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof. BSB BSB: Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.
20 AKJV Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died. BSB BSB: Jeroboam did not again recover his power during the days of Abijah, and the LORD struck him down and he died.
21 AKJV But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. BSB BSB: But Abijah grew strong, married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22 AKJV And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo. BSB BSB: Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, along with his ways and his words, are written in the Treatise of the Prophet Iddo.
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