Abijah Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 15:1–8)
1 UEB In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. BSB BSB: In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king of Judah,
2 UEB He ruled for three years in Jerusalem; his mother's name was Macaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. 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 UEB Abijah went into battle with an army of strong, courageous soldiers, 400,000 chosen men. Jeroboam placed battle lines against him with 800,000 chosen men, strong, courageous soldiers. 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 UEB Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Listen to me, 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 UEB Do you not know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the rule over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons by a formal covenant? 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 UEB Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. BSB BSB: Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.
7 UEB Worthless men, base fellows, gathered to him. They came against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced 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 UEB So now you plan to resist the kingdom of Yahweh that is held within the hand of the descendants of David, because you are a large army, and you have the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your 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 UEB But did you not drive out the priests of Yahweh, the descendants of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own in the same way as the people of other lands do? Whoever comes to serve as a priest, sacrificing a young bullock and seven rams, he becomes a priest of what are not 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 UEB But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests, descendants of Aaron, serving Yahweh, and the Levites, who are at their work. 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 UEB Every morning and evening they burn for Yahweh burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also arrange the bread of the presence on the pure table; they also tend the lampstand of gold with its lamps, for them to burn every evening. We keep the commandments of Yahweh, 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 UEB See, God is with us at our head, and his priests are here with the trumpets to sound an alarm against you. People of Israel, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed." 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 UEB But Jeroboam prepared an ambush behind them; his army was in front of 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 UEB When Judah looked back, behold, the fighting was both in front of them and behind them. They cried out to Yahweh, and the priests blew 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 UEB Then the men of Judah gave a shout; as they shouted, it came about that God struck 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 UEB The people of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into the hand of Judah. BSB BSB: So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.
17 UEB Abijah and his army killed them with great slaughter; 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell dead. BSB BSB: Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.
18 UEB In this way, the people of Israel were subdued at that time; the people of Judah won because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. 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 UEB Abijah pursued Jeroboam; he took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages. BSB BSB: Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.
20 UEB Jeroboam never recovered power again during the days of Abijah; Yahweh 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 UEB But Abijah became powerful; he took fourteen wives for himself and became the father of twenty-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 UEB The rest of Abijah's deeds, his behavior, and words are written in the history 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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