4 Then Abijahstood on Mount1Zemaraim, which is in the hillcountry of Ephraim, and said, "Listen to me, Jeroboam and allIsrael:
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"Do you not know that 2the LORDGod of Israelgave the ruleoverIsraelforever to David and his sons by 3a covenant of salt?
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"Yet 4Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelledagainst his master,
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and worthlessmengatheredabout him, scoundrels*, who provedtoostrong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when 5he was young and timid* and could not hold his ownagainst them.
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"So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORDthrough the sons of David, being a greatmultitude and having with you 6the goldencalveswhichJeroboammade for gods for you.
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"7Have 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? Whoevercomes8to consecrate*himself with a youngbull and sevenrams, even he may become a priest of what are 9nogods.
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"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.
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"Everymorning and evening10they burn to the LORDburntofferings and fragrantincense, and 11the showbread* is set on the cleantable, and the goldenlampstand with its lamps is ready to lighteveryevening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him.
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"Now behold, God is with us at our head and 12His priests with the signaltrumpets to sound the alarmagainst you. O sons of Israel, do not fightagainst the LORDGod of your fathers, for you will not succeed."