Abijah Reigns in Judah
1 1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam,
2Abijah began to reign over Judah.
2
He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was
3Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
4Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3
Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam
5drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors.
4
Then Abijah stood up on Mount
6Zemaraim that is in
7the hill country of Ephraim and said, "Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!
5
Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel
8gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by
9a covenant of salt?
6
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up
10and rebelled against his lord,
7
and certain
11worthless scoundrels gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was
12young and irresolute and could not withstand them.
8
"And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you
13the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods.
9
14Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes
15for ordination with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are
16no gods.
10
But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the LORD who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service.