11
They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and fragrant incense, set out the rows of bread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand so that its lamps may burn every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have abandoned him.
12
See, God is with us at our head, and his priests have their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O Israelites, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors; for you cannot succeed."
13
Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come on them from behind; thus his troops were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
14
When Judah turned, the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets.
15
Then the people of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the people of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16
The Israelites fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hands.
17
Abijah and his army defeated them with great slaughter; five hundred thousand picked men of Israel fell slain.
18
Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
19
Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron with its villages.
20
Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah; the Lord struck him down, and he died.
21
But Abijah grew strong. He took fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.