The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
17 Abijah and his troops slaughtered them - 500,000 of Israel's best fighters were killed that day.
17
Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men.
18 The army of Israel fell flat on its face - a humiliating defeat. The army of Judah won hands down because they trusted God, the God of their ancestors.
18
The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
19 Abijah followed up his victory by pursuing Jeroboam, taking the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron with their surrounding villages.
19
Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.
20 Jeroboam never did recover from his defeat while Abijah lived. Later on God struck him down and he died.
20
Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the LORD struck him down and he died.
21 Meanwhile Abijah flourished; he married fourteen wives and ended up with a family of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
21
But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22 The rest of the history of Abijah, what he did and said, is written in the study written by Iddo the prophet.
22
The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.