3
Aviyah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: and Yarov`am set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor.
4
Aviyah stood up on Mount Tzemaryim, which is in the hill-country of Efrayim, and said, Hear me, Yarov`am and all Yisra'el:
5
Ought you not to know that the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, gave the kingdom over Yisra'el to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
6
Yet Yarov`am the son of Nevat, the servant of Shlomo the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord.
7
There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rechav`am the son of Shlomo, when Rechav`am was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.
8
Now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Yarov`am made you for gods.
9
Haven't you driven out the Kohanim of the LORD, the sons of Aharon, and the Levites, and made you Kohanim after the manner of the peoples of [other] lands? so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a Kohen of [those who are] no gods.
10
But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and [we have] Kohanim ministering to the LORD, the sons of Aharon, and the Levites in their work:
11
and they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also [set they] in order on the pure table; and the menorah of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken him.
12
Behold, God is with us at our head, and his Kohanim with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Yisra'el, don't you fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.
13
But Yarov`am caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Yehudah, and the ambush was behind them.