2 Chronicles 13:1-6

1 Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.

2 He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Then war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 Judah, led by King Abijah, fielded 400,000 select warriors, while Jeroboam mustered 800,000 select troops from Israel.

4 When the army of Judah arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim and shouted to Jeroboam and all Israel: “Listen to me!

5 Don’t you realize that the LORD, the God of Israel, made a lasting covenant with David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever?

6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a mere servant of David’s son Solomon, rebelled against his master.

2 Chronicles 13:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 13

This chapter begins with the reign of Abijah, 2Ch 13:1,2, gives an account of a battle between him and Jeroboam, previous to which Abijah made a speech to Jeroboam and his army, to vindicate his own cause, encourage his own soldiers, and intimidate the enemy, and dissuade them from fighting, 2Ch 13:3-12 and in the mean while Jeroboam laid an ambush for him, which greatly distressed him, 2Ch 13:13,14, nevertheless he obtained a complete victory over him, 2Ch 13:15-20, and the chapter is concluded with some account of his family and reign, 2Ch 13:21,22.

Footnotes

• [a]. As in most Greek manuscripts and Syriac version (see also 2 Chr 11:20-21 ; 1 Kgs 15:2 ); Hebrew reads Micaiah, a variant spelling of Maacah.
• [b]. Hebrew a covenant of salt.