2 Chronicles 13:5

5 Do you not all know that Yahweh the God of Israel gave the kingdom to David over Israel forever, to him and to his sons [by] a covenant of salt?

2 Chronicles 13:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 13:5

Ought you not to know
They did know what he afterwards says, but he would have them consider and acknowledge it:

that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for
ever;
to him and his seed, particularly to the Messiah, that should spring from him; but whether Abijah had this in view is a question, see ( 2 Samuel 7:13 2 Samuel 7:16 )

even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
that is, a perpetual one, which was inviolable, and never to be made void; called so, because salt preserves from corruption and putrefaction, and because made use of in sacrifices offered when covenants were made; the Targum is,

``as salt waters, which never lose their saltness.''

2 Chronicles 13:5 In-Context

3 And Abijah joined in the battle with an army of four hundred thousand {battle-hardened warriors}, chosen men, and Jeroboam put the battle in order against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, an army of mighty warriors.

4 Then Abijah stood up on top of Mount Zemaraim that [is] in the hill country of Ephraim and said, "Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!

5 Do you not all know that Yahweh the God of Israel gave the kingdom to David over Israel forever, to him and to his sons [by] a covenant of salt?

6 But Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master,

7 and worthless men, {sons of wickedness}, were gathered about him and became hostile against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was a boy and gentle of heart and was not strong enough [to stand] before them.