MLV(i)
3 And Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men. And Jeroboam arranged for battle against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men who were mighty men of valor.
4 And Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim and said, Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel. 5 Should you* not know that Jehovah, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David everlasting, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.
7 And there were gathered to him vain men, sons of worthlessness, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them.
8 And now you* think to withstand the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David and you* are a great multitude and there are with you* the golden calves which Jeroboam made you* for gods. 9 Have you* not driven out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron and the Levites and made priests for you* after the manner of the peoples of other lands? So that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
10 But as for us, Jehovah is our God and we have not forsaken him. And we have priests ministering to Jehovah, the sons of Aaron and the Levites in their work. 11 And they burn to Jehovah every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. Also they set the showbread in order upon the pure table and the lamp-stand of gold with the lamps of it to burn every evening. For we keep the charge of Jehovah our God, but you* have forsaken him.
12 And behold, God is with us at our head and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to shout an alarm against you*. O sons of Israel, do not fight against Jehovah, the God of your* fathers. For you* will not prosper.
13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come around behind them, so they were before Judah and the ambush was behind them.
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them. And they cried to Jehovah and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, it happened, that God killed* Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16 And the sons of Israel fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hand. 17 And Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter. So there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 Thus the sons of Israel were brought under at that time and the sons of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon Jehovah, the God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns of it and Jeshanah with the towns of it and Ephron with the towns of it.
20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah. And Jehovah killed* him and he died.
4 And Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim and said, Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel. 5 Should you* not know that Jehovah, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David everlasting, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.
7 And there were gathered to him vain men, sons of worthlessness, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them.
8 And now you* think to withstand the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David and you* are a great multitude and there are with you* the golden calves which Jeroboam made you* for gods. 9 Have you* not driven out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron and the Levites and made priests for you* after the manner of the peoples of other lands? So that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
10 But as for us, Jehovah is our God and we have not forsaken him. And we have priests ministering to Jehovah, the sons of Aaron and the Levites in their work. 11 And they burn to Jehovah every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. Also they set the showbread in order upon the pure table and the lamp-stand of gold with the lamps of it to burn every evening. For we keep the charge of Jehovah our God, but you* have forsaken him.
12 And behold, God is with us at our head and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to shout an alarm against you*. O sons of Israel, do not fight against Jehovah, the God of your* fathers. For you* will not prosper.
13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come around behind them, so they were before Judah and the ambush was behind them.
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them. And they cried to Jehovah and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, it happened, that God killed* Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16 And the sons of Israel fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hand. 17 And Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter. So there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 Thus the sons of Israel were brought under at that time and the sons of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon Jehovah, the God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns of it and Jeshanah with the towns of it and Ephron with the towns of it.
20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah. And Jehovah killed* him and he died.