Study Desk

"^(C1)Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes ^(C2)to consecrate himself with a bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of things that are ^(C3)not gods.

"But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the LORD as priests, and the Levites ^(F1)attend to their work.

"Every morning and evening ^(C1)they ^(F1)burn to the LORD burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and ^(C2)the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we perform our duty to the LORD our God, but you have abandoned Him.

"Now behold, God is with us at our head, and ^(C1)His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the war cry against you. Sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not succeed."

But Jeroboam ^(C1)had set an ambush to come from behind, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them.

When Judah turned around, behold, ^(F1)they were attacked both from front and rear; so ^(C1)they cried out to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets.

Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, God ^(F1)(C1)defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

When the sons of Israel fled from Judah, ^(C1)God handed them over to them.

Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell slain.

The sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah ^(F1)conquered ^(C1)because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and ^(F1)Ephron with its villages.

Jeroboam did not again recover strength in the days of Abijah; and the ^(C1)LORD struck him and ^(C2)he died.