Study Desk

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah,

and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother's name was Maacah, ^(F52) a daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

Abijah went into battle with a force of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.

Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!

Don't you know that the LORD , the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?

Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled against his master.

Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.

"And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the LORD , which is in the hands of David's descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.

But didn't you drive out the priests of the LORD , the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.

"As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them.

Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD . They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the LORD our God. But you have forsaken him.

God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. Men of Israel, do not fight against the LORD , the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed."

Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them.

Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the LORD . The priests blew their trumpets

and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.

Abijah and his men inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel's able men.

The men of Israel were subdued on that occasion, and the men of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD , the God of their fathers.

Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.