| New Living Translation | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. | 1In the eighteenth year of Israel's King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah, |
| 2He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Then war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam. | 2and he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. |
| 3Judah, led by King Abijah, fielded 400,000 select warriors, while Jeroboam mustered 800,000 select troops from Israel. | 3Abijah set his army of warriors in order with four hundred thousand fit young men. Jeroboam arranged his mighty army of eight hundred thousand fit young men in battle formation against him. |
| 4When 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! | 4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, hear me. |
| 5Don’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? | 5Don't you know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? |
| 6Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a mere servant of David’s son Solomon, rebelled against his master. | 6But Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. |
| 7Then a whole gang of scoundrels joined him, defying Solomon’s son Rehoboam when he was young and inexperienced and could not stand up to them. | 7Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself against them. |
| 8“Do you really think you can stand against the kingdom of the LORD that is led by the descendants of David? You may have a vast army, and you have those gold calves that Jeroboam made as your gods. | 8"And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the LORD's kingdom, which is in the hand of one of David's sons. You are a vast number and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. |
| 9But you have chased away the priests of the LORD (the descendants of Aaron) and the Levites, and you have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours! | 9Didn't you banish the priests of the LORD, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. |
| 10“But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve the LORD as priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work. | 10"But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not abandoned him; the priests ministering to the LORD are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites serve at their tasks. |
| 11They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD every morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him. | 11They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the LORD every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the Bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have abandoned him. |
| 12So you see, God is with us. He is our leader. His priests blow their trumpets and lead us into battle against you. O people of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed!” | 12Look, God and his priests are with us at our head. The trumpets are ready to sound the charge against you. Israelites, don't fight against the LORD God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed." |
| 13Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them. | 13Now Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to advance from behind them. So they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. |
| 14When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the LORD for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, | 14Judah turned and discovered that the battle was in front of them and behind them, so they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets, |
| 15and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah. | 15and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. When the men of Judah raised the battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. |
| 16The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat. | 16So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God handed them over to them. |
| 17Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel’s select troops were killed that day. | 17Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and five hundred thousand fit young men of Israel were killed. |
| 18So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their ancestors. | 18The Israelites were subdued at that time. The Judahites succeeded because they depended on the LORD, the God of their ancestors. |
| 19Abijah and his army pursued Jeroboam’s troops and captured some of his towns, including Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages. | 19Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages. |
| 20So Jeroboam of Israel never regained his power during Abijah’s lifetime, and finally the LORD struck him down and he died. | 20Jeroboam no longer retained his power during Abijah's reign; ultimately, the LORD struck him and he died. |
| 21Meanwhile, Abijah of Judah grew more and more powerful. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. | 21However, Abijah grew strong, acquired fourteen wives, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. |
| 22The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including his words and deeds, are recorded in The Commentary of Iddo the Prophet. | 22The rest of the events of Abijah's reign, along with his ways and his sayings, are written in the Writing of the Prophet Iddo. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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