## Abijah Reigns over Judah 

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In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 

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He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 

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And Abijah began the battle with a military force of mighty men, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam arranged _them_ all for battle against him with 800,000 chosen men _who were_ mighty men of valor. 

## God Smites Israel Before Judah 

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Then Abijah rose up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 

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Do you not know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? 

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

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and worthless men gathered about him, vile men, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon; he was young and timid and could not exert his strength before them. 

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"So now you intend to exert your strength before the kingdom of Yahweh by the hand of the sons of David, being a great multitude and _having_ with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. 

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Have you not driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of _other_ lands? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a bull from the herd and seven rams, even he may become a priest of _what are_ no gods. 

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But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to Yahweh as priests, and the Levites are in their work. 

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And every morning and evening they burn to Yahweh burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is _set_ on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is _ready_ to light every evening; for we keep the responsibility _given by_ Yahweh our God, but you have forsaken Him. 

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And behold, God is with us at _our_ head and His priests with the signal trumpets to raise the shout _of war_ against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed." 

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But Jeroboam had encircled an ambush to come from the rear, so that _Israel_ was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. 

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So Judah turned around, and behold, they were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to Yahweh, and the priests blew the trumpets. 

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Then the men of Judah raised a shout _of war_, and when the men of Judah raised the shout _of war_, then it was that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 

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So the sons of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. 

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And Abijah and his people struck them down with a great slaughter, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain. 

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Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah were strong because they leaned upon Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 

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And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him _several_ cities, Bethel with its towns, Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns. 

## Death of Jeroboam 

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Now Jeroboam did not again recover power in the days of Abijah; and Yahweh smote him and he died. 

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But Abijah became stronger; and he took fourteen wives to himself, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 

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Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in the treatise of the prophet Iddo.