Abijah Reigns in Judah
בִּשְׁנַ֛ת שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ אֲבִיָּ֖ה עַל־יְהוּדָֽה׃
In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king of Judah,
שָׁל֣וֹשׁ שָׁנִ֗ים מָלַךְ֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ מִיכָיָ֥הוּ בַת־אוּרִיאֵ֖ל מִן־גִּבְעָ֑ה וּמִלְחָמָ֥ה הָיְתָ֛ה בֵּ֥ין אֲבִיָּ֖ה וּבֵ֥ין יָרָבְעָֽם׃
and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
וַיֶּאְסֹ֨ר אֲבִיָּ֜ה אֶת־הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה בְּחַ֙יִל֙ גִּבּוֹרֵ֣י מִלְחָמָ֔ה אַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף אִ֣ישׁ בָּח֑וּר ס וְיָרָבְעָ֗ם עָרַ֤ךְ עִמּוֹ֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה בִּשְׁמוֹנֶ֨ה מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֛לֶף אִ֥ישׁ בָּח֖וּר גִּבּ֥וֹר חָֽיִל׃ ס
Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in formation against him with 800,000 chosen and mighty men of valor.
Civil War against Jeroboam
וַיָּ֣קָם אֲבִיָּ֗ה מֵעַל֙ לְהַ֣ר צְמָרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שְׁמָע֖וּנִי יָרָבְעָ֥ם וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!
הֲלֹ֤א לָכֶם֙ לָדַ֔עַת כִּ֞י יְהוָ֣ה׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נָתַ֨ן מַמְלָכָ֧ה לְדָוִ֛יד עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְעוֹלָ֑ם ל֥וֹ וּלְבָנָ֖יו בְּרִ֥ית מֶֽלַח׃ ס
Do you not 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?
וַיָּ֙קָם֙ יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֔ט עֶ֖בֶד שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בֶן־דָּוִ֑יד וַיִּמְרֹ֖ד עַל־אֲדֹנָֽיו׃
Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.
וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ עָלָ֗יו אֲנָשִׁ֤ים רֵקִים֙ בְּנֵ֣י בְלִיַּ֔עַל וַיִּֽתְאַמְּצ֖וּ עַל־רְחַבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וּרְחַבְעָ֗ם הָ֤יָה נַ֙עַר֙ וְרַךְ־לֵבָ֔ב וְלֹ֥א הִתְחַזַּ֖ק לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֗ים לְהִתְחַזֵּק֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַמְלֶ֣כֶת יְהוָ֔ה בְּיַ֖ד בְּנֵ֣י דָוִ֑יד וְאַתֶּם֙ הָמ֣וֹן רָ֔ב וְעִמָּכֶם֙ עֶגְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם יָרָבְעָ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.
הֲלֹ֤א הִדַּחְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְהַלְוִיִּ֑ם וַתַּעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם כֹּהֲנִים֙ כְּעַמֵּ֣י הָאֲרָצ֔וֹת כָּל־הַבָּ֗א לְמַלֵּ֨א יָד֜וֹ בְּפַ֤ר בֶּן־בָּקָר֙ וְאֵילִ֣ם שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה כֹהֵ֖ן לְלֹ֥א אֱלֹהִֽים׃ ס
But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.
וַאֲנַ֛חְנוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ וְלֹ֣א עֲזַבְנֻ֑הוּ וְכֹ֨הֲנִ֜ים מְשָׁרְתִ֤ים לַֽיהוָה֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְהַלְוִיִּ֖ם בַּמְלָֽאכֶת׃
But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not forsaken Him; the priests who minister to the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.
וּמַקְטִרִ֣ים לַיהוָ֡ה עֹל֣וֹת בַּבֹּֽקֶר־בַּבֹּ֣קֶר וּבָעֶֽרֶב־בָּעֶ֣רֶב וּקְטֹֽרֶת־סַמִּים֩ וּמַעֲרֶ֨כֶת לֶ֜חֶם עַל־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֣ן הַטָּה֗וֹר וּמְנוֹרַ֨ת הַזָּהָ֤ב וְנֵרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ לְבָעֵר֙ בָּעֶ֣רֶב בָּעֶ֔רֶב כִּֽי־שֹׁמְרִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאַתֶּ֖ם עֲזַבְתֶּ֥ם אֹתֽוֹ׃
Every morning and every evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the rows of showbread on the ceremonially clean table, and every evening they light the lamps of the gold lampstand. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have forsaken Him.
וְהִנֵּה֩ עִמָּ֨נוּ בָרֹ֜אשׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֧ים׀ וְכֹהֲנָ֛יו וַחֲצֹצְר֥וֹת הַתְּרוּעָ֖ה לְהָרִ֣יעַ עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אַל־תִּלָּֽחֲמ֛וּ עִם־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם כִּי־לֹ֥א תַצְלִֽיחוּ׃
Now behold, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with their trumpets sound the battle call against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”
וְיָֽרָבְעָ֗ם הֵסֵב֙ אֶת־הַמַּאְרָ֔ב לָב֖וֹא מֵֽאַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וְהַמַּאְרָ֖ב מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to ambush from the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah, the ambush was behind them.
וַיִּפְנ֣וּ יְהוּדָ֗ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה לָהֶ֤ם הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ פָּנִ֣ים וְאָח֔וֹר וַֽיִּצְעֲק֖וּ לַיהוָ֑ה וְהַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מַחְצְרִ֖ים בַּחֲצֹצְרֽוֹת׃
When Judah turned and discovered that the battle was both before and behind them, they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets,
וַיָּרִ֖יעוּ אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיְהִ֗י בְּהָרִ֙יעַ֙ אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה וְהָאֱלֹהִ֗ים נָגַ֤ף אֶת־יָֽרָבְעָם֙ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִפְנֵ֥י אֲבִיָּ֖ה וִיהוּדָֽה׃
and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
וַיָּנ֥וּסוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדָֽם׃
So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.
וַיַּכּ֥וּ בָהֶ֛ם אֲבִיָּ֥ה וְעַמּ֖וֹ מַכָּ֣ה רַבָּ֑ה וַיִּפְּל֤וּ חֲלָלִים֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל חֲמֵשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף אִ֥ישׁ בָּחֽוּר׃
Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.
וַיִּכָּנְע֥וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא וַיֶּֽאֶמְצוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה כִּ֣י נִשְׁעֲנ֔וּ עַל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.
וַיִּרְדֹּ֣ף אֲבִיָּה֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י יָרָבְעָם֒ וַיִּלְכֹּ֤ד מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ עָרִ֔ים אֶת־בֵּֽית־אֵל֙ וְאֶת־בְּנוֹתֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־יְשָׁנָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּנוֹתֶ֑יהָ וְאֶת־עֶפְרַ֖יִן וּבְנֹתֶֽיהָ׃
Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.
וְלֹֽא־עָצַ֧ר כֹּֽחַ־יָרָבְעָ֛ם ע֖וֹד בִּימֵ֣י אֲבִיָּ֑הוּ וַיִּגְּפֵ֥הוּ יְהוָ֖ה וַיָּמֹֽת׃ פ
Jeroboam did not again recover his power during the days of Abijah, and the LORD struck him down and he died.
וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֣ק אֲבִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּ֨שָּׂא־ל֔וֹ נָשִׁ֖ים אַרְבַּ֣ע עֶשְׂרֵ֑ה וַיּ֗וֹלֶד עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ בָּנִ֔ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה בָּנֽוֹת׃ ס
But Abijah grew strong, married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י אֲבִיָּ֔ה וּדְרָכָ֖יו וּדְבָרָ֑יו כְּתוּבִ֕ים בְּמִדְרַ֖שׁ הַנָּבִ֥יא עִדּֽוֹ׃
Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, along with his ways and his words, are written in the Treatise of the Prophet Iddo.