1. Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

2. He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3. And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty men of valour.

4. And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;

5. Ought ye not to know that יְהוָ֥ה Elohim of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

6. Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.

7. And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

8. And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of יְהוָ֥ה in the hand of the sons of David; and ye a great multitude, and with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

9. Have ye not cast out the priests of יְהוָ֥ה, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, may be a priest of no gods.

10. But as for us, יְהוָ֥ה our Elohim, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto יְהוָ֥ה, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites upon business:

11. And they burn unto יְהוָ֥ה every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of יְהוָ֥ה our Elohim; but ye have forsaken him.

12. And, behold, Elohim himself with us for captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against יְהוָ֥ה Elohim of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

13. But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment behind them.

14. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle before and behind: and they cried unto יְהוָ֥ה, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

15. Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that Elohim smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and Elohim delivered them into their hand.

17. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

18. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon יְהוָ֥ה Elohim of their fathers.

19. And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.