Abijah Succeeds Rehoboam in Judah

(1 Kings 15:1-8)

1In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam — Abijah reigneth over Judah; 2three years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, (and the name of his mother [is] Michaiah daughter of Uriel, from Gibeah,) and war hath been between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3And Abijah directeth the war with a force of mighty men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men, and Jeroboam hath set in array with him battle, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty of valour.

Civil War against Jeroboam

(Judges 20:18-23; 2 Samuel 2:12-32; Matthew 13:33-33; Luke 13:20-21)

4And Abijah riseth up on the hill of Zemaraim that [is] in the hill-country of Ephraim, and saith, ‘Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel! 5Is it not for you to know that Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given the kingdom to David over Israel to the age, to him and to his sons — a covenant of salt? 6and rise up doth Jeroboam, son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, and rebelleth against his lord! 7‘And there are gathered unto him vain men, sons of worthlessness, and they strengthen themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon, and Rehoboam was a youth, and tender of heart, and hath not strengthened himself against them.

8‘And now, ye are saying to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David, and ye [are] a numerous multitude, and with you calves of gold that Jeroboam hath made to you for gods. 9‘Have ye not cast out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make to you priests like the peoples of the lands? every one who hath come to fill his hand with a bullock, a son of the herd, and seven rams, even he hath been a priest to No-gods! 10‘As for us, Jehovah [is] our God, and we have not forsaken Him, and priests are ministering to Jehovah, sons of Aaron and the Levites, in the work, 11and are making perfume to Jehovah, burnt-offerings morning by morning, and evening by evening, and perfume of spices, and the arrangement of bread [is] on the pure table, and the candlestick of gold, and its lamps, to burn evening by evening, for we are keeping the charge of Jehovah our God, and ye — ye have forsaken Him. 12‘And lo, with us — at [our] head — [is] God, and His priests and trumpets of shouting to shout against you; O sons of Israel, do not fight with Jehovah, God of your fathers, for ye do not prosper.’

13And Jeroboam hath brought round the ambush to come in from behind them, and they are before Judah, and the ambush [is] behind them. 14And Judah turneth, and lo, against them [is] the battle, before and behind, and they cry to Jehovah, and the priests are blowing with trumpets, 15and the men of Judah shout — and it cometh to pass, at the shouting of the men of Judah, that God hath smitten Jeroboam, and all Israel, before Abijah and Judah. 16And the sons of Israel flee from the face of Judah, and God giveth them into their hand, 17and Abijah and his people smite among them a great smiting, and there fall wounded of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18And the sons of Israel are humbled at that time, and the sons of Judah are strong, for they have leant on Jehovah, God of their fathers. 19And Abijah pursueth after Jeroboam, and captureth from him cities, Beth-El and its small towns, and Jeshanah and its small towns, and Ephraim and its small towns.

The Death of Jeroboam

(1 Kings 14:19-20)

20And Jeroboam hath not retained power any more in the days of Abijah, and Jehovah smiteth him, and he dieth.

21And Abijah strengtheneth himself, and taketh to him fourteen wives, and begetteth twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters, 22and the rest of the matters of Abijah, and his ways, and his words, are written in the ‘Inquiry’ of the prophet Iddo.