2 Chronicles 13

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah	1 In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.
2 and reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.When war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam,	2 Three years he reigned in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Michaia, the daughter of Uriel of Gabaa: and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam.
3 Abijah took the field with an army of four hundred thousand picked warriors, while Jeroboam took thefield against him with eight hundred thousand picked warriors.	3 And when Abia had begun battle, and had with him four hundred thousand most valiant and chosen men, Jeroboam put his army in array against him, eight hundred thousand men, who were also chosen and most valiant for war.
4 Abijah took position on Mount Zemaraim, in the highlands of Ephraim. 'Jeroboam and al Israel,' hecried, 'listen to me!	4 And Abia stood upon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Israel:
5 Do you not know that Yahweh, God of Israel, has given eternal sovereignty of Israel to David and hissons by an inviolable covenant?	5 Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, the slave of Solomon son of David, rose in revolt against his master.	6 And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up: m and rebelled against his lord.
7 Worthless men, scoundrels, ral ied to him, proving too strong for Rehoboam son of Solomon, asRehoboam was then inexperienced and timid and unable to resist them.	7 And there were gathered to him vain men, and children of Belial: and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them.
8 And now you propose to resist Yahweh's sovereignty as exercised by the sons of David becausethere is a great number of you and you have the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods!	8 And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.
9 Have you not driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, to make priests ofyour own like the peoples of foreign countries? Anyone who comes with a bul and seven rams to get himselfconsecrated can become priest of these gods that are no gods.	9 And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: and you have made you priests, like all the nations of the earth: whosoever cometh and consecrateth his hand with a bullock of the herd, and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are no gods.
10 But for our part, our God is Yahweh, and we have not abandoned him; our priests are sons of Aaronwho minister to Yahweh, and those who serve are Levites;	10 But the Lord is our God, whom we forsake not, and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are in their order.
11 morning after morning, evening after evening, they present burnt offerings and perfumed incense toYahweh, they put the bread of permanent offering on the clean table and nightly light the lamps on the goldenlamp-stand; for we keep the decree of Yahweh our God, although you have abandoned him.	11 And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the leaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.
12 See how God is with us, at our head, and his priests with trumpets to sound the alarm against you!Israelites, do not make war on Yahweh, God of your ancestors, for you wil not succeed.'	12 Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.
13 Now Jeroboam had sent a party round to ambush them from the rear; thus the main force confrontedJudah and the ambush lay to their rear.	13 While he spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda. who perceived it not, with his army.
14 And when Judah looked round, they found themselves being attacked from front and rear. Theycal ed on Yahweh, the priests sounded the trumpets,	14 And when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.
15 and the men of Judah raised the war cry and, as they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and allIsrael before Abijah and Judah.	15 And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.
16 So the Israelites fled before Judah, because God had given Judah the upper hand,	16 And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.
17 and Abijah and his army inflicted a great slaughter on them: five hundred thousand of Israel's pickedmen fel , kil ed.	17 And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.
18 So the Israelites were humbled on that occasion, while the Judaeans won, since they had relied onYahweh, God of their ancestors.	18 And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.
19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam, taking from him the towns of Bethel with its dependencies, Jeshanah withits dependencies and Ephron with its dependencies,	19 And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.
20 nor did Jeroboam regain strength during Abijah's lifetime. Eventual y Yahweh struck him and he died,	20 And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.
21 but Abijah grew stronger than ever; he married fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons andsixteen daughters.	21 But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 The rest of the history of Abijah, his conduct and his sayings, are recorded in the midrash of theprophet Iddo.	22 And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.
23 When Abijah fel asleep with his ancestors, he was buried in the City of David; his son Asasucceeded him. In his time the country was at peace for ten years.