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

1 בִּשְׁנַ֛ת שְׁמֹונֶ֥ה עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ אֲבִיָּ֖ה עַל־יְהוּדָֽה׃

2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

2 שָׁלֹ֣ושׁ שָׁנִ֗ים מָלַךְ֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמֹּ֔ו מִיכָיָ֥הוּ בַת־אוּרִיאֵ֖ל מִן־גִּבְעָ֑ה וּמִלְחָמָ֥ה הָיְתָ֛ה בֵּ֥ין אֲבִיָּ֖ה וּבֵ֥ין יָרָבְעָֽם׃

3 Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor.

3 וַיֶּאְסֹ֨ר אֲבִיָּ֜ה אֶת־הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה בְּחַ֙יִל֙ גִּבֹּורֵ֣י מִלְחָמָ֔ה אַרְבַּע־מֵאֹ֥ות אֶ֖לֶף אִ֣ישׁ בָּח֑וּר וְיָרָבְעָ֗ם עָרַ֤ךְ עִמֹּו֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה בִּשְׁמֹונֶ֨ה מֵאֹ֥ות אֶ֛לֶף אִ֥ישׁ בָּח֖וּר גִּבֹּ֥ור חָֽיִל׃

4 Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:

4 וַיָּ֣קָם אֲבִיָּ֗ה מֵעַל֙ לְהַ֣ר צְמָרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שְׁמָע֖וּנִי יָרָבְעָ֥ם וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

5 Ought you not to know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

5 הֲלֹ֤א לָכֶם֙ לָדַ֔עַת כִּ֞י יְהוָ֣ה׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נָתַ֨ן מַמְלָכָ֧ה לְדָוִ֛יד עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְעֹולָ֑ם לֹ֥ו וּלְבָנָ֖יו בְּרִ֥ית מֶֽלַח׃

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

6 וַיָּ֙קָם֙ יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֔ט עֶ֖בֶד שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בֶן־דָּוִ֑יד וַיִּמְרֹ֖ד עַל־אֲדֹנָֽיו׃

7 There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.

7 וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ עָלָ֗יו אֲנָשִׁ֤ים רֵקִים֙ בְּנֵ֣י בְלִיַּ֔עַל וַיִּֽתְאַמְּצ֖וּ עַל־רְחַבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וּרְחַבְעָ֗ם הָ֤יָה נַ֙עַר֙ וְרַךְ־לֵבָ֔ב וְלֹ֥א הִתְחַזַּ֖ק לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃

8 Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

8 וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֗ים לְהִתְחַזֵּק֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַמְלֶ֣כֶת יְהוָ֔ה בְּיַ֖ד בְּנֵ֣י דָוִ֑יד וְאַתֶּם֙ הָמֹ֣ון רָ֔ב וְעִמָּכֶם֙ עֶגְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם יָרָבְעָ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

9 Haven't you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests after the manner of the peoples of [other] lands? so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest of [those who are] no gods.

9 הֲלֹ֤א הִדַּחְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְהַלְוִיִּ֑ם וַתַּעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם כֹּהֲנִים֙ כְּעַמֵּ֣י הָאֲרָצֹ֔ות כָּל־הַבָּ֗א לְמַלֵּ֨א יָדֹ֜ו בְּפַ֤ר בֶּן־בָּקָר֙ וְאֵילִ֣ם שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה כֹהֵ֖ן לְלֹ֥א אֱלֹהִֽים׃

10 But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and [we have] priests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work:

10 וַאֲנַ֛חְנוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ וְלֹ֣א עֲזַבְנֻ֑הוּ וְכֹ֨הֲנִ֜ים מְשָׁרְתִ֤ים לַֽיהוָה֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְהַלְוִיִּ֖ם בַּמְלָֽאכֶת׃

11 and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also [set they] in order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken him.

11 וּמַקְטִרִ֣ים לַיהוָ֡ה עֹלֹ֣ות בַּבֹּֽקֶר־בַּבֹּ֣קֶר וּבָעֶֽרֶב־בָּעֶ֣רֶב וּקְטֹֽרֶת־סַמִּים֩ וּמַעֲרֶ֨כֶת לֶ֜חֶם עַל־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֣ן הַטָּהֹ֗ור וּמְנֹורַ֨ת הַזָּהָ֤ב וְנֵרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ לְבָעֵר֙ בָּעֶ֣רֶב בָּעֶ֔רֶב כִּֽי־שֹׁמְרִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאַתֶּ֖ם עֲזַבְתֶּ֥ם אֹתֹֽו׃

12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don't you fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.

12 וְהִנֵּה֩ עִמָּ֨נוּ בָרֹ֜אשׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֧ים׀ וְכֹהֲנָ֛יו וַחֲצֹצְרֹ֥ות הַתְּרוּעָ֖ה לְהָרִ֣יעַ עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אַל־תִּלָּֽחֲמ֛וּ עִם־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם כִּי־לֹ֥א תַצְלִֽיחוּ׃

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

13 וְיָֽרָבְעָ֗ם הֵסֵב֙ אֶת־הַמַּאְרָ֔ב לָבֹ֖וא מֵֽאַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וְהַמַּאְרָ֖ב מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃

14 When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

14 וַיִּפְנ֣וּ יְהוּדָ֗ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה לָהֶ֤ם הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ פָּנִ֣ים וְאָחֹ֔ור וַֽיִּצְעֲק֖וּ לַיהוָ֑ה וְהַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מַחֲצֹצְרִים מַחְצְרִ֖ים בַּחֲצֹצְרֹֽות׃

15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened, that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

15 וַיָּרִ֖יעוּ אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיְהִ֗י בְּהָרִ֙יעַ֙ אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה וְהָאֱלֹהִ֗ים נָגַ֤ף אֶת־יָֽרָבְעָם֙ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִפְנֵ֥י אֲבִיָּ֖ה וִיהוּדָֽה׃

16 The children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand.

16 וַיָּנ֥וּסוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדָֽם׃

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

17 וַיַּכּ֥וּ בָהֶ֛ם אֲבִיָּ֥ה וְעַמֹּ֖ו מַכָּ֣ה רַבָּ֑ה וַיִּפְּל֤וּ חֲלָלִים֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל חֲמֵשׁ־מֵאֹ֥ות אֶ֖לֶף אִ֥ישׁ בָּחֽוּר׃

18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

18 וַיִּכָּנְע֥וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא וַיֶּֽאֶמְצוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה כִּ֣י נִשְׁעֲנ֔וּ עַל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹותֵיהֶֽם׃

19 Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns of it, and Jeshanah with the towns of it, and Ephron with the towns of it.

19 וַיִּרְדֹּ֣ף אֲבִיָּה֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י יָרָבְעָם֒ וַיִּלְכֹּ֤ד מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ עָרִ֔ים אֶת־בֵּֽית־אֵל֙ וְאֶת־בְּנֹותֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־יְשָׁנָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּנֹותֶ֑יהָ וְאֶת־ עֶפְרֹון עֶפְרַ֖יִן וּבְנֹתֶֽיהָ׃

20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and Yahweh struck him, and he died.

20 וְלֹֽא־עָצַ֧ר כֹּֽחַ־יָרָבְעָ֛ם עֹ֖וד בִּימֵ֣י אֲבִיָּ֑הוּ וַיִּגְּפֵ֥הוּ יְהוָ֖ה וַיָּמֹֽת׃

21 But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.

21 וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֣ק אֲבִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּ֨שָּׂא־לֹ֔ו נָשִׁ֖ים אַרְבַּ֣ע עֶשְׂרֵ֑ה וַיֹּ֗ולֶד עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ בָּנִ֔ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה בָּנֹֽות׃

22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

22 וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י אֲבִיָּ֔ה וּדְרָכָ֖יו וּדְבָרָ֑יו כְּתוּבִ֕ים בְּמִדְרַ֖שׁ הַנָּבִ֥יא עִדֹּֽו׃