2 Chronicles 13 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam's reign, Abijah became king over Judah.

He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

Abijah launched the battle with an army of warriors — four hundred thousand hand-picked fighting men. Jeroboam lined up against him with eight hundred thousand hand-picked warriors.

Abijah stood on top of Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and called out, "Jeroboam and all Israel — listen to me!

Don't you know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever — an unbreakable covenant sealed with salt?

But Jeroboam son of Nebat — a servant of Solomon son of David — rose up and rebelled against his master.

Then worthless troublemakers gathered around him and overpowered Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and timid and couldn't stand up to them.

And now you think you can stand against Yahweh's kingdom in the hands of David's descendants? You may be a massive army, and you have those golden calves that Jeroboam made as your gods.

Didn't you drive out Yahweh's priests — the descendants of Aaron — and the Levites? And then you made your own priests, just like the nations around you do! Anyone who shows up with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of those no-gods.

But as for us — Yahweh is our God, and we haven't abandoned him. We have priests serving Yahweh who are actual descendants of Aaron, and Levites doing their assigned work.

Every morning and every evening they burn offerings and fragrant incense to Yahweh. They arrange the bread on the sacred table and light the gold lampstand every evening. We are keeping our responsibilities to Yahweh our God, but you have abandoned him.

Look — God himself is with us as our leader, and his priests are here with the signal trumpets ready to sound the charge against you. People of Israel, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, because you will not win.

But Jeroboam had sent forces around to ambush them from behind. So Israel was in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

When Judah turned and saw they were being attacked from both the front and the rear, they cried out to Yahweh. The priests blew the trumpets,

and the men of Judah raised the war cry. As the men of Judah shouted, God struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

The Israelites fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah's forces.

Abijah and his troops inflicted massive casualties on them — five hundred thousand of Israel's hand-picked men fell dead.

The Israelites were humbled that day, and the people of Judah prevailed because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured towns from him: Bethel with its surrounding villages, Jeshanah with its surrounding villages, and Ephron with its surrounding villages.

Jeroboam never regained his power during Abijah's lifetime. Eventually Yahweh struck him down, and he died.

But Abijah grew powerful. He married fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

The rest of Abijah's story — everything he did and said — is written down in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.