1Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3And Abijah set the battle in order with an army of mighty men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men. Jeroboam also set the battle in order against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty men of valor.

4And Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, in the hills of Ephraim, and said, "Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel. 5Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, has risen up and has rebelled against his lord. 7And there are gathered to him vain men, the children of Belial, and have made themselves strong against Rehoboam the son of Solomon; and Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted and could not withstand them.

8And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hands of the sons of David. And you are a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have you not made priests to yourselves like the peoples of the lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, he may be a priest of those who are not gods. 10But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him. And the priests who minister to the LORD are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in the work. 11And they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense, and set in order the showbread upon the pure table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening, for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him. 12And behold, God Himself is with us as Commander and His priests with sounding silver trumpets to cry the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!"

13But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come around behind them, so that they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14And Judah turned, and, behold, the battle was before and behind. And they cried to the LORD, and the priests sounded with the silver trumpets. 15And the men of Judah shouted. Then it came to pass as the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16And the children of Israel fled before Judah. And God delivered them into their hand. 17And Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter. And there fell down dead five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel. 18And the children of Israel were subdued at that time, and the children of Judah won because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. 19And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him--Bethel with its villages, and Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.

20And Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah. And the LORD struck him and he died.

21But Abijah became mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.