2 Chronicles 13
Battle that broke Jeroboam
Abijah, Solomon’s grandson, becomes king
1 Kings 15:1-8 1By the time Abijah [1] became Judah’s king, Jeroboam had been king of Israel for almost 18 years. 2Abijah ruled Jerusalem for just three years. His mother was Maacah, [2] daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. [3] A state of civil war continued throughout the reign of Abijah and King Jeroboam of Israel’s northern tribes. Million-man battle
3In one battle, Abijah led his army of 400,000 warriors north, where they set up a battle line facing Jeroboam’s army of 800,000 fighters—double the size of Abijah’s army.
4Abijah climbed onto the slopes of Mount Zemaraim, [4] in the hills of Ephraim’s tribal territory. He called out to his enemy. He said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam, and all you people of Israel who stand with him. 5Don’t you know that the LORD God of Israel created David’s family dynasty of kings? God added preservatives to this promise he made to David. God salted it to last the generations.
6But one of Solomon’s workers—Jeroboam, Nebat’s son—decided to lead a coup against his king, his master. 7He attracted a crowd of deplorables. Together they rejected their new king, Rehoboam, who was too young and inexperienced to know how to deal with rebels. 8So, you think you can hold your own against the kingdom God entrusted to David’s sons? And you think it because Jeroboam has a big army and golden gods molded into bulls?
9Aren’t you the people who drove away all the priests and their Levite associates—the descendants of Aaron—and then created your own little cluster of priests? All a wannabe priest needs to do is sacrifice a bull and seven rams. Then voila, they are a false priest of a false god. Just like priests in other nations. 10As for us, we’re sticking with the LORD our God. Our priests and their Levite associates are the real thing—descendants of Aaron.
11They sacrifice burnt offerings [5] every morning and evening, like they're supposed to. They burn the sacred incense. And every Sabbath, they set out the sacred bread [6] on the golden table inside the Temple. They keep the golden lampstands burning every evening, too. They do all of this because they are honoring the charge that the Lord our God gave them. But you have abandoned these. You turned your back on God.
12Look at us. God is standing on the front line, for our priests are with us. They’ve got their ram’s horns as battle trumpets, and they’re ready to use them. People of Israel, I’m pleading with you. Don’t fight the LORD. He’s the God of your own ancestors. You can’t fight God and win.” Ambushing God
13Jeroboam managed to sneak part of his army into the woods behind Abijah’s warriors. So, Judah’s attack force would have to fight on two fronts. One before them and one behind them.
14When Judah’s army saw what was behind them, they cried out for the LORD’s help while the priests blew their battle horns. 15At the sound of the trumpets, warriors of Judah screamed their battle cry. God heard their prayers and crushed their enemies, defeating Jeroboam and the Israelites who followed him. Israel’s retreat
16Israel ran away from Judah’s army. This was God’s gift to Judah. 17Half a million Israelite warriors fell in that battle.
18Judah defeated the northern tribes of Israel because they put their trust in the LORD, God of their ancestors. 19Abijah pressed the attack as Israel retreated. He took the border towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, [7] and Ephrain, with their outlying communities.
20Jeroboam never recovered from that defeat. He could never reestablish his power as king. God ended his life. 21Abijah, on the other hand, strengthened his position as a ruler. He had 14 wives, 22 sons, and 16 daughters.
22The rest of Abijah’s story about what he did with his life and what he accomplished is preserved in the historical records of the prophet Iddo. [8] Footnotes
113:1Also known as Abijam.
213:2“Micaiah” is an alternate spelling printed in some Bibles.
313:2The version of this story in 1 Kings 15 says she is the daughter of Abishalom. That name is an alternate form of “Absalom,” the name of David’s son who died leading a coup against his father.
413:4No one seems to know exactly where Mount Zemarayim was. Many say it was likely near the Israel/Judah border, where Benjamin’s tribal boundary met the tribal border of Ephraim. Some put the location at Ras ez Zemarah, a dozen miles (20 km) northeast of Jerusalem.
513:11Priests were required to sacrifice burnt offerings every morning and evening (Numbers 28:1-8). Burnt offerings involved sacrifices to atone for sinful behavior. The entire animal was burned on an altar. See Leviticus 1.
613:11Priests set out fresh bread “as a gift to the Lord” every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8).
713:19Location of Jeshanah is unknown. Some have speculated it might be the ruins of Ein Siniya (or Ain Sinia) about three miles (5 km) north of Bethel and 12 miles (20 km) north of Jerusalem.
813:22First Kings 18 reports that Abijah’s story was preserved in the History of Judah’s Kings. This history book as well as the historical writings of Iddo are lost to history, which is ironic and disappointing.
Discussion Questions
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Maps/Guides
Israel, Judah: One nation divided
Battle at Mt ZemaraimVideos
Million-man battle
3In one battle, Abijah led his army of 400,000 warriors north, where they set up a battle line facing Jeroboam’s army of 800,000 fighters—double the size of Abijah’s army.4Abijah climbed onto the slopes of Mount Zemaraim, [4] in the hills of Ephraim’s tribal territory. He called out to his enemy. He said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam, and all you people of Israel who stand with him. 5Don’t you know that the LORD God of Israel created David’s family dynasty of kings? God added preservatives to this promise he made to David. God salted it to last the generations.
6But one of Solomon’s workers—Jeroboam, Nebat’s son—decided to lead a coup against his king, his master. 7He attracted a crowd of deplorables. Together they rejected their new king, Rehoboam, who was too young and inexperienced to know how to deal with rebels. 8So, you think you can hold your own against the kingdom God entrusted to David’s sons? And you think it because Jeroboam has a big army and golden gods molded into bulls?
9Aren’t you the people who drove away all the priests and their Levite associates—the descendants of Aaron—and then created your own little cluster of priests? All a wannabe priest needs to do is sacrifice a bull and seven rams. Then voila, they are a false priest of a false god. Just like priests in other nations. 10As for us, we’re sticking with the LORD our God. Our priests and their Levite associates are the real thing—descendants of Aaron.
11They sacrifice burnt offerings [5] every morning and evening, like they're supposed to. They burn the sacred incense. And every Sabbath, they set out the sacred bread [6] on the golden table inside the Temple. They keep the golden lampstands burning every evening, too. They do all of this because they are honoring the charge that the Lord our God gave them. But you have abandoned these. You turned your back on God.
12Look at us. God is standing on the front line, for our priests are with us. They’ve got their ram’s horns as battle trumpets, and they’re ready to use them. People of Israel, I’m pleading with you. Don’t fight the LORD. He’s the God of your own ancestors. You can’t fight God and win.”
Ambushing God
13Jeroboam managed to sneak part of his army into the woods behind Abijah’s warriors. So, Judah’s attack force would have to fight on two fronts. One before them and one behind them.14When Judah’s army saw what was behind them, they cried out for the LORD’s help while the priests blew their battle horns. 15At the sound of the trumpets, warriors of Judah screamed their battle cry. God heard their prayers and crushed their enemies, defeating Jeroboam and the Israelites who followed him.
Israel’s retreat
16Israel ran away from Judah’s army. This was God’s gift to Judah. 17Half a million Israelite warriors fell in that battle.18Judah defeated the northern tribes of Israel because they put their trust in the LORD, God of their ancestors. 19Abijah pressed the attack as Israel retreated. He took the border towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, [7] and Ephrain, with their outlying communities.
20Jeroboam never recovered from that defeat. He could never reestablish his power as king. God ended his life. 21Abijah, on the other hand, strengthened his position as a ruler. He had 14 wives, 22 sons, and 16 daughters.
22The rest of Abijah’s story about what he did with his life and what he accomplished is preserved in the historical records of the prophet Iddo. [8]
Footnotes
Also known as Abijam.
“Micaiah” is an alternate spelling printed in some Bibles.
The version of this story in 1 Kings 15 says she is the daughter of Abishalom. That name is an alternate form of “Absalom,” the name of David’s son who died leading a coup against his father.
No one seems to know exactly where Mount Zemarayim was. Many say it was likely near the Israel/Judah border, where Benjamin’s tribal boundary met the tribal border of Ephraim. Some put the location at Ras ez Zemarah, a dozen miles (20 km) northeast of Jerusalem.
Priests were required to sacrifice burnt offerings every morning and evening (Numbers 28:1-8). Burnt offerings involved sacrifices to atone for sinful behavior. The entire animal was burned on an altar. See Leviticus 1.
Priests set out fresh bread “as a gift to the Lord” every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8).
Location of Jeshanah is unknown. Some have speculated it might be the ruins of Ein Siniya (or Ain Sinia) about three miles (5 km) north of Bethel and 12 miles (20 km) north of Jerusalem.
First Kings 18 reports that Abijah’s story was preserved in the History of Judah’s Kings. This history book as well as the historical writings of Iddo are lost to history, which is ironic and disappointing.
Discussion Questions
- Sorry, there are currently no questions for this chapter.
Maps/Guides
