FRAMEWORKS:
2 Chronicles 13: Abijah
king of Judah
[Introductory
Notes: Although Abijah only reigned for three years,
we are shown his reliance on the Lord and his victory over Jeroboam
and Israel.]
v.1-3
Abijah (Judah) & Jeroboam (Israel) prepare to fight
v.1
In
the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam,
Abijah became king of Judah,
v.2
and
he reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His
mother's name was Maakah, a daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
There
was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
v.3
Abijah
went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand
able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle
line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.
v.4
Abijah challenges Israel
v.4
Abijah
stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim,
and said, ‘Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!
v.5
He reminds them that God had given the kingdom to David &
his descendants
v.5
Don't
you know that the Lord,
the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and
his descendants for ever by a covenant of salt?
v.6,7
He reminds them that Jerobosam had rebelled
v.6
Yet
Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled
against his master.
v.7
Some
worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam
son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong
enough to resist them.
v.8
He points out they are resisting God's kingdom
v.8
‘And
now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord,
which is in the hands of David's descendants. You are indeed a
vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made
to be your gods.
v.9
He also
points out they are following a counterfeit religion...
v.9
But
didn't you drive out the priests of the Lord,
the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own
as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate
himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of
what are not gods.
v.10-12
...whereas they remain true to the Lord who is on their side
v.10
‘As
for us, the Lord
is our God,
and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord
are sons of
Aaron, and the Levites assist them.
v.11
Every
morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant
incense to the Lord.
They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light
the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing
the requirements of the Lord
our God. But
you have forsaken him.
v.12
God
is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets
will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not
fight against the Lord,
the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.'
v.13
Jeroboam had planned an ambush
v.13
Now
Jeroboam had sent troops round to the rear, so that while he was
in front of Judah the ambush was behind them.
v.14-17
So Judah cried to the Lord who routed Israel
v.14
Judah
turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and
rear. Then they cried out to the Lord.
The priests blew their trumpets
v.15
and
the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their
battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel
before Abijah and Judah.
v.16
The
Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their
hands.
v.17
Abijah
and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were
five hundred thousand casualties among Israel's able men.
v.18-22
Thus Abijah prevailed over Jeroboam with the Lord's help
v.18
The
Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah
were victorious because they relied on the Lord,
the God of their ancestors.
v.19
Abijah
pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah
and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.
v.20
Jeroboam
did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the Lord
struck him
down and he died.
v.21
But
Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two
sons and sixteen daughters.
v.22
The
other events of Abijah's reign, what he did and what he said,
are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.
Continue
to Ch.14