2 Chronicles 13

1 In the eighteenth year of king Yarov`am began Aviyah to reign over Yehudah.

2 Three years reigned he in Yerushalayim: and his mother's name was Mikhayahu the daughter of Uri'el of Gevah. There was war between Aviyah and Yarov`am.

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

4 Aviyah stood up on Mount Tzemaryim, which is in the hill-country of Efrayim, and said, Hear me, Yarov`am and all Yisra'el:

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

6 Yet Yarov`am the son of Nevat, the servant of Shlomo the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord.

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

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

9 Haven't you driven out the Kohanim of the LORD, the sons of Aharon, and the Levites, and made you Kohanim 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 Kohen of [those who are] no gods.

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

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

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

13 But Yarov`am caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Yehudah, and the ambush was behind them.

14 When Yehudah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to the LORD, and the Kohanim sounded with the trumpets.

15 Then the men of Yehudah gave a shout: and as the men of Yehudah shouted, it happened, that God struck Yarov`am and all Yisra'el before Aviyah and Yehudah.

16 The children of Yisra'el fled before Yehudah; and God delivered them into their hand.

17 Aviyah and his people killed them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Yisra'el five hundred thousand chosen men.

18 Thus the children of Yisra'el were brought under at that time, and the children of Yehudah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

19 Aviyah pursued after Yarov`am, and took cities from him, Beit-El with the towns of it, and Yeshanah with the towns of it, and `Efron with the towns of it.

20 Neither did Yarov`am recover strength again in the days of Aviyah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

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

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

2 Chronicles 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

Abijah overcomes Jeroboam.

- Jeroboam and his people, by apostacy and idolatry, merited the severe punishment Abijah was permitted to execute upon them. It ( 1 Kings. 15:3 ) not himself truly religious, yet he encouraged himself from the religion of his people. It is common for those that deny the power of godliness, to boast of the form of it. Many that have little religion themselves, value it in others. But it was true that there were numbers of pious worshippers in Judah, and that theirs was the more righteous cause. In their distress, when danger was on every side, which way should they look for deliverance unless upward? It is an unspeakable comfort, that our way thither is always open. They cried unto the Lord. Earnest prayer is crying. To the cry of prayer they added the shout of faith, and became more than conquerors. Jeroboam escaped the sword of Abijah, but God struck him; there is no escaping his sword.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 13

This chapter begins with the reign of Abijah, 2Ch 13:1,2, gives an account of a battle between him and Jeroboam, previous to which Abijah made a speech to Jeroboam and his army, to vindicate his own cause, encourage his own soldiers, and intimidate the enemy, and dissuade them from fighting, 2Ch 13:3-12 and in the mean while Jeroboam laid an ambush for him, which greatly distressed him, 2Ch 13:13,14, nevertheless he obtained a complete victory over him, 2Ch 13:15-20, and the chapter is concluded with some account of his family and reign, 2Ch 13:21,22.