2 Chronicles 13, Additional Reading Psalm 79

Monday, October 13, 2025
 

Abijah Succeeds Rehoboam

13 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah began the battle with an army of valiant warriors, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with 800,000 chosen men who were valiant warriors.

Civil War

4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5 Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David [a]and his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his [b]master, 7 and worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when [c]he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them.

8 “So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the Lord [d]through the sons of David, [e]being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. 9 Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods. 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the Lord as priests, and the Levites [f]attend to their work. 11 Every morning and evening they [g]burn to the Lord burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him. 12 Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

13 But Jeroboam had set an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah turned around, behold, [h]they were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it was that God [i]routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 When the sons of Israel fled before Judah, God gave them into their hand. 17 Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain. 18 Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah [j]conquered because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages and [k]Ephron with its villages.

Death of Jeroboam

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

21 But Abijah became powerful; and took fourteen wives to himself, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in the [l]treatise of the prophet Iddo.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 13:5 Lit to him and to his sons
  2. 2 Chronicles 13:6 Or lord
  3. 2 Chronicles 13:7 Lit Rehoboam
  4. 2 Chronicles 13:8 Lit in the hands of
  5. 2 Chronicles 13:8 Lit and you are a
  6. 2 Chronicles 13:10 Lit in the work
  7. 2 Chronicles 13:11 Lit offer up in smoke
  8. 2 Chronicles 13:14 Lit the battle was before and behind them
  9. 2 Chronicles 13:15 Lit smote
  10. 2 Chronicles 13:18 Lit were strong
  11. 2 Chronicles 13:19 Another reading is Ephrain
  12. 2 Chronicles 13:22 Heb midrash
 
 

A Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Prayer for Help.

A Psalm of Asaph.

79 O God, the nations have [a]invaded Your inheritance;
They have defiled Your holy temple;
They have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens,
The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem;
And there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
A scoffing and derision to those around us.
5 How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You,
And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob
And laid waste his [b]habitation.

8 Do not remember [c]the iniquities of our forefathers against us;
Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us,
For we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
And deliver us and [d]forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Let there be known among the nations in our sight,
Vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your [e]power preserve [f]those who are doomed to die.
12 And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom
[g]The reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
13 So we Your people and the sheep of Your [h]pasture
Will give thanks to You forever;
To all generations we will tell of Your praise.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:1 Lit come into
  2. Psalm 79:7 Lit pasture
  3. Psalm 79:8 Or our former iniquities
  4. Psalm 79:9 Lit cover over, atone for
  5. Psalm 79:11 Lit arm
  6. Psalm 79:11 Lit the children of death
  7. Psalm 79:12 Lit Their
  8. Psalm 79:13 Or pasturing

Add to Calendar